Putnam's Phrase Book / An Aid to Social Letter Writing and to Ready and Effective Conversation, with Over 100 Model Social Letters and 6000 of the World's Best English Phrases

Taking a living loving interest in men

A self-restraint which refuses to make capital of the faults of others

No selfish purpose to serve

There is something beautifully touching in the——

He has the deepest veneration for the——

A mind teeming with tender concern for human happiness

It is impossible to look with insensibility of feeling upon the——

He entertains a very adequate respect for——

He has a fellow feeling for——

Frequent expressions of solicitude for——

It is not until one has entered sympathetically into——

I am not unmindful of——

With a motherly tenderness

No message but the message of anathema and excommunication

One aspect of it should be assigned to oblivion

Atrociously bad

The worst of irresponsibles

Ripe for merited destruction

In utter defiance of the rights of others and common decency

A gross miscarriage of justice

A wretched state of affairs

Such methods are incapable of defense

You can make your own mental deductions

Destroyed in the fires of its own presumption

Those who report such things are equally culpable

It digs its own grave

He stultifies his own soul who——

It is but a conspiracy to thwart justice

It is hard to say just what maledictions should be pronounced upon one who——

One finds it difficult to measure his epithet when——

Stirred to unmeasured wrath

They are all tarred with the same stick

He should come in for some rather rough handling

The mere thought of it fills me with disgust

It is empty talk to speak of——

It is a shortsighted policy

The indictment might be lengthened

An attitude morally impossible

Certainly not inviting

Reduced to plain language, the——

Such conduct seems unjustifiable

A rather bold innovation

Certainly injudicious and ill-timed

It is crude stuff

Foolish and pernicious talk

Most reprehensible

Utterly futile as well as mischievous

Gross injustice

We all have our little vanities

There are always two sides to a story

All this is water which long since flowed over the mill

It is time to bury the hatchet

That was not necessarily to his discredit

It is human nature to ignore the——

Not quite so radical as the description would seem to indicate

Undoubtedly there are times when——

Guilty of occasional indiscretions

We must endeavor to establish amicable relations

That is a thing of the past

There is another plausible side to it

Of course there are mitigating circumstances

Extenuating nothing of the enormity of the offence charged it may be asked what——

We are all willing to condone but not to forget

I can only plead in extenuation that——

There will be extenuating circumstances

No doubt he was in a playful mood when he spoke it

He did it all in good faith

The trouble with us poor mortals is——

It must in fairness be added that——

Very likely the explanation lies in the fact that——

That is far from being the whole truth

We must be willing to make the best of a bad affair

After all he possesses some fine qualities

No hard and fast line can be drawn between——

There is a view which palliates our case a little

And it is fair to remember that——

There is a certain truth in the criticism that——

The best of us make mistakes

Softening the asperities of life

Apparently he has done all he can to placate the ire of——

It is a great mercy that——

We attempted to smother down some very harsh asperities

I will give you absolution from——

Progressive thinkers would fain ameliorate the harsher aspects of——

Please say something nice to him

A tendency to conciliate those who oppose

Their efforts smoothed away many asperities

One of the chronic frailties of human nature

Things past redress are now with me past care.

King Richard II., II., 3

All there is of us for God

Willing to take a lowly place anywhere to serve God

There is a constancy of spirit that beats like the pulse of God

A heart full of longing to live in a larger way

The hardships and joys of a life of toil

My heart is set to do all the will of God

A fervent and vigilant life in the service of God

Men and women who are living beautiful lives of sanctified service

A work in which every man may bear a share

The depth and fervor of our belief

To lay our tribute at the feet of one who is nobler than the noblest

Perfect abandon unto the will of God

Not much engaged in cumbering affairs

Into spheres of sublime service

In harmony with His character

The free-will offering of our lips and purses

Men who tried to stem the flood-tide of sin

In fearless pioneering

In plucky unyielding struggle with evil

In unapplauded toil among the poor

A path of whole-hearted consecration to God

Given to the niceties of deportment

He has the courtesy of the old school

In manner he was deferential

The flower of courtesy.

