word sense

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Explanation of "Word Sense"

Definition: "Word sense" refers to the accepted meaning of a word in a particular context. A single word can have multiple meanings depending on how it is used in a sentence.

Usage Instructions

1. Identify the Context: To understand the word sense, look at the surrounding words and the situation in which the word is used.
2. Consider Different Meanings: A word can have various senses, so think about how the meaning might change in different contexts.

Examples

1. Basic Example:

   • The word "bank":
   • Example Sentences:

2. Advanced Example:

   • The word "bark":
   • Example Sentences:

Word Variants

• Related Terms:
  • "Polysemy": When a single word has multiple meanings (like "bank").
  • "Homonym": Words that are spelled the same and sound the same but have different meanings (like "bat" - the flying animal and "bat" - a piece of sports equipment).

Different Meanings

• Words can have specialized meanings in different fields (like "mouse" in technology refers to a computer device, while in biology it refers to a small rodent).

Synonyms

• "Meaning": Refers to what something signifies.
• "Definition": The explanation of what a word means.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• Idioms: Sometimes, idioms can change the meaning of the words involved. For example:

  • "Break the ice" does not mean to literally break ice; it means to start a conversation in a social situation.

• Phrasal Verbs: These can also present different senses of a word:

  • "Give up" means to stop trying, which is different from the individual meanings of "give" and "up".

Summary

Understanding "word sense" is important for grasping the full meaning of language. Always consider the context and be aware that words can have more than one sense.

Academic

Noun

1. the accepted meaning of a word

Synonyms

• word meaning
• acceptation