Both Uses of
coherent
in
Howards End
- I had nothing so coherent in my head.†
Part 8coherent = sensible and clear; or describing parts as fitting together in a consistent or pleasing manner
- Ordering the motor to be round after lunch, he joined his wife, who had all the while been pouring out some incoherent story about a letter and a Miss Schlegel.†
Part 11 *incoherent = not sensible or clear; or describing parts as not fitting together in a consistent or pleasing mannerstandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in incoherent means not and reverses the meaning of coherent. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.