catechize.
require an answer; pick the brains of, suck the brains of; feel the pulse.
get the lay of the land; see how the wind is blowing; put one"s ear to the ground.
[intransitive] be in question &c. adj.; undergo examination.
Adj. inquiry &c. v.; inquisitive &c. (curious) 455; requisitive, requisitory[obs3]; catechetical[obs3], inquisitorial, a.n.a.lytic; in search of, in quest of; on the lookout for, interrogative, zetetic[obs3]; all searching.
undetermined, untried, undecided; in question, in dispute, in issue, in course of inquiry; under discussion, under consideration, under investigation &c. n.; sub judice[Lat], moot, proposed; doubtful &c.
(uncertain) 475.
Adv. what? why? wherefore? whence? whither? where? quaere? how comes it[Lat], how happens it, how is it? what is the reason? what"s the matter, what"s in the wind? what on earth? when? who? nicht wahr?[Ger].
#462. Answer. -- N. answer, response, reply, replication, riposte, rejoinder, surrejoinder[obs3], reb.u.t.ter, surreb.u.t.ter[obs3], retort, repartee; rescript, rescription[obs3]; antiphon[obs3], antiphony; acknowledgment; pa.s.sword; echo; counter statement.
discovery &c. 480a; solution &c. (explanation) 522; rationale &c.
(cause) 153; clue &c. (indication) 550.
Oedipus; oracle &c. 513; return &c. (record) 551.
V. answer, respond, reply, rebut, retort, rejoin; give for answer, return for answer; acknowledge, echo.
explain &c. (interpret) 522; solve &c. (unriddle) 522; discover &c.
480a; fathom, hunt out &c. (inquire) 461; satisfy, set at rest, determine.
Adj. answering &c. v.; responsive, respondent; conclusive.
Adv. because &c. (cause) 153; on the scent, on the right scent.
Int. eureka!
#463. Experiment. -- N. experiment; essay &c. (attempt) 675; a.n.a.lysis &c. (investigation) 461; screen; trial, tentative method, ttonnement.
verification, probation, experimentum crucis[Lat], proof, (demonstration) 478; criterion, diagnostic, test, probe, crucial test, acid test, litmus test.
crucible, reagent, check, touchstone, pix[obs3]; a.s.say, ordeal; ring; litmus paper, curc.u.ma paper[obs3], turmeric paper; test tube; a.n.a.lytical instruments &c. 633.
empiricism, rule of thumb.
feeler; trial balloon, pilot balloon, messenger balloon; pilot engine; scout; straw to show the wind.
speculation, random shot, leap in the dark.
a.n.a.lyzer, a.n.a.lyst, a.s.sayist[obs3]; adventurer; experimenter, experimentist[obs3], experimentalist; scientist, engineer, technician.
subject, experimentee[obs3], guinea pig, experimental animal.
[experimental method] protocol, experimental method, blind experiment, double-blind experiment, controlled experiment.
poll, survey, opinion poll.
epidemiological survey[Med], retrospective a.n.a.lysis, retrospective survey, prospective survey, prospective a.n.a.lysis; statistical a.n.a.lysis.
literature search, library research.
tryout, audition.
[results of experiment] discovery &c 480; measurement &c. 466; evidence &c. 467.
[reasoning about an experiment] deduction, induction, abduction.
V. experiment; essay &c. (endeavor) 675; try, try out, a.s.say; make an experiment, make a trial of; give a trial to; put on trial, subject to trial; experiment upon; rehea.r.s.e; put to the test, bring to the test, submit to the test, submit to the proof; prove, verify, test, touch, practice upon, try one"s strength; road-test, test drive, take for a spin; test fly.
grope; feel one"s way, grope for one"s way; fumble, ttonner, aller ttons[Fr], put out a feeler, throw out a feeler; send up a trial balloon, send up a pilot balloon; see how the land lies, get the lay of the land, test the waters, feel out, sound out, take the pulse, see, check, check out[coll.], see how the wind blows; consult the barometer; feel the pulse; fish for, bob for; cast for, beat about for; angle, trawl, cast one"s net, beat the bushes.
try one"s fortune &c. (adventure) 675; explore &c. (inquire) 461.
Adj. experimental, empirical.
probative, probatory[obs3], probationary, provisional; a.n.a.lytic, docimastic[obs3]; tentative;unverified, unproven, speculative, untested.
Adv. on trial, under examination, on probation, under probation, on one"s trial, on approval.
Phr. check it out, give it a try, see how it goes; "Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes."
#464. Comparison. -- N. comparison, collation, contrast; identification; comparative estimate, relative estimate, relativity.
simile, similitude, a.n.a.logy (similarity) 17; allegory &c. (metaphor) 521.
matching, pattern-matching.
[quant.i.tative comparison] ratio, proportion (number) 84.
[results of comparison] discrimination 465; indiscrimination 465a[obs3]; identification 465b.
V. compare to, compare with; collate, confront; place side by side, juxtapose &c. (near) 197; set against one another, pit against one another; contrast, balance.
identify, draw a parallel, parallel.
compare notes; inst.i.tute a comparison; parva componere magnis[Lat]..
Adj. comparative; metaphorical &c. 521.
compared with &c. v.; comparable; judged by comparison.
