This exercise concerns itself with common words that have more than one
meaning. Make your procedure as follows. First, look up the word itself.
Under it you will find a number of defining words. Then look up each of
these in turn, until you have the requisite number and kind of synonyms.
(The word is sure to have more synonyms than are called for.) You will
have to use your dictionary tirelessly.
<Bare.> Find three synonyms for _bare_ as applied to the body;
three for it as applied to a room.
<Bear.> Give three other words that might be used instead of
_bear_ in the sentence "The pillar bears a heavy weight"; three in
the sentence "He bore a heavy load on his back"; three in the sentence "He
bore the punishment that was unjustly meted out to him"; three in the
sentence "He bore a grudge against his neighbor"; two in the sentence "The
field did not bear a crop last year."
<Bold.> Give ten synonyms for _bold_ as applied to a warrior;
ten as applied to a young girl. Observe that the synonyms in the first
list are favorable in import and suggest the idea of bravery, whereas
those in the second list are unfavorable and suggest the idea of
brazenness. How do you account for this fact? Can you think of
circumstances in which a young girl might be so placed that the favorable
synonyms might be applied to her?
<Bright.> Give as many words as you can, at least twelve, that can be
used instead of _bright_ as applied to a light, a diamond, a wet
pavement, or a live coal. Give three words for _bright_ as applied to
a child of unusual intelligence; two as applied to an occasion that
promises to turn out well; two as applied to a career that has been
signally successful.
<Clear.> Give five synonyms for clear as applied to water; ten as
applied to a fact or a statement; three as applied to the sky or
atmosphere; three as applied to the voice; two as applied to a passageway
or a view; three as applied to one's judgment or thinking.
<Close.> Give three words that could be substituted for _close_
as applied to the atmosphere in a room; four as applied to a person who is
uninclined to talk about a matter; three as applied to something not far
off; four as applied to a friend; five as applied to a person who is
reluctant to spend money; five as applied to a translation; five as
applied to attention or endeavor.
<Discharge.> Substitute in turn four words for _discharge_ in
the sentence "The judge discharged the prisoner"; two in the sentence "The
foreman discharged the workman"; two in the sentence "The hunter
discharged the gun"; three in the sentence "The sore discharged pus"; two
in the sentence "My neighbor discharged the debt"; two in the sentence "He
discharged his duty."
<Dull>. Name three words besides _dull_ that could be applied to
a blade or a point; five to a person with slow intellect; three to
indifference toward others; two to a color; three to a day that is not
cheerful; five to talk or discourse that is not interesting.
<Fair>. Substitute five words for _fair_ in the sentence "He
gave a fair judgment in the case"; three in the sentence "The son made a
fair showing in his studies"; four in the sentence "She had a fair face";
two in the sentence "Her complexion was fair"; three in the sentence "Let
no shame ever fall upon your fair name."
<False>. Find two words that you can substitute for _false_ as
applied to a signature, to a report or a piece of news, to jewels or
money, to a friend.
<Fast>. Name two words I might substitute for _fast_ in the
sentence "Drive the stake until it is fast in the ground"; three in the
sentence "He made a fast trip for the doctor"; six in the sentence "By
leading a fast life he soon squandered his inheritance."
<Firm>. Substitute four words for _firm_ in the sentence "I made
the board firm by nailing it to the wall"; three in the sentence "The
water froze into a firm mass"; five in the sentence "He was firm in his
determination to proceed."
<Flat>. Instead of _flat_ use in turn four other words in the
sentence "This is a flat piece of ground"; five in the sentence "It was as
flat a story as ever wearied company"; three in the sentence "The cook
having forgotten the salt, the soup was flat"; four in the sentence "I am
surprised by your flat refusal."
<Free>. _Free_ may be applied to a person not subject to a tax
or a disease, to a person who has been released from confinement or
restraint, to a person who is not reserved or formal in his relations to
others, to a person who is willing to give. Out of your own resources
substitute as many words as you can for _free_ in each of these
sentences. Now look up _free_ in a dictionary or book of synonyms.
What proportion of its synonyms were you able to think up unaided?
<Great>. Give three synonyms for _great_ as applied to size, to
number, to a man widely known for notable achievement, to an error or
crime, to price.
<Hard>. Give six synonyms for _hard_ as applied to a rock; six
as applied to a task or burden; six as applied to a problem or situation;
ten as applied to one's treatment of others.
<Harsh>. Give three words that can be applied instead of _harsh_
to a sound; three that can be applied instead of _harsh_ to the
voice; five that can be applied to one's treatment of others; five that
can be applied to one's disposition or nature.
<Just>. Substitute five words for _just_ in the sentence "You
are just in your dealings with others"; three in the sentence "A just
punishment was meted out to him"; three in the sentence "They made a just
division of the property"; two in the sentence "He had a just claim to the
title."
<Plain>. Give six words that can be substituted for _plain_, as
applied to a fact or statement; four as applied to the decorations of a
room; two as applied to the countenance; four as applied to a surface;
three as applied to a statement or reply.
<Poor>. Give five words that can be used instead of _poor_ as
applied to a person who is without money or resources; ten as applied to a
person lacking in flesh; three as applied to clothing that is worn out;
five as applied to land that will bear only small crops or no crops at
all; two as applied to an occasion that does not promise to turn out well.
<Quick>. Give six words that could be used instead of _quick_
as applied to a train or a horse in travel; six as applied to the
movements of a person about a room or to his actions in the performance of
his work; four to a disposition or temper that is easily irritated.
<Serious>. Give five synonyms for _serious_ as applied to one's
countenance or expression; three as applied to a problem or undertaking;
two as applied to a disease or to sickness.
<Sharp>. Give two synonyms for _sharp_ as applied to a blade or
a point; six as applied to a pain or to grief; four as applied to a remark
or reply; ten as applied to one's mind or intellect; three as applied to
temper or disposition; three as applied to an embankment; three as applied
to the seasoning of food; three as applied to a cry or scream.
<Stiff>. Give six synonyms for _stiff_ as applied to an iron
rod; three as applied to an adversary; six as applied to one's manner or
bearing; two as applied to one's style of writing or speaking.
<Strong>. Give three synonyms for _strong_ as applied to a
person in regard to his health; ten as applied to him in regard to his
muscularity of physique; four as applied to a fortress; three as applied
to a plea or assertion; three as applied to an argument or reason; three
as applied to determination; two as applied to liquor; three as applied to
a light; two as applied to corrective measures; two as applied to an odor.
<Vain>. Give five synonyms for vain as applied to a man who
overvalues himself or his accomplishments; six as applied to an attempt
that comes to nothing; three as applied to hopes that have little chance
of fulfilment.
<Weak>. Substitute five synonyms for _weak_ in the sentence "I
was very weak after my illness"; four in the sentence "The fortress was
especially weak on the side toward the plain"; three in the sentence "He
made a weak attempt to defend his actions"; three in the sentence "Many of
these arguments are weak"; three in the sentence "Hamlet is usually
interpreted as being weak of will"; three in the sentence "The liquor was
so weak it had no taste"; three in the sentence "The lace was weak and
soon tore."
<Wild>. Give two words instead of _wild_ as applied to animals;
two as applied to land; three as applied to people who have not been
civilized; three as applied to a storm, an uncontrolled temper, or a mob;
three as applied to a scheme that has no basis in reason or practicality.