Romeo and Juliet, II., 5

Always time for the considerate word

Positive claims to consideration

Kindly and considerately

Every consideration should be shown to——

I very much doubt whether others will be equally considerate

I am in a very happy state of mind

I have not had one melancholy hour

I think it is a settled temper of my soul that I——

I lived melodious days with——

He loves the sunny side of the road

An air of moderation and sweet reasonableness

Not one minute’s uneasiness

I want the satisfactions and complacencies of——

To every bird its nest seems fair

He may well be content

It pleased me greatly to find that——

It is a very great satisfaction to know that——

I am rejoiced to find that——

That was one of the pleasantest experiences of my life

It was hailed with unmixed joy

Every cat loves its own garret

I am perfectly comfortable about it

It is with the liveliest satisfaction that——

One of the few true delights of——

A very pleasing sort of experience

It is a source of inexpressible comfort to find that——

It is the panacea for all ills

It was heavenly

It was concluded in the most gratifying way

It is a matter of great gratification to me to find that——

There is no use blowing a fire that burns well

Quite in keeping with the best traditions

It will pass muster

An arrangement to our mutual advantage

We had no reason to complain of——

It must be a very confirmed pessimist who would refuse a smile of satisfaction at——

Snug as a bug in a rug

It was a great find

A perfectly proper proceeding

Elegant ease

Snugly ensconced

Always unafraid

Unshakable resolution in the face of adversity

Through the ordeal unflinchingly

As bold as a hawk

A recklessness that snatches victory out of the jaws of danger

There is no such word as compromise in his vocabulary

He has the courage of his convictions

Fighting for imperishable moral treasures

Fortune aids the bold

With the splendid heroism of a man sure of life

Certain fearless minds

He had the fortitude to resist the——

Faint heart never won a fair lady

Look danger in the face

Upholding the finest traditions of——

A fighting heart

Our staying power is sure to be well tested

It takes a very daring man to——

As a test of the mettle of——

Unmoved by fear

The stuff of a hero in him

With red blood in his veins

Facing the problem squarely

With a bold disregard for danger

The daring mood

Not afraid to tackle big things

I am afraid I am trespassing on your time

I beg your pardon for intruding

I hope my coming will not put you to any inconvenience

I offer my most sincere apology

I beg you will excuse me

I regret it more than I can express

Excuse me for having detained you so long

I warmly regret being unable to oblige you

I must apologize for my stupidity

This is quite unforgivable, I fear

I am very awkward, pray forgive me

I regret that I cannot assist you

It is with no small regret that——

I am exceedingly sorry that your request comes to me at a time when I am so pressed by my own affairs, that I cannot, with any convenience, comply with it

Pardon my indiscretion

I shall be very happy to assist you

I have had great pleasure in being useful to you

Permit me to serve you in any way I can

May I give you some assistance

If you can assist me I shall take it as an extraordinary kindness

I wish you much joy

Let me wish you every happiness

I wish to offer you my heartiest congratulations

I congratulate you heartily on the good fortune that is yours to-day

Kindly accept my sincerest good wishes

It is impossible to wish you any greater good fortune than you have had to-day

Please accept my congratulations

Hearty congratulations

Kindly accept my sincere esteem and sympathy

I beg to offer my profound sympathy

We all share in your loss, and you have my deepest sympathy

I sympathize with you in your great affliction

I wish to assure you of my heartfelt sympathy

I could not refrain from assuring you in person of my sincerest sympathy

We can all splendidly trust God in life, no matter what its vicissitudes, if we but feel that we are drawn nearer to Him

Please accept my sincere condolences

I cannot refrain from expressing my admiring appreciation of——

You are to be congratulated upon the——

I wish to congratulate you, and express my appreciation of——

Will you permit me to make an acknowledgment of appreciation to you for——

Permit me to make appreciative acknowledgments of——

Please accept my congratulations upon your——

Since the news of the joy that has happened to you reached me, I have been anxious to write you a word of congratulation

I congratulate you on the very fortunate opportunity which presents itself

I had the great pleasure of hearing that——

I take this opportunity of assuring you that——

It is with great pleasure I hear of your safe arrival

It is a great pleasure to me to welcome you

I am delighted to see you here

I am delighted to make your acquaintance though indeed I seem to know a great deal about you through——

