To expressive means of languageare synonyms. They allow you to avoid monotony and stereotypy, make speech more vivid, clearer, more beautiful. Synonyms are common language and contextual, author's, refer to different stylistic layers and spheres of use. Their lexical proximity can be either complete or