HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WORD HABITS

In a book like this I cannot set exercises suited to the special needs of readers in many fields of industry and trade. I cannot teach the silk salesman the right word habits for things in the silk trade, or the automobile engineer the right word habits for his laboratory reading. The best I can do is to submit sample exercises and ask you to invent your own, drawing on your own specialty for the facts and language symbols.
In the main, I must assume that you have made fair progress with our universal English language. But I must also assume that you have never mastered it. Few are those who have! So I shall first suggest that you test yourself in it. Perhaps you know less here than you think!

Exercise

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Exercise

In a separate section, beginning on page 64, you will find a list of 1,700 words commonly used. They are not the most common 1,700 words; they occur less often.
Work on a few of these words every day for six months. Proceed as follows:

1. Write down the meaning of a word, as you understand it. If you know more than one meaning, write all down.
2. Immediately consult the dictionary, to find out how right you are. Do Not Wait! The Value of This Verification Depends Largely on Catching Yourself Redhanded in a Mistake.
3. Mark each word whose meaning you have incorrectly grasped. Come back to it on several following days and write down the right meaning. This Must Be Done in Order to Break Down Your Old Erroneous Word Habit.

Exercise

Select from any book or magazine which you regularly read as a part of your business work a list of words having more or less technical meanings. If, for example, you follow Wall Street matters, pick such words as
bucketing     amortization
to cover       rediscount
convertible   junior bonds
refinancing

Do the same with these, day by day, as with the above described list of 1,700 common words.

To Attain Peak Efficiency in Reading, You Ought to Work through All the Words and Phrases Regularly Employed in Your Own Field. Chemists, Lawyers, Engineers and Physicians Do This as a Part of Their Training. Why Should You Not Be as Thorough in Your Word Habits as They are in Theirs?

Do Not Expect Brilliant Results Here Overnight. But if Your Reading Does Not Improve after Three or Four Months of Word Drill, This Will Almost Certainly Indicate That You Suffer from Other Serious Handicaps.

A WORD LIST TO MASTER

Here follows a list of words taken, with permission, from a famous survey made by Professor E. L. Thorndike, of Teachers' College, Columbia University. For school use he prepared a list of the 10,000 words which appear most often in books and newspapers ordinarily read. I must assume that nearly all adults are familiar with the most common words among these. But probably the less common will offer a little difficulty at least to some who wish to improve their reading habits.

Here are the rarest of the 10,000 words in Thorndike's list. When you have learned all their important meanings you will have the basis of a non-technical working vocabu­lary. To perfect your business reading, you must next build up your own special vocabulary. As you learn new words here, write them down on the blank pages which follow the printed vocabulary.

Be Sure to Avoid Very Rare Words, Select the Important Terms Only, and Be Sure to Learn All the Important Mean­ings of Each.