I am mightily glad to see you

I am so pleased to see you

How happy we are to see you

Welcome once more

This is a most unexpected pleasure

This has been a delightful occasion

This has been a most enjoyable evening

I want to make my parting compliments

Many thanks for your kind hospitality

I will not forget this agreeable day

I am under the greatest obligation to you for a charming evening

I have enjoyed this little glimpse of you very much

This has been a most agreeable experience

It has been delightful to have you with us

I hope you may be persuaded to come again

I wish you were not going quite so soon

Come to see us again before you leave town

I trust you will repeat this experience at some future date

I am very happy to meet you

It is a great pleasure to meet you

I am delighted to know you

I am sure the pleasure is mine also

You are most kind

It is a great pleasure

I was not clever enough to catch your name

It is a very great pleasure to have met you

I hope we may meet again

I hope to see you again soon

I must wish you good morning

I want to cultivate your acquaintance

I beg to present my compliments to all your family

I hope you will favor us with a call

I wish you a pleasant journey

Kindly convey my warmest regards to——

Be so good as to present my most respectful compliments to——

It has given me great pleasure to have this chat with you

Present my remembrances to——

Remember me very kindly to——

I hope we shall meet under happier circumstances

Could I interrupt you for a minute

I shall be glad if you will join me

I wish you would take it into serious consideration

Would you be good enough to give him a message for me

Please do not give yourself that trouble

Please accept this as a slight token of my gratitude

Will you not do me the favor to tell me——

I beg you to excuse me

If you don’t mind, I——

Let us have the pleasure of hearing you——

May I have the pleasure of your company

May I accompany you

I like good company, may I go with you

May I go along with you

With very great pleasure

Most assuredly

With pleasure

I shall feel highly honored

I shall be very happy of your company

I am delighted to hear you say so

I am delighted to have your approbation

That is very gracious

Thank you, I appreciate your kindly thought of me

It is good of you to say so

I trust I shall have an opportunity of returning your kindness

You anticipate my wishes

Many thanks for doing me the honor to inquire

This is extremely kind of you

My best thanks are due to you for——

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it

I thank you very cordially

You are very obliging

I am deeply indebted to you for your kindness

I beg your acceptance of my very hearty thanks for——

Permit me to thank you

Excuse my manners, that so neglected you.

Othello, V., 1

Pardon, my haste made me unmannerly.

King Henry VIII., IV., 2

I am heartily sorry that——

All’s Well that Ends Well, IV., 3

Many years of sunshine days.

King Richard II., IV., 1

Take from my mouth the wish of happy years.

King Richard II., I., 3

The Merry Wives of Windsor, V., 5

Coriolanus, II., 1

King Lear, I., 1

Whither bound?

Cymbeline, III., 6

Why did you stir so early?

Pericles, III., 2

Are you the lady of the house?

Twelfth Night, I., 5

How goes the world?

Timon of Athens, I., 1

I thank you for your company.

As You Like It, III., 2

I am heartily glad I came.

As You Like It, I., 1

We leave you now with better company.

The Merchant of Venice, I., 1

I take leave with many thousand thanks.

III. King Henry VI., III., 2

Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you.

The Merchant of Venice, III., 4

Bear my greetings to——

Julius Cæsar, II., 2

Let us take ceremonious leave——of our several friends.

King Richard II., I., 3

The heavens give safety to your purposes,
Lead forth and bring you back in happiness.

Measure for Measure, I., 1

I desire more acquaintance of you.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, II., 2

Bear me company.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV., 3

Will you dine with me?

Julius Cæsar, I., 2

Let me have audience for a word or two.

As You Like It, V., 4

Commend me to him.

Timon of Athens, I., 1

Trouble yourself no further.

Othello, IV., 3

Which is the readiest way to the house of——

The Taming of the Shrew, I., 2

If along with us, we shall be joyful of thy company.

The Taming of the Shrew, IV., 5

Come home with me to supper; and I’ll lay a plot shall show us all a merry day.

King Richard II., IV., 1

Go on before——I’ll presently attend you.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, II., 4

Will not your honours bear me company?

I. King Henry VI., II., 2

I’ll keep you company.

