To differ is to be different or to disagree. Differential
relates to differences. (In Mathematics,
differential calculus is a clever way of
measuring movement by calculating tiny differences in position from
one moment to the next.)
To defer something is to put off doing it until later. To
defer to someone is to accept their opinion or do what they want.
(One word - two completely different meanings).
A society built on deference would be one in which the lower orders
defer to the higher orders, not through fear, but due to the respect
they have for them.
However, you could say "I defer to your opinion because you are pointing a
gun at me". This would be defensive rather than deferential
To deny something is to argue that it is not true.
To
disprove something is to prove it wrong (show it to be
wrong by
proof). To refute something means to do the same even
more
conclusively.
People who use refute as a strong form of deny should be
(gently) rebuked.
To rebuke someone is to tell them off. To rebuff
someone is
to refuse their offer of help, friendship, advice etc.
Refute has meant to prove a statement or argument false or incorrect since
the late 16th century. You would only have "refuted allegations" if you had
decisively proved them incorrect. The recent practice of saying that
someone refuted
an assertion meaning he or she denied it vigorously or repudiated
it, has
the unintended consequence of suggesting the person using the word in this
sense is taking sides.
Feel starts as a word for touching, especially with the fingers.
From there it develops a rich, sensuous and emotional (my feelings)
range. In the
1970s the term touchy feely was coined to describe a
sensitive and caring approach. --
I think this is great. -- The phrase I
feel that is increasingly used as a way of saying "I
think that" without being assertive and running the risk of upsetting the
other person (who may think differently). --
Such a concern for other
people's feelings is also great --. BUT:
In student essays, the reader looks for thinking. So do not be so concerned
about his or her feelings!
Sometimes "I feel" can hide a valuable
argument - At other time it may just be used because the writer
does not want to use another word twice: "I believe that Freud feels..."
instead of "I believe
that Freud believes...". The writer might better express her thoughts with
"I interpret this as meaning Freud believes..." or "I would argue that
Freud believes...", or some other alternative to feel - depending on the
context.
Innovating is introducing something new. The
opposite virtue
is
conservation, preserving something old. Weber
argues that
traditional authority is a
conserving force, resisting social change, and that the
political
innitiative necessary to change society comes from
charismatic authority.
The table groups some
words linked to innovation and some linked to conservation: