Utilising the thesaurus
Athesaurusis a very useful book. It contains a number of
synonyms(words which have a similar meaning to another
word). If you can’t find the right word or you have repeated
a word too many times, a thesaurus will help you find an
alternative.
It was Peter Mark Roget who produced the first thesaurus.
He was a professor of physiology who helped to found the
University of London. He completed the first draft of a
thesaurus for his own use in 1806 and added to it over the
next forty years. When he retired in 1840, he continued to
work on it and his final work was published by Longmans in
- The book was very popular and during his lifetime
twenty-eight editions were published. After his death, his
son and then his grandson continued his work.
Roget’s Thesaurus, as it has become known, is still in use and
is frequently updated. Today there are many other thesauri
on the market including small pocket editions. It is certainly
worthwhile to invest in one. You will find it an invaluable
aid.
Checklist
◆ A dictionary gives parts of speech, pronunciation,
definitions and derivations.
◆ A thesaurus consists of a collection of synonyms.
◆ Use a dictionary and a thesaurus to help you widen your
vocabulary.
MAKING USE OF THE DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS / 149