Coriolanus, II., 3

What your pleasure is, shall satisfy me.

III. King Henry VI., III., 2

I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends.

King Richard II., II., 3

I’ll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, I., 1

Of much less value is my company than your good words.

King Richard II., II., 3

I enjoyed the golden dew of sleep.

King Richard III., IV., 1

Tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman.

Timon of Athens, III., 2

For your many courtesies I thank you.

Much Ado about Nothing, V., 1

I can no other answer make but thanks and thanks.

Twelfth Night, III., 3

It is an honour that I dream not of.

Romeo and Juliet, I., 3

I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased to wish it back on you.

The Merchant of Venice, III., 4

I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.

Much Ado about Nothing, V., 1

With more than common thanks I will receive it.

Timon of Athens, I., 2

I humbly thank him, and thank you all.

Titus Andronicus, V., 1

A thousand thanks.

The Taming of the Shrew, II., 1

Many and hearty thankings to you.

Measure for Measure, V., 1

Hearty thanks.

King Lear, IV., 6

I thank you, you are always my good friend.

King Henry VIII., V., 3

We are not all of that ilk

He is not able to get the right perspective

We are quite reluctant to follow his lead

He has no ground of complaint

He is in no small degree responsible for——

He shall be condemned in no uncertain terms

He cuts a sorry figure

He has no sense of the fitness of things

His conclusions are hopelessly detached from his premises

The theory has gone into bankruptcy

He is over-quick in reproof

He richly deserves his fate

I will not use terms of endearment

He takes himself too seriously

He has the unhappy knack of saying things that are not so

He should be the last man in the world to——

He is desperately in earnest but terribly mistaken

A purely professional cheeriness of manner

A most inexcusable breach of confidence

That sort of thing not only wearies but disgusts sensible men

It is a case of mean yielding in places of responsibility

Such a course is eternally alien to us

No one with any polite breeding can possibly sympathize with——

Too clever by half

I cannot resist taking him down a peg or two

Which is more than a figure of speech

A clumsy attempt

Not beyond just criticism

Little to charm the eye

An unfortunate notion

It is a situation to be lamented

Not altogether a wise thing to do

Not the most reassuring thing in the world

It presents an ugly aspect

Pure cussedness

The revival of an old humbug

A suggestion to be taken with reserve

It is but the legitimate offspring of his policy

A theory which has sins enough of its own to answer for

A little top-heavy

Steering a wobbling course

Skating over thin ice

The risk is too plain to be blinked

Things which snuff the light out of life

The mischief is easier to do than to undo

A warning which we dare not ignore

It is to light a fuse

Most sedulously to be avoided

A shining mark for the attacks of——

A menace to true faith

Subversive of all social order

Nothing is more inimical to society than——

A standing menace to——

Risks it would be madness to take

It may easily become a bogey

It contains the muffled accents of compromise

The consequences of which it is exceedingly difficult to foresee

A concession which the future will deplore

It is a condition which destroys the morale

It is a fear which cuts the nerve

It has obvious risks

The perilous undertow of——

The blighting effects of pride

It seems a mere flying in the face of notorious facts to maintain that——

Taking all sorts of daring little liberties

The fatal folly of——

Can any one view that prospect with complacency when——

It is bad form to——

It is of doubtful propriety at best

It is a delicate and dangerous thing to do

It will sink beyond hope of salvage

A very precarious situation for obvious reasons

It is a perilous thing to do

He is a real man who should affirm that——

A bold stroke

A tendency to attribute undue importance to——

It never seems to give him pause that——

He laid himself open to attack when——

A delicate sort of performance

An awkward doctrine to preach now

A source of alarm

An evidence of sinister plot

A deadly menace to——

It will add fuel to the flame

A bit of fine-spun fallacious reasoning

A supremely critical hour

A danger of mistaking the eddy for the full current

A crisis in the affairs of——

Calculated to deceive the very elect

Hoodwinked by chicanery

It lacked every mark of authenticity

To play fast and loose with

Fair words have stolen away your heart

Birds of prey do not sing

Words which mislead and deceive the unthinking

A whole web of intrigue

An illusion born of vanity

It is a gigantic hoax

A man given to sharp practice

It was a mean decoy

He made a feint of going——

A cowardly subterfuge

As slippery as an eel

His last state is worse than his first

He is waiting for an excuse to climb down gracefully

Out of the frying-pan into the fire

It made serious inroads upon the——

His plans suffered an eclipse

From bad to worse

The plot thickens

It cost the pangs of keenest misery

They have been adversely affected by it

A sort of dehumanizing effect

An adept in getting into hot water

An omen of evil significance

We nipped it in the bud

In my humble judgment he did right

I should defend that with real verve

He should not be consigned to execration simply because——

There is not one jot nor tittle nor scintilla of evidence to show that——

The matter should not be permitted to go by default

We must place safeguards against further occurrences of the same kind

He does not do so perversely

I am going to defend him from the animadversions of——

He is above any such intractable position

He is a jealous defender of——

Truly it is not meet and just that——

One in order to maintain his self-respect must——

In spite of all that has been said to the contrary, I——

It is all very well for——

I wish to disclaim any responsibility for——

Nothing could be farther from the facts than——

He is wholly mistaken

I emphatically deny it without fear of contradiction

There was never a greater mistake

Quite the contrary

I am far from saying that——

It is a contradiction of terms

It is absurd to suppose that——

Far from it

It is a pure invention of mischief-making spite

We wish to disclaim any purpose of that nature

If any such idea found lodgment it should be dismissed forthwith as contrary to——

