Word Associations and Clusters

All of these words are associated with the word blue. Blue is the colour associated with navy, sky and ocean. Indigo is a shade of blue. To feel blue is to feel unhappy.

All of these words are associated with red. Crimson means red. When a person is in the red, they are in debt. Red is also the colour associated with danger. Cherries and flames are red in colour.

All of these words belong to the headword stock. The word stock can mean personal reputation or status. It can also mean confidence. To put stock in a statement is to have confidence in it. If a person’s stock is rising, his reputation is increasing. The relationship between stock and investment is obvious. Stock can also refer to animals raised on a farm.

All of these words belong to the headword currency. Moolah is an informal term for money. Dough is a slang word for money for the simple reason that it is associated with bread. Bread is also another word for money. We need bread to live and we need money or currency to buy it.

All of these words are associated with the word labour. The relationship between sweat and labour is obvious. When people work (or labour), they sweat. The term daily grind is used to refer to a person’s everyday work routine. To take great pains is to make a great effort to do something. Pushing involves some labour. The term blue collar is used to refer to people performing labourious tasks.

Toll can mean ‘ring out’ and that makes it synonymous with the words bell, sound, call, etc. Remember the phrase ‘for whom the bell tolls?’ Death toll means the number of people who died in an accident or something. Since the word casualties also means more or less the same, toll can be considered synonymous with casualties. Toll is the fee you pay for using a service. All of these words belong to the headword toll.

The words stocks, trade and bearish are associated with the stock market. Since bond is also associated with finance or trading, their relationship is obvious. The words gum and alliance are also associated with bond. Gum is a substance used to bind.

All of these words are associated with yellow. Yellow is a warm colour. It is also associated with sun and positivity. Interestingly, a number of negative connotations to do with ageing, sickness, betrayal and jealousy are also associated with this colour. Judas is almost always portrayed wearing a yellow cloak. Yellow belly is a slang term used to refer to cowardice. Formerly jealousy was associated with yellow but now that symbolism has transferred to green.

All of these words are associated with drop. Drop can mean ‘mention’. To drop an idea is to say or mention it. To drop someone at the airport is to leave him there. As a noun drop means ‘fall’, ‘cut’, ‘decrement’, ‘reduction’ and similar ideas.

All of these words are associated with purple. A shrinking violet is a shy person. Mauve is a shade of purple. The association between lavender, orchid and purple should be obvious. These flowers are purple in colour. The term purple prose is used to refer to overly wordy or complicated pieces of writing.

All words in this group belong to the headword axe. A chopper is a cutting tool much like an axe. As a verb, axe means ideas such as abolish, eliminate, terminate, chop, close, dismiss, sack, oust etc.

All words in this cluster belong to the word ‘white’. White shows purity or cleanliness. It is also used to express ideas such as fear, shock or anger. Think about the phrase ‘turn white with fear/anger/shock’. White can also mean ‘pale’

All of these words are associated with sign. Think about the zodiac signs. In mathematics, we use very many signs. A contract will be null and void without a sign. A sign may also be an indication of the presence of a disease.