Education
How to Improve Your Word Habits by Jimmy Cox
(Contd. from page 2...)
Exercise
Write down, without consulting the dictionary, all the distinct shades of meaning you can think of for the word "heavy." Now write a sentence or phrase in which "heavy" occurs, each time with a distinct meaning.
After you have finished, turn to some dictionary (not a small one!) and see how many meanings you have missed. Finally see in the dictionary how many meanings "heavy" has which are strange to you. Ignore the obsolete meanings of course.
Repeat the pattern of this exercise with each of the following words: Heel out initiate of discharge (the verb) over contract (the verb) wild mill will mince close strain (the verb) seed straight rule
Note. - If you know as many as one-half of the meanings of these words, you have an unusually good grasp of them. If you do not know them well enough to write them down on order but do recognize them when you see them in print, then you have a fair working grasp.
Carry out these word drills and you will soon have a very good grasp of many words.