It is without a vestige of truth in it

It will be met by a flat refusal

It is too much of an extravagance to assert that——

We are not justified in making unqualified assertions

It is deliberately false

An absurd proposition hardly worth contradiction

No more false charge was ever brought

The thing was absurd and incredible on the face of it

Relegated to the limbo of——

Something more than mere vaporings of the imagination

Unalterable principles of rectitude

It always has a strict business basis

Stable as the hills

As steady as a clock

No mere makeshift policy

Not swerving from the path of duty

Painstaking and faithful in the performance of duty

Of most rare fidelity

With unswerving fidelity to each and every trust

He does not play fast and loose

A matchless eye

A winning smile

With feminine ease and grace

A very pretty manner

A finely molded chin

A great lubberly boy

A maid of winning charm

A most winsome expression

A dainty little miss

A mere slip of a girl

Nimbly moving hands

In robust health

A husky youngster

A tar of the jolly old sort

A son frightfully dissipated

An officer immensely officious

The habit of gentle speech

The habit of accurate observation

The pink of perfection

A vast amount of good sense

A superior man

An obliging person

A magnanimous soul

A pleasing countenance

A voice delightfully musical

Of graceful deportment

His person was commanding

Elegant propriety of attire

A jaunty demeanor

A good-natured fellow

A most agreeable creature

A natural sweetness of disposition

A charmingly simple person

A quiet unassuming person

A man of sound sense

A man of immovable convictions

A lawyer of marked ability

A discriminating eye

A countenance which beautifully expressed a deep interest in all things good

A well-governed mind

With the intuitive perceptions of a lover

Many charming qualities

A heart alive to all the beauties of nature

With the most fastidious punctilio

Fond of dwelling on the scenes of other days

So frankly and innocently happy

Skilled in the graces of conversation

An unsympathetic reader

A man of dignity, force, and ease of manner

A decent pride

A clear brain

A flash of intelligence

A quick sympathy

A wise tolerance

An acute observer

A splendid fellow

A very mercenary person

A trustworthy friend

A fond mother

A good listener

An excellent musician

An exceptional man

A character worth knowing

A mind of penetrating keenness

A scholar of considerable eminence

A lovely landscape

A quiet nook

A crimson rosebud

A fertile region

A drowsy drone

A snug farm

A dainty flower

The blissful skies

Serene weather

The most perfect night possible

In very picturesque surroundings

A charming aspect

A rugged background

A high-crested crag

A pool of transparent clearness

The kindly fruits of the earth

The most appetizing confection

The pleasing odor of good food

A delicious condiment

A deadly contagion

A munificent gift

Snowy table-linen

The boundless beauty of springtime

A rattling good story

A savory odor

A quaint old house

Of a make quite metropolitan

A suit of faultless cut

Delicate traceries

A facile pen

The larger mood

A gala night

A marvel of detail

Nor can we be too warm in our grateful appreciation of the——

Posterity will give its proper meed of praise to——

He has done a real service

He proved himself worthy of the confidence reposed in him

It is the highest tribute to his sincerity

He commands the entire respect of the community

He is by all odds the best

He has earned the right to be regarded as——

It was a severe test and he came off victorious

They deserve the cordial thanks of——

I have often cast a thought but now I begin to cast an eye towards——

A thirst after more from the same spring

A praiseworthy desire

With a feverish desire to——

To this end it is hoped that——

A secret fondness for——

He has a genuine hankering for——

From my very heart I desire——

’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

Hamlet, III., 1

I covet for myself——

