d without any, or without clear Ideas.

FIRST, In this kind the first and most palpable abuse is, the using
of words without clear and distinct ideas; or, which is worse, signs
without anything signified. Of these there are two sorts:--

I. Some words introduced without clear ideas annexed to them, even in
their first original.

One may observe, in all languages, certain words that, if they be
examined, will be found in their first original, and their appropriated
use, not to stand for any clear and distinct ideas. These, for the most
part, the several sects of philosophy and religion have introduced. For
their authors or promoters, either affecting something singular, and out
of the way of common apprehensions, or to support some strange opinions,
or cover some weakness of their hypothesis, seldom fail to coin new
words, and such as, when they come to be examined, may justly be called
INSIGNIFICANT TERMS. For, having either had no determinate collection of
ideas annexed to them when they were first invented; or at least such
as, if well examined, will be found inconsistent, it is no wonder, if,
afterwards, in the vulgar use of the same party, they remain empty
sounds, with little or no signification, amongst those who think it
enough to have them often in their mouths, as the distinguishing
characters of their Church or School, without much troubling their heads
to examine what are the precise ideas they stand for. I shall not need
here to heap up instances; every man's reading and conversation will
sufficiently furnish him. Or if he wants to be better stored, the
great mint-masters of this kind of terms, I mean the Schoolmen and
Metaphysicians (under which I think the disputing natural and moral
philosophers of these latter ages may be comprehended) have wherewithal
abundantly to content him.

3. II. Other Words, to which ideas were annexed at first, used
afterwards without distinct meanings.

Others there be who extend this abuse yet further, who take so little
care to lay by words, which, in their primary notation have scarce
any clear and distinct ideas which they are annexed to, that, by an
unpardonable negligence, they familiarly use words which the propriety
of language HAS affixed to very important ideas, without any distinct
meaning at all. WISDOM, GLORY, GRACE, &c., are words frequent enough in
every man's mouth; but if a great many of those who use them should be
asked what they mean by them, they wou