abash          alcove         arrant                 barrow
abbot          alder            arrogant              barter
abject          allay            arsenal                baseness
abridge        allege           artisan                bask
absolve        alliance        ascertain             bass
abstinence   alligator       ascribe               bastard
abstract       allowance    asphalt                baste
abyss           ally              aspire                 batiste
acceptance  aloes           assay                  battalion
accessory    aloof            assemblage         batter
accommodation alteration                         assess                 battlement
accompaniment alternate assignment          bauble
accordance  aluminum     assortment          bawl
accost         alumni          aster                   bayonet
accumulate  amain          astray                 beacon
achievement amateur       athwart               beanstock
acid             ambiguous   atom                   bearing (noun)
acquit          ambush        atone                  beck
acute           amiss           attainment           bedlam
adapt           amity           attest                  beech
adequate     anarchy       audacious           beget
adhere         anecdote     auger                  begone
adieu           anew           aught                  begot
adjacent      animate        augment              behead
adjourn        animosity     aurora                belated
adjudge       annal           austere               belch
adjust          annihilate     authentic             belfry
administer    antagonist    automatic            belie
admonish     antic            auxiliary              belle
adoration     aperture       avalanche           bemoan
adultery       apostle        avarice               benediction
advancement  apothecary                          avenger              benefactor
advantageous appall        axis                    benevolence
adverse       apparatus    aye                     benign
adze            apparition    azure                  benzine
affront         appease       babbler               bequeath
afore           appertain     badger                beseem
afresh          appliance     baffle                  beset
aggravate     apprehend   bail                     besought
aggressive    approbation bale                    bespeak
aghast          approximate                          balk                    bestride
agitate         arbitrary      balmy                 betake
akin             arbor           ban                     betroth
alabaster      archbishop   bannock             betwixt
alacrity        archer          barge                  bevel
albeit           archway      barrette              bewitch
bias             bulwark       chancellor           commodity
bide             bumble        chandelier           commune
bier             bunting        chanticleer          compete
bin               burgess        chaos                 compile
binder          burnish        chargeable          complement
bladder        bushing        charger               completion
blanch         butt             chasm                 compliance
bland           cackle         chemise              complicate
blaspheme   calomel        cheque               composure
blazon         cambric       chequer              compress
bleak           candid         cheviot               comprise
blemish        candidacy    chide                  compulsion
blight           candor         chink                  concealment
blithe           canker         chisel                  concede
bluster         canon          chivalry               concession
boar            canopy        choleric              concord
bode           canton         chopper              concur
bolster         capacious    chuck                 condemnation
bondman     caper           churl                   condense
bonus          caprice        cite                     condescend
bout            caravan       clamber              conditional
bracket        carbon         clamorous           conduit
brandish      carbuncle     clamp                 confessor
brawl           carcass        clan                    confide
brawn          carnal          cleaver               confiner
bray            carouse       clemency            confirmation
brazen         carrion         clench                 conflagration
breach         carter          clink                   confront
breaker       casement     clod                    conjugation
brigade        cask            clog                    conjunction
brimstone    casque         cloy                    conjure
brine            castile          cob                    consecration
bristle          castor          cockle                conserve
brittle           caustic         coconut              consistent
broach         cavalier        cocoon               consolation
broider        cavern         coffer                 consonant
broil            celluloid       cog                     consort
broth           censer         coincidence        conspire
browse        certify          cologne              constable
bruin            chafe           colonel               constraint
buccaneer    challenge     combatant          consul
buck            challis          comer                 contemporary
buckle         chamberlain comet                 contention
budge          chambray    commendation continental
buff             chamois       comment            continuance
bullock        champaign   commodious       continuation
contractor    cue              deride                 domain
contrive       cull              descry                don
controversy curd            desist                  dotage
convene       custody       despatch             dote
convict        cycle           destitute              doublet
cope            cymbal        destructive          dower
copperas     damnation    determinate         downy
copse          dangle         devout                dowry
corduroy     dastard        diadem               dram
core            data             diagonal              dreg
corps           daub            dial                     dross
corpse         dauntless     dialogue              drought
corruption    dayspring     diameter             dung
corse           daze            dice                    dupe
counsellor    dearth          digger                 durable
counterfeit   debase        dilapidated          durst
coupling       decimal        dilate                  dwindle
cove            declension   diligence             edging
