power, and habitual processes, or in the ingenious
contrivance that makes such application possible. In the making of
something perfectly useless there may be great _skill_, but no _wisdom_.
Compare ACUMEN; ASTUTE; KNOWLEDGE; MIND; PRUDENCE; SAGACIOUS; SKILFUL.

Antonyms:

absurdity, folly, imbecility, miscalculation, senselessness,
error, foolishness, imprudence, misjudgment, silliness,
fatuity, idiocy, indiscretion, nonsense, stupidity.

Compare synonyms for ABSURD; IDIOCY.

* * * * *

WIT.

Synonyms:

banter, fun, joke, waggery,
burlesque, humor, playfulness, waggishness,
drollery, jest, pleasantry, witticism.
facetiousness, jocularity, raillery,

_Wit_ is the quick perception of unusual or commonly unperceived
analogies or relations between things apparently unrelated, and has been
said to depend upon a union of surprise and pleasure; it depends
certainly on the production of a diverting, entertaining, or merrymaking
surprise. The analogies with which _wit_ plays are often superficial or
artificial; _humor_ deals with real analogies of an amusing or
entertaining kind, or with traits of character that are seen to have a
comical side as soon as brought to view. _Wit_ is keen, sudden, brief,
and sometimes severe; _humor_ is deep, thoughtful, sustained, and always
kindly. _Pleasantry_ is lighter and less vivid than _wit_. _Fun_ denotes
the merry results produced by _wit_ and _humor_, or by any fortuitous
occasion of mirth, and is pronounced and often hilarious.

Antonyms:

dulness, seriousness, sobriety, solemnity, stolidity, stupidity.
gravity,

* * * * *

WORK.

Synonyms:

achievement, doing, labor, product,
action, drudgery, occupation, production,
business, employment, performance, toil.
deed, exertion.

_Work_ is the generic term for any continuous application of energy
toward an end; _work_ may be hard or easy. _Labor_ is hard and wearying
_work_; _toil_ is straining and exhausting _work_. _Work_ is also used
for any result of working, physical or mental, and has special senses,
as in mechanics, which _labor_ and _toil_ do not share. _Drudgery_ is
plodding, irksome, and often menial _work_. Compare ACT; BUSINESS.

Antonyms:

ease, leisure, recreation, relaxatio