ect of _faith_; as, the
Christian _faith_; the Mohammedan _faith_.

Antonyms:

atheism, godlessness, irreligion, sacrilege, ungodliness,
blasphemy, impiety, profanity, unbelief, wickedness.

* * * * *

RELUCTANT.

Synonyms:

averse, disinclined, loath, slow,
backward, indisposed, opposed, unwilling.

_Reluctant_ (L. _re_, back, and _lucto_, strive, struggle) signifies
struggling against what one is urged or impelled to do, or is actually
doing; _averse_ (L. _a_, from, and _verto_, turn) signifies turned away
as with dislike or repugnance; _loath_ (AS. _lath_, evil, hateful)
signifies having a repugnance, disgust, or loathing for, tho the
adjective _loath_ is not so strong as the verb _loathe_. A dunce is
always _averse_ to study; a good student is _disinclined_ to it when a
fine morning tempts him out; he is _indisposed_ to it in some hour of
weariness. A man may be _slow_ or _backward_ in entering upon that to
which he is by no means _averse_. A man is _loath_ to believe evil of
his friend, _reluctant_ to speak of it, absolutely _unwilling_ to use it
to his injury. A legislator may be _opposed_ to a certain measure, while
not _averse_ to what it aims to accomplish. Compare ANTIPATHY.

Antonyms:

desirous, disposed, eager, favorable, inclined, willing.

* * * * *

REMARK.

Synonyms:

annotation, comment, note, observation, utterance.

A _remark_ is a saying or brief statement, oral or written, commonly
made without much premeditation; a _comment_ is an explanatory or
critical _remark_, as upon some passage in a literary work or some act
or speech in common life. A _note_ is something to call attention, hence
a brief written statement; in correspondence, a _note_ is briefer than a
letter. A _note_ upon some passage in a book is briefer and less
elaborate than a _comment_. _Annotations_ are especially brief _notes_,
commonly marginal, and closely following the text. _Comments_,
_observations_, or _remarks_ may be oral or written, _comments_ being
oftenest written, and _remarks_ oftenest oral. An _observation_ is
properly the result of fixed attention and reflection; a _remark_ may
be the suggestion of the instant. _Remarks_ are more informal than a
speech.

* * * * *

REND.

Synonyms:

break, cleave, mangle, rive, sever, sunder,
burst, lace