ACCESS, ACCESSION.—­Access has several meanings authorized by good use:  (1) outburst; (2) admission; (3) way of entrance. Accession means (1) the coming into possession of a right; or (2) an addition.

ACTS, ACTIONS.—­“Acts, in the sense of ‘things done,’ is preferable to actions, since actions also means ‘processes of doing.’"[26]

ADVANCE, ADVANCEMENT.—­Advance is used in speaking of something as moving forward; advancement, as being moved forward.

ALLUSION, ILLUSION, DELUSION.—­An allusion is an indirect reference to something not definitely mentioned.  Roughly speaking, an illusion is an error of vision; delusion, of judgment.  “In literary and popular use an illusion is an unreal appearance presented in any way to the bodily or the mental vision; it is often pleasing, harmless, or even useful....  A delusion is a mental error or deception, and may have regard to things actually existing, as well as to illusions. Delusions are ordinarily repulsive and discreditable, and may even be mischievous."[27]

AVOCATION, VOCATION.—­“Vocation means ‘calling’ or ‘profession’; avocation, ‘something aside from one’s regular calling, a by-work.’"[28]

COMPLETION, COMPLETENESS.—­Completion is “the act of completing”; completeness is “the state of being complete.”

OBSERVATION, OBSERVANCE.—­Observation contains the idea of “looking at”; observance, of “keeping,” “celebrating.”  “We speak of the observation of a fact, of a star; of the observance of a festival, of a rule."[29]

PROPOSAL, PROPOSITION.—­“A proposal is something proposed to be done, which may be accepted or rejected.  A proposition is something proposed for discussion, with a view to determining the truth or wisdom of it."[30]

RELATIONSHIP, RELATION.—­Relationship properly means “the state of being related by kindred or alliance”:  as, “A relationship existed between the two families.” Relation is a word of much broader meaning.  It does not necessarily imply kinship.

SOLICITUDE, SOLICITATION.—­Solicitude is “anxiety”; solicitation is “the act of soliciting or earnestly asking.”

STIMULATION, STIMULUS, STIMULANT.—­Stimulation is “the act of stimulating or inciting to action”; stimulus, originally “a goad,” now denotes that which stimulates, the means by which one is incited to action; stimulant has a medical sense, being used of that which stimulates the body or any of its organs.  We speak of ambition as a stimulus, of alcohol as a stimulant.

[25] “Foundations,” pp. 53-56. [26] A.S.  Hill:  Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p. 18. [27] The Century Dictionary. [28] A.S.  Hill:  Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p. 39. [29] A.S.  Hill:  Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p. 39. [30] The Century Dictionary.