A Dictionary of English Synonymes and Synonymous or Parallel Expressions Designed as a Practical Guide to Aptness and Variety of Phraseology — Story, Setting & Ideas

Alphabetical Architecture and Cross-Reference

Soule's dictionary is organized as a straightforward alphabetical list, but its cross-reference system adds a layer of navigation. When a word has many synonyms, the entry may direct the reader to a 'prominent word' printed in small capitals. For example, under 'Blockhead' the reader is referred to 'DUNCE,' where all related terms are gathered. This method avoids repetition while keeping the dictionary compact. The excerpts show this in action: 'Intimacy' leads to 'familiarity, fellowship, friendship,' while 'Intimate' as an adjective offers 'near, close' and as a noun 'confidant, crony.' The system assumes the reader will follow these links, creating a web of associations rather than isolated lists.

Register and Colloquial Range

The dictionary spans a wide register, from formal Latinate terms to slang and idiomatic phrases. Under 'Intoxicated,' Soule lists 'inebriated, drunk, tipsy, drunken, fuddled, muddled, disguised, maudlin, mellow, slewed, groggy, in liquor, in one's cups, half seas over, three sheets in the wind.' This range shows his intent to cover both literary and everyday usage. Similarly, 'Intimate' as an adjective includes 'thick, hand and glove, hail fellow well met.' Soule does not shy away from marking usage: he notes that 'in their midst' is 'common, but not sanctioned by the best writers.' Such judgments reveal a prescriptive streak, but the inclusion of colloquial forms makes the dictionary a record of 19th-century English as it was actually used.

Phrasal and Idiomatic Entries

Beyond single words, Soule includes phrases and idioms as headwords. Examples from the excerpts include 'In the family way' (pregnant), 'In the long run' (finally), 'In the wind' (in preparation), and 'In the wrong' (mistaken). These entries treat phrases as lexical units, giving synonyms or explanations. The phrase 'In the straw' is defined as 'confined, lying in, in child-bed, brought to bed.' This approach acknowledges that much of English expression is formulaic. Soule also includes Latin phrases like 'In toto' and 'In transitu,' reflecting the scholarly context of the era. The inclusion of such entries makes the dictionary useful not only for synonymy but for understanding idiomatic usage.

The Preface as a User's Manual

Soule's preface is a concise guide to using the dictionary. He explains that when a doubt arises about a word, the writer should turn to that word in its alphabetical place. Under it will be found 'the words and phrases, or some clew to the words and phrases, which, in any connection, have the same meaning.' The goal is to help the writer avoid 'ungraceful repetition' and to make sentences 'more clear, simple, terse, or rhythmical.' The preface also describes the cross-reference system, using 'Blockhead' and 'Dunce' as an example. This user-oriented framing sets the dictionary apart from mere lists: it is a tool for active composition, not passive reference.

Soule's dictionary rewards browsing as much as lookup. The reader who turns to a single word may find a dozen alternatives, each with a slightly different connotation. The cross-references invite exploration, and the inclusion of colloquial and idiomatic entries gives a sense of the language's texture. For anyone interested in the choices that shape prose—whether to avoid repetition, sharpen meaning, or match tone—this work offers a practical and historically rich resource. It is best used not as a final authority but as a starting point for reflection on word choice.

That gray afternoon, flipping through Soule’s old synonyms, I lingered on “conversation”—its weary alternatives—and felt a sudden pull toward something warmer. Before I knew it, I was lost in Putnam's Phrase Book An Aid to Social Letter Writing and to Ready and Effective Conversation, with Over 100 Model Social Letters and 6000 of the World's Best English — A Closer Reading, where those bare words turned into actual letters, handwritten and full of breath.