conservative, moderate, radical
- conservative, moderate, radical
As they relate to ideas and opinions involving politics, morals, property, and manners, these words have widely differing applications. What one person considers moderate, another might term conservative or radical. In meaning, however, conservative refers to a person or state of mind that is disposed to favor gradual rather than sudden change, that wishes to preserve existing conditions and institutions, that is, at most,"cautiously" moderate. In politics and other activities, a moderate is one who opposes views and goals unless they are kept within what he considers reasonable bounds and are not extreme or excessive. A radical favors drastic reforms in politics, morals, manners, or whatever. Each of these words is an adjective as well as a noun: thus one may refer to "a conservative way of dressing," "a moderate degree of success," and "a radical departure from established customs."
Dictionary of problem words and expressions.
Harry Shaw.
1975.
Look at other dictionaries:
radical — [adj1] fundamental, basic basal, bottom, cardinal, constitutional, deep seated, essential, foundational, inherent, innate, intrinsic, meatand potatoes*, native, natural, organic, original, primal, primary, primitive, profound, thoroughgoing,… … New thesaurus
moderate — See conservative. See conservative, moderate, radical … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
radical — See conservative. See conservative, moderate, radical … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
conservative — See conservative, moderate, radical … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
radical — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) adj. fundamental, intrinsic; extreme, drastic, thorough; sweeping, revolutionary. See completion. n. liberal, leftist, left winger (see change); reformer, rebel, revolutionary; anarchist, nihilist,… … English dictionary for students
CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM — (also known as Masorti Judaism), one of the three principal modern Jewish religious denominations, emerging, along with Reform and Orthodoxy, in the 19th century era of emancipation. After the denial of emancipation to Central European Jewry by… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
Moderate Party (Spain) — Moderate Party Partido Moderado Founded 1834 (1834) Dissolved 1874 (1874)[1] … Wikipedia
conservative — [adj] cautious, moderate, tending to preserve the status quo bourgeois, constant, controlled, conventional, die hard, fearful, firm, fogyish*, fuddy duddy*, guarded, hard hat*, hidebound, holding to, illiberal, in a rut*, inflexible, middle of… … New thesaurus
Conservative — Con*serv a*tive, n. 1. One who, or that which, preserves from ruin, injury, innovation, or radical change; a preserver; a conserver. [1913 Webster] The Holy Spirit is the great conservative of the new life. Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] 2. One who… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
radical — [rad′i kəl] adj. [ME < LL radicalis < L radix (gen. radicis), ROOT1] 1. a) of or from the root or roots; going to the foundation or source of something; fundamental; basic [a radical principle] b) extreme; thorough [a radical change in one… … English World dictionary