covetous      decorate      dilute                  edify
cowl            decoy          diplomat             edition
coy              dedication    discern               efface
cozy            deface         disclaim              effective
craftsman     default         discomfit             eke
crag             defective      discord               elapse
cram            defendant    discount              ell
cramp          defer           discreet              embark
crane           deficiency    disk                    embassy
crank           define          dismount             embattled
crate            deform        dispatch              ember
cravat          defraud        dispel                 embody
craven         degenerate   displace              emboss
creak           degrade       dissembler          emery
creditor       deity            dissension           eminence
credulous     deliverer      dissipate             emit
creed           dell              dissolution          enact
crevice        delta            dissuade             encamp
crisis            delude         distaff                 encompass
crochet        deluge         divers                 endue
crock          demeanor    diverse               engender
crucify         demolish      divert                  engross
cruise          demon         divination            enhance
cruller          denote         divisor                enjoin
crusade       denounce     divulge                enmity
crystalline    dependant   dodge                 ensign
cubit            dependent   dogma                ensnare
cudgel         depute         doleful                entangle
enthrone      fen               frustrate              grinder
enthusiast     fervent         fumble                gripe
entrails         festal           gabble                grit
entrust         feud             gaberdine           grope
envelop       fie                gad                     grot
environ        filer              gaiter                  grotesque
epic             fillet             galvanize             grovel
epitaph        flange          gamble               gruel
epoch          flank            gambol               guilder
equator        flannel          gape                   guile
equipage      flaw             garb                   guise
equity          flay              garner                 gully
equivalent    flecked        garret                 gust
era              fleecy          garrison              hack
eschew        flexible         gaudy                 hackney
espouse       flicker          gauge                 haddock
espy            flinty            gaunt                  hag
essay           floss            gauze                  hale
estrange       flounce        gender                halter
ethereal       flounder       gentile                 halve
eunuch         floweret       georgette            hanger
evade          flue              gesture               hap
evince          foliage         geyser                harbinger
executor      forbade       girt                     hardihood
exempt        forbearance girth                    harmonious
exert            forcible        glossy                 harrow
exhalation    forearm       glutton                harshness
exhort          forecast       gnash                  haunch
expand        forerunner    gnat                    havoc
expedient     forfeiture      goad                   haycock
expend        formation     goblet                 hazard
expressive   formidable   gong                   haze
extol            fornication   goodman            heather
extremity     forsworn      gourd                 hedgehog
exult            fortitude       gradation            hedgerow
fabric           fount            grail                    heinous
faction         fowler          granary               hemlock
factor          frailty           grandeur             henceforward
fain              franc            grange                herdsman
falcon          fraught         granulate             hereditary
fallow          fray             graphite              heresy
famish          frenzy          grapple               heritage
farthing        froth            graven                herring
fathom         froward       gravity                hewer
fealty           froze            greenwood         hexagon
felon            frugal           grimace              hickory
hie               impetuous    installment           keel
hillock         impious        insulate               ken
hilt               imply           insure                 kilo
hitch            imposition    insurgent             kine
hoar            impotent      integrity              kit
hock            impressive   inter                    knead
hod             impute         intercept             knickerbocker
hoist            inanimate     interfere              knoll
homage       incessant      interpose            knuckle
hominy        inclination    intervene             labyrinth
hone            incomparable                         intolerable           lading
hoot            incomplete   intricate              ladle
hopper        incubator     intrude                languid
hornet          incurable      intrust                 lank
hostage        indent          invader               lapse
hostess        indescribable                         invariable            lascivious
hostility        indication     invert                  lathe
howbeit       indictment    inveterate            lattice
howsoever   indigo          invigorate            laud
hub              indispensable                         invincible            lea
huddle         indolence     invoice                leak
huff              inducement  involuntary          lease
hulk             indulge         iodine                 leathern
hull              inestimable   ire                      leaven
husbandman   inexhaustible                        isinglass              leer
husk            infallible       javelin                 legacy
hustle           infamous      jay                      legible
hydrometer  infect           jeopardy             legislate
hypocrisy     infest           jerk                    lender
hysterical     infidel          jerkin                  lens
idolatry        infuse           jig                       leper
ignoble        ingenious     jingle                  lever
imbibe         inglorious     jockey                levy
immeasurable ingredient  jocund                lewd
imminent      iniquity         jog                     liable