What we want is——

I have a burning desire to——

I am profoundly anxious to——

It is our earnest hope and most fervent prayer that——

It would be the culmination of my fondest hopes to——

I am ardently wishing for it

An insatiable thirst for——

Legitimate desires

An irrepressible desire for——

I am not very strong for——

Perseverance and pluck triumphed

He held stoutly to the creed that——

Quenchless zeal

A fixed and unalterable determination to——

Where there is a will there is a way

No, not if I work my fingers to the bone

With the determination of a born fighter

The vow is registered in heaven that——

Facing life with resolute purpose

With indomitable zeal

No one need ever say he cannot make good

A relentless determination to continue

Invincible in determination

Resolute in will

Well defined in purpose

Dauntless purpose

An inspiration amounting to a fixed resolve

Nothing can faze him

He delights to smite his enemies hip and thigh

Dyed-in-the-wool conservatives

Dauntless perseverance

We had already steeled our hearts for it

With an air of stolid desperation

With unflinching determination

Not to be tempted into foolhardiness

He held on with grim determination

With determined perseverance

Gently but firmly

A vigorous determination

With stoical fortitude

With all the energy of one’s soul

With redoubled energy

Consumed by the intensity of a passion for——

A quiet determination to do their part nobly

A grim endurance

Struggling with circumstances

With indomitable patience

He has a phenomenal capacity for pegging away

Not swerved from his position by a hair’s breadth

In proportion to the strength and persistency of an intelligent effort

Pretty persistently

He is disputing the crown of his profession with his neighbor

He gave us a clear and vigorous presentation of his own position

With indomitable spirit

With unremitting assiduity

Unsubdued in spirit and undepressed in mind

A grim hold upon

An obtuse human

A persistent tendency to

The resolute kind

There is no earthly likelihood of his complying

I was resolute

I would not give in

It admits of no extenuation

With splendid purpose in his eyes

It is a hard school

With drawbacks of its own

A fight against great odds

A hard nut to crack

I had a pretty stiff time

He had to face an arduous task

Hard work ahead and plenty of it

Ay, there’s the rub.

Hamlet, III., 1

Not easy of accomplishment

Hard facts against which we chafe and fret

Not an easy task

It is easy to preach to the converted

It was rather a trying ordeal

The goal is far more remote than we had supposed it to be

It is difficult enough under the most favorable circumstances

It is difficult to possess one’s soul in patience when——

The situation was very badly complicated by——

He is up against a tough proposition

The way is not wholly smooth

It may seem a hard doctrine to preach at such a moment

We live in no soft and easy days

I find the medicine worse than the malady

As tangled as a hank of yarn that runs into knots continually

Processes which defy analysis

A great inertia which must be overcome

He has eyes that see to the very heart of things

His mind is all daylight

It lets us into the soul of things

A remarkably acute dissection of——

Distinguished by candor and insight

Discriminating insight

It testifies to his farsightedness that——

He knows the ins and the outs of it

He put his finger on the nerve

A very delicate discernment

A shrewd, acute man of the world

A fine discernment of the issue

A penetrating declaration that——

With keen discriminating insight

He fully appreciated the potentialities of——

He awoke to a vivid realization of——

With the discerning eye of faith

A complete revelation of the inner life

Face to face with the purposes for which we were created

A fire which consumes the dross

Foregleams of the mercy that would save the blackest sinner

A deep knowledge of the things of God

The delicate hand of a discerning nurse

Submitted to the arbitrament of merciless justice