in the sense of
_industrious_, as when we say he is a _busy_ man. _Diligent_ indicates
also a disposition, which is ordinarily habitual, and suggests more of
heartiness and volition than _industrious_. We say one is a _diligent_,
rather than an _industrious_, reader of the Bible. In the use of the
nouns, we speak of plodding _industry_, but not of plodding _diligence_.
Compare ACTIVE; INDUSTRY.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for IDLE.

* * * * *

INDUSTRY.

Synonyms:

application, diligence, labor, persistence,
assiduity, effort, pains, sedulousness.
attention, exertion, patience,
constancy, intentness, perseverance,

_Industry_ is the quality, action, or habit of earnest, steady, and
continued attention or devotion to any useful or productive work or
task, manual or mental. _Assiduity_ (L. _ad_, to, and _sedeo_, sit), as
the etymology suggests, sits down to a task until it is done.
_Diligence_ (L. _diligo_, love, choose) invests more effort and
exertion, with love of the work or deep interest in its accomplishment;
_application_ (L. _ad_, to, and _plico_, fold) bends to its work and
concentrates all one's powers upon it with utmost intensity; hence,
_application_ can hardly be as unremitting as _assiduity_. _Constancy_
is a steady devotion of heart and principle. _Patience_ works on in
spite of annoyances; _perseverance_ overcomes hindrances and
difficulties; _persistence_ strives relentlessly against opposition;
_persistence_ has very frequently an unfavorable meaning, implying that
one persists in spite of considerations that should induce him to
desist. _Industry_ is _diligence_ applied to some avocation, business,
or profession. _Labor_ and _pains_ refer to the _exertions_ of the
worker and the tax upon him, while _assiduity_, _perseverance_, etc.,
refer to his continuance in the work.

Antonyms:

changeableness, idleness, inconstancy, neglect, remissness,
fickleness, inattention, indolence, negligence, sloth.

* * * * *

INFINITE.

Synonyms:

absolute, illimitable, limitless, unconditioned,
boundless, immeasurable, measureless, unfathomable,
countless, innumerable, numberless, unlimited,
eternal, interminable, unbounded, unmeasured.

_Infinite_ (L. _in_, not, and _finis_, limit) signifies without bounds
or limits in any way, and may be appli