Adv. relatively &c. (relation) 9; as compared with &c. v.
Phr. comparisons are odious; "comparisons are odorous" [Much Ado about Nothing].
#464a. Incomparability [Lack of comparison] -- N. incomparability; incommensurability; indistinguishablility &c. 465a.
Adj. incommensurable, incommensurate; incomparable; different &c.15.
Phr. like apples and oranges; no basis for comparison; no standard for comparison.
#465. [results of comparison. 1] Discrimination. -- N. discrimination, distinction, differentiation, diagnosis, diorism[obs3]; nice perception; perception of difference, appreciation of difference; estimation &c. 466; nicety, refinement; taste &c. 850; critique, judgment; tact; discernment &c. (intelligence) 498; acuteness, penetration; nuances.
dope*, past performances.
V. discriminate, distinguish, severalize[obs3]; recognize, match, identify; separate; draw the line, sift; separate the chaff from the wheat, winnow the chaff from the wheat; separate the men from the boys; split hairs, draw a fine line, nitpick, quibble.
estimate &c. (measure) 466; know which is which, know what is what, know "a hawk from a handsaw" [Hamlet].
take into account, take into consideration; give due weight to, allow due weight to; weigh carefully.
Adj. discriminating &c. v.; dioristic[obs3], discriminative, distinctive; nice.
Phr. il y a f.a.gots et f.a.gots; rem acu tetigisti[Lat][obs3]; la critique est aisee et l"art est difficile [Fr]; miles apart; a distinction without a difference.
#465a. [results of comparison. 2] Indiscrimination. -- N.
indiscrimination[obs3], indistinguishability; indistinctness, indistinction[obs3]; uncertainty &c. (doubt) 475; incomparability &c. 464a.
V. not discriminate &c. 465; overlook &c. (neglect) 460 a distinction: confound, confuse.
Adj. indiscriminate; undistinguished!, indistinguishable, undistinguishable[obs3]; unmeasured; promiscuous, undiscriminating.
Phr. valeat quantum valere potest[Lat.].
#465b. [results of comparison. 3] Identification.-- N. identification, recognition, diagnosis, match; apperception, a.s.similation; dereplication; cla.s.sification; memory &c. 505; interpretation &c. 522; cognizance (knowledge) 490.
V. identify, recognize, match, match up; cla.s.sify; recall, remember &c. (memory) 505; find similarity (similarity) 17; put in its proper place, put in its proper niche, place in order (arrangement) 60.
#466. Measurement. -- N. measurement, admeasurement[obs3], mensuration, survey, valuation, apprais.e.m.e.nt, a.s.sessment, a.s.size; estimate, estimation; dead reckoning, reckoning &c. (numeration) 85; gauging &c. v.; horse power.
metrology, weights and measures, compound arithmetic.
measure, yard measure, standard, rule, foot rule, compa.s.s, calipers; gage, gauge; meter, line, rod, check; dividers; velo[obs3].
flood mark, high water mark; Plimsoll line; index &c. 550.
scale; graduation, graduated scale; nonius[obs3]; vernier &c.
(minuteness) 193.
[instruments for measuring] bathometer, galvanometer, heliometer, interferometer, odometer, ombrometer[obs3], pantometer[obs3], pluviometer[obs3], pneumatometer[obs3], pneumometer[obs3], radiometer, refractometer, respirometer, rheometer, spirometer[obs3], telemeter, udometer[obs3], vacuometer[obs3], variometer[obs3], viameter[obs3], thermometer, thermistor (heat &c. 382), barometer (air &c. 338), anemometer (wind 349), dynamometer, goniometer (angle 244) meter; landmark &c. (limit) 233; balance, scale &c. (weight) 319; marigraph[obs3], pneumatograph[obs3], stethograph[obs3]; rain gauge, rain gage; voltmeter(volts), ammeter(amps); spectrophotometer (light absorbance); ma.s.s spectrophotometer(molecular ma.s.s); geiger counter, scintillation counter(radioactivity); pycnometer (liquid density); graduated cylinder, volumetric flask (volume); radar gun (velocity); radar (distance); side-looking radar (shape, topography); sonar (depth in water); light meter (light intensity); clock, watch, stopwatch, chronometer (time); anemometer (wind velocity); densitometer (color intensity).
measurability, computability, determinability[obs3].
coordinates, ordinate and abscissa, polar coordinates, lat.i.tude and longitude, declination and right ascension, alt.i.tude and azimuth.
geometry, stereometry[obs3], hypsometry[obs3]; metage[obs3]; surveying, land surveying; geodesy, geodetics[obs3], geodesia[obs3]; orthometry[obs3], altimetry[obs3]; cadastre[Fr].
astrolabe, armillary sphere[obs3].
land surveyor; geometer.
V. measure, mete; determine, a.s.say; evaluate, value, a.s.sess, rate, appraise, estimate, form an estimate, set a value on; appreciate; standardize.
span, pace step; apply the compa.s.s &c. n.; gauge, plumb, probe, sound, fathom; heave the log, heave the lead; survey.
weigh.
take an average &c. 29; graduate.
Adj. measuring &c. v.; metric, metrical; measurable, perceptible, noticeable, detectable, appreciable, ponderable, determinable, fathomable; geodetical, topographic, topographical, cartographic, cartographical.