valuable and useful, while the _truism_ is weak and flat, unless the
form of statement makes it striking or racy, as "all fools are out of
their wits." Compare PROVERB.

Antonyms:

absurdity, contradiction, demonstration, nonsense, paradox, sophism.

* * * * *

BABBLE.

Synonyms:

blab, cackle, gabble, murmur, prattle,
blurt, chat, gossip, palaver, tattle,
blurt out, chatter, jabber, prate, twaddle.

Most of these words are onomatopoetic. The _cackle_ of a hen, the
_gabble_ of a goose, the _chatter_ of a magpie, the _babble_ of a
running stream, as applied to human speech, indicate a rapid succession
of what are to the listener meaningless sounds. _Blab_ and _blurt_
(commonly _blurt out_) refer to the letting out of what the lips can no
longer keep in; _blab_, of a secret; _blurt out_, of passionate feeling.
To _chat_ is to talk in an easy, pleasant way, not without sense, but
without special purpose. _Chatting_ is the practise of adults,
_prattling_ that of children. To _prate_ is to talk idly,
presumptuously, or foolishly, but not necessarily incoherently. To
_jabber_ is to utter a rapid succession of unintelligible sounds,
generally more noisy than _chattering_. To _gossip_ is to talk of petty
personal matters, as for pastime or mischief. To _twaddle_ is to talk
feeble nonsense. To _murmur_ is to utter suppressed or even inarticulate
sounds, suggesting the notes of a dove, or the sound of a running
stream, and is used figuratively of the half suppressed utterances of
affection or pity, or of complaint, resentment, etc. Compare SPEAK.

Prepositions:

Babies babble _for_ the moon; the crowd babbles _of_ a hero; the sick
man babbles _of_ home.

* * * * *

BANISH.

Synonyms:

ban, dismiss, evict, expatriate, ostracize,
discharge, drive out, exile, expel, oust.
dislodge, eject,

_Banish_, primarily to put under _ban_, to compel by authority to leave
a place or country, perhaps with restriction to some other place or
country. From a country, a person may be _banished_, _exiled_, or
_expatriated_; _banished_ from any country where he may happen to be,
but _expatriated_ or _exiled_ only from his own. One may _expatriate_ or
_exile_ himself; he is _banished_ by others. _Banish_ is a word of wide
import; one may _banish_ disturbing thoughts; care may _banish_ sleep.
To _expe