5000 Word Book Discussion
The synonym column tries to pinpoint the different definitions for the same word. For example the word "train" can refer to "a railroad" or "instruction." Understand that no synonym means the same thing but helps the non-native speaker determine which meaning. In reality native English speakers determine the meaning by the context of the sentence. For example, "The nomads camped out in the desert" tells us that the desert is an arid sandy place. While the soldier decided to "desert" tells us the soldier leaves without permission. In some cases the native English speaker uses the context of the preceeding and following sentences to determine the meaning. For example "She was an old maid" could mean an elderly servant or a middle-aged lady that is unmarried. The sentences around the sentence would easily let the native English know which it was. Some words appear to be plurals of other words but in fact are distinct words. Examples of this are: "due" and "dues", "spectacle" and "spectacles." Return to 5000 Word Book Choices |