let = little; _brooklet_, _bracelet_, _eaglet_

6. ling = little, young; _duckling_, _gosling_

7. kin = little; _lambkin_, _Peterkin_

8. stead = a place; _bedstead_, _homestead_, _instead_

9. wright = a workman; _wheelwright_

Thesaurus. Besides frequently consulting a good modern dictionary a
student speaker should familiarize himself with a _Thesaurus_ of words
and phrases. This is a peculiarly useful compilation of expressions
according to their meaning relations. A dictionary lists words, then
gives their meanings. A Thesaurus arranges meanings, then gives the
words that express those ideas. The value of such a book can be best
illustrated by explaining its use.

Suppose a speaker is going to attack some principle, some act, some
party. He knows that his main theme will be denunciation of something.
In the index of a Thesaurus he looks under _denunciation_, finding two
numbers of paragraphs. Turning to the first he has under his eye a
group of words all expressing shades of this idea. There are further
references to other related terms. Let us look at the first group,
taken from Roget's _Thesaurus_.

MALEDICTON, curse, imprecation, denunciation, execration, anathema,
ban, proscription, excommunication, commination, fulmination.

Cursing, scolding, railing, Billingsgate language.

_V_. To curse, accurse, imprecate, scold, rail, execrate.

To denounce, proscribe, excommunicate, fulminate.

_Adj_. Cursing, &c, cursed, &c.

THREAT, menace, defiance, abuse, commination, intimidation.

_V_. To threaten, menace, defy, fulminate; to intimidate.

_Adj_. Threatening, menacing, minatory, abusive.

The second reference leads us farther. It presents the expressions
dealing with the methods and results of _denunciation_, providing
hundreds of words and phrases to use in various ways. It does even
more, for in a parallel column it gives a list of opposites for the
words indicating _condemnation_. This more than doubles its value.
Finally having reached the word _punishment_ it lists its cognates
until the idea _penalty_ is reached, where it balances that idea with
_reward_ and its synonyms. A portion of this section follows.

LAWSUIT, suit, action, cause, trial, litigation.

Denunciation, citation, arraignment, persecution, indictment,
impeachment, apprehension, arrest, committal, imprisonment.

Pleadings, writ, summons, plea, bill, affidavit, &c.

Verdict, sentence, judgment, finding, decree, arbitrament