fy,
admit, avouch, declare, proclaim, protest, witness.

_Acknowledge_, _admit_, and _declare_ refer either to oneself or to
others; all the other words refer only to one's own knowledge or action.
To _avow_ is to declare boldly and openly, commonly as something one is
ready to justify, maintain, or defend. A man _acknowledges_ another's
claim or his own promise; he _admits_ an opponent's advantage or his own
error; he _declares_ either what he has seen or experienced or what he
has received from another; he _avers_ what he is sure of from his own
knowledge or consciousness; he gives his assurance as the voucher for
what he _avouches_; he _avows_ openly a belief or intention that he has
silently held. _Avow_ and _avouch_ take a direct object; _aver_ is
followed by a conjunction: a man _avows_ his faith, _avouches_ a deed,
_avers_ that he was present. _Avow_ has usually a good sense; what a
person _avows_ he at least does not treat as blameworthy, criminal, or
shameful; if he did, he would be said to _confess_ it; yet there is
always the suggestion that some will be ready to challenge or censure
what one _avows_; as, the clergyman _avowed_ his dissent from the
doctrine of his church. _Own_ applies to all things, good or bad, great
or small, which one takes as his own. Compare CONFESS; STATE.

Antonyms:

contradict, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, ignore, repudiate.

* * * * *

AWFUL.

Synonyms:

alarming, direful, frightful, majestic, solemn,
appalling, dread, grand, noble, stately,
august, dreadful, horrible, portentous, terrible,
dire, fearful, imposing, shocking, terrific.

_Awful_ should not be used of things which are merely disagreeable or
annoying, nor of all that are _alarming_ and _terrible_, but only of
such as bring a solemn awe upon the soul, as in the presence of a
superior power; as, the _awful_ hush before the battle. That which is
_awful_ arouses an oppressive, that which is _august_ an admiring
reverence; we speak of the _august_ presence of a mighty monarch, the
_awful_ presence of death. We speak of an _exalted_ station, a _grand_
mountain, an _imposing_ presence, a _majestic_ cathedral, a _noble_
mien, a _solemn_ litany, a _stately_ march, an _august_ assembly, the
_awful_ scene of the Judgment Day.

Antonyms:

base, contemptible, inferior, paltry,
beggarly, despicable,