(By way of illustration, let us take the word quiet.  Through meditation and analysis we discover that it may be applied (a) to water or any liquid not in motion, (b) to a place that is without sound, (c) to a place shut off from activity or bustle, (d) to a person who is not demonstrative or forward in manner.  We then think of all the words we can that can be substituted for it in each of these uses.  No matter how incompletely or unsatisfactorily we feel we are performing this task, we must not give it over until we have found every word we can summon.  Then we turn to a dictionary or book of synonyms.  Thus for quiet we shall assemble such synonyms as (a) calm, still, motionless, placid, tranquil, serene, smooth, unruffled, undisturbed, pacific, stagnant; (b) silent, still, noiseless, mute, hushed, voiceless; (c) secluded, sequestered, solitary, isolated, unfrequented, unvisited, peaceful, untrodden, retired; (d) demure, sedate, staid, reserved, meek, gentle, retiring, unobtrusive, modest, unassuming, timid, shrinking, shy.)

Barren Keep Pure Solid
Certain Liberal Rare Sorry
Cold Light (adjective) Rich Spread
Cool Light (noun) Right Straight
Deep Long Rude Still
Dry Low Short Sure
Easy Mean Simple Thick
Foul Narrow Slow Thin
Full New Small Tender
Gentle Obscure Smooth True
Grand Odd Sober Warm
Heavy Particular Soft Yield
Keen

Literal vs.  Figurative Applications

One of the most interesting things to watch in the study of words is their development from a literal to a figurative application.  The first man who broke away from the confines of the literal meaning of a word and applied the word to something that only in a figurative sense had qualities analogous to the original meaning, was creating poetry.  He was making an imaginative flight comparable in daring to the Wright brothers’ first aeronautic flight.  But as the word was used over and over in this figurative way the imaginative flight became more and more commonplace.  At last it ceased to be imaginative at all; through frequent repetition it had settled into the matter of course.  A glance back at the Concise group above will show you that with time the comparison which was once the basis and the life of the figurative use of words is dulled, obscured, even lost.