immovable   injunction     jollity                  libel
immunity      inlaid           jot                      lief
immutable    innovation    jubilant               liege
impair          inoffensive   judicious             linden
impartial      inscribe        jug                      lineal
impediment  insertion       jumble                lineament
impel           insight          junction              lint
impend        insinuate      juniper                lisle
impenetrable  insole        junk                    loam
imperil         insolence     jurisdiction          loan
imperious     inspect         jut                      loathsome
locust          mercerize     munch                obtainable
loft              meridian      mush                  occidental
lop              messaline     musk                  ode
lore             mete            musket               officious
lotus            metropolis   muskrat              olfactory
lubricant      mettle          muslin                 omnipotent
lucid            mica            mustard              onyx
luminous      mien            muster                ooze
lunatic          milch           mutinous             opportune
lute              mince          mutiny                oppressive
luxurious      minion         myriad                optic
macaroon    ministration  myrrh                 oral
machinist     minnow       myrtle                 orbit
madras        minor           mystic                 ordeal
magnanimity minster        nag                     originate
magnet        minstrel        nasal                   outcast
maim           miraculous   nationality           outrage
maintenance mite             nave                   oval
malicious     miter            nectar                 overbear
mallet          mitigate        negate                overcast
malt             moat            negligence           overlaid
mangle         mocker        negotiate             owlet
manifestation mold          nestle                  packet
manna         molten         nether                 pagan
mantel         monotonous nettle                  pageant
manual         monumental nick                    palate
marge          moorland     nipple                 palfrey
marker        mop            nomad                pall
marrow       mope           nominate             palpable
marshy        morris          noose                 palsy
mart            mortar         notch                  pamper
martial         mortify         notorious            panel
massacre     mossy          novice                parable
matin           motley         noxious               paramour
mattock       mottle          nozzle                 parchment
maul            moulder       nutmeg               pare
maxim         mouldy        nutting                parley
maximum     mow            oakum                parsley
maze           muck           oblique               particle
meager        muddy         oblivion              partition
mediator      muff             obnoxious           pastoral
meditation    muffin          obscene              patter
medley        muffle          obscurity            patty
meed           mug             obsequious         pawn
menace        mull             observance         pedal
mercenary   mum            obstruction         pedant
peek            pillage          precede              prowess
peerless       pincers        precinct              prowl
pelt              pinion          precipice            publican
pence          pinnace        precise               puddle
pendant       pinnacle       precocious          pug
pendent       piper           predecessor        puller
penetrate     pique           predominant       pulley-
penitent       piston          preeminence       pumice
pension        plaid            prejudice            puppet
pent             plaint           prelate                putty-
pentagon     plait             premier               quail
penury         pliers           preparatory        quell
peradventure  plod          preposition         quill
percale        plug             prerogative         quince
percolate     plumb          presage              quinine
perdition      plummet      presbyterian        quire
perennial      pluperfect    prescription        quotient
perjure        plush           presidency          radius
pernicious    pod             presumption        raft
perpetuate   poke           pretext                raid
perplexity    pollen          princely              raiment
persecution  pollute         principality          raiser
perseverance pomegranate                       printer                rally
persist         pompous     prior                   ramble
personage    ponder        privacy               rampant
perspective  pongee        privy                   rampart
persuasion   poplar         proclamation       rape
pert             poplin          prodigal              rapine
pertain         populace     prodigy               rapt
peruse         popularity    proffer                rashness
pervade       porcelain     proficient            ratify
perverse      pore            profile                 rational
pest             porridge      profuse               ravage
pestilence    portable       progeny              ravenous
petrify          portal          prologue             ravine
pew             portentous   promenade         ravish
phantom      portiere       promontory        raze
phase          posture        prone                 reaper
pheasant      potash         prop                   reappear
phoenix       potion          propagate           rebellious
phosphate    potter          propensity          rebound
phosphorus  pouch          prophetic            recede
piazza          pounce        propitious           receiver
picker          prance         prostrate             receptacle
picket          prate           provocation        recessive
pier             precaution   prow                  reck
reclaim        retort           salve                   sham
recline         retrace         sanction              shamble
recoil           reverberate  sateen                 shark
reconciliation  revere       satiate                 sharpener
recorder      revert          satyr                   shawl
recount        revery          saunter               sheaf
recruit          revile           savor                  sheen
rectangular   revolver       scab                   sheer
rector          ridden          scabbard            shekel
redeemer     rife              scaffold              shellac
redouble      rift               scaly                   sheller
redoubt       rigid             scamper             shelve
redress        rigor            scandal               shew
reef             rind             scoop                 shoal
reek            ringer           scope                 shod
reflexive       ringlet          scorner               shorn
reformation  rinse            scorpion             shortage
regent          riotous         scrim                  shred
regime         risen            scroll                  shrivel
reiterate       rivet             scruple               shrug
relapse        rivulet          scullion               shutter
relax            roaster         scum                  shuttle
relay            robust          scurry                 sickle
reliance        rocker         scythe                 sieve
relinquish     rocket         sect                    sill
rely              roe              sedate                simmer
repast          role             sediment             simultaneous
repeal          romp           sedition               sinewy
repel            rood            seduce                singe
repentance   rook            seer                    sixpence
repine          rosette         seethe                 skein
replenish      rosin            seller                  skirmish
repress        rout             semblance          skulk
reprobate    royalty         sentinel               slab
repulse        rubbish        separator            slacken
repute          rudder         sepulcher            slam
requite         ruddy          sequel                 sleek
resemblance   rue            sequester            sleet
reservation   rumble         seraph                slid
residue        ruminate      serge                  slim
respite         rump           sergeant              slime
resplendent  rung             serial                  sloth
restitution     russet          server                 slug
restorer       saber           settee                 slunk
restrict         sachet          sewer                 smelt
retinue         salutary        sexton                smitten
smock         steward       surrey                 timorous
smother       stifle            sustenance          tincture
sniff             stile             sware                 tinder
snip             stirrup          swarthy              tinge
socket         strainer        sweeper             tingle
sodden        straiten        swerve               tinker
solder          strangle        swung                 tinsel
solidify         stratagem     sycamore            tint
solvent         stress           sylph                  tire
somber        stretcher      sylvan                 tit
sonnet         strewn         symmetrical        tithe
sooth           stripling        symphony           tock
sorcerer       strode          symptom            toll
sordid          stronghold   synagogue          toot
sounder       strop           syndicate            topple
species        structure      tabernacle           torpid
specious      strung          tabor                  torrid
speck          stubble        taint                    trance
specter        stucco         tallow                 transact
spick           stud             tanner                 transcendent
spicy           sty               tare                    transfigure
spike           subvert        taunt                   transformer
spilt             successor    tawny                 transgress
spiral           succor         teat                     transient
spleen          suckle          teem                   transit
spoiler         sue              teller                   transmission
sportive       sufferance    temperament       travail
spout           suite            tempestuous       treble
sprawl         sully             temporal             tremulous
spreader      sultry           tempter               trend
spree           summary      tenor                  trespass
sprig            sumptuous   tension                tribulation
sprightly       sunder         terminal              tribunal
sprite           sundry         terrestrial            trickle
squall           sup              testament            triple
staple          superfluity    tester                  trivet
stark            superiority   tether                  trivial
stationary     supplant       texture                trodden
stationery     supple         thatch                 troth
statute         suppliant      thrall                   trowel
stave           supplicate    throb                  troy
stealth          supremacy   throttle                truant
stench          surety          thunderbolt         truce
sterile          surfeit          thwart                 trudge
sterling         surmise        tilt                       trump
stew            surmount     timbrel                trundle
tuft              vane            vintage                whisker
tumbler        vantage        virtual                 whit
tumultuous   variable       visage                 whiz
turban          variegated    vise                    whoop
turbulent      vassal          visitation             whore
turnpike       vat               voile                   wick
turret           vaunt           volley                 widen
tweed          vehement     volt                     wield
twill             veneer         voluptuous          wight
udder          venison        vouch                 wile
ulster           venom         vulture                wist
uncouth       vent             waft                    woeful
undaunted    venturous     wallet                 woodbine
undented     verdant        wallow               woof
unerring       verdure        wampum            worsted
unfeigned     vermin         wane                  wot
unfurl           vernal          wantonness         wrangle
unscrupulous  vertical      watt                    wrathful
untrod         vesper         weal                   wrest
upholster     vestal           wean                  wringer
upland         vesture        weasel                writhe
usage           via               weaver               wroth
usurp           vial              weld                   yew
usury           vicar            welt                    yond
utility           victual          wench                yore
uttermost     viewless       wend                  zephyr
vacillate       vigilance      whelp                 zest
vail              vigorous      whim                  zoological
valve           villa             whisk

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