Using the Thesaurus to Help You with English
Typically, you will use a thesaurus to find a synonym – a word or phrase with the same or similar meaning as another word or phrase.
A typical thesaurus entry for 'big' might look like this:
Big (adjective): ample, bulky, burly, colossal, considerable, copious, enormous, extensive, fat, gigantic, hefty, huge, hulking, humongous, immense, jumbo, mammoth, massive, monster, prodigious, roomy, sizable, spacious, substantial, super colossal, thundering, tremendous, vast, voluminous…
As we see, the main issue is not a shortage of synonyms but a fitting synonym; one that won’t change the meaning of your sentence too much:
Example: 'You have a big dog.' compared to 'You have a fat dog.'
So how do I know which word to use?
It is always a good idea to try using the synonym in a different sentence:
'You have a big dog'… 'You have a fat dog'… 'You have a fat house'? No!
Another example:
Nice (adjective): admirable, amiable, approved, attractive, becoming, charming, commendable, considerate, cordial, courteous, decorous, delightful, ducky, fair, favorable, fine and dandy, friendly, genial, gentle, good, gracious, helpful, ingratiating, inviting, kind, kindly, lovely…
Example: 'These flowers smell nice.' compared to 'These flowers smell courteous.'
Another sentence: 'People are courteous when they are polite'…'These flowers smell courteous'? No!
So as we can see, the trick is not finding a synonym but using the correct synonym for the context in which you are speaking.
Also, should you have the benefit of speaking to a native English speaker, you will know by the look on their face or the questioning sound in their voice that perhaps a 'fat house' or 'courteous smelling flowers' are not suitable synonyms to use!
تاريخ : دوشنبه هجدهم آذر ۱۳۹۲ | 11:59 | نویسنده : بهنام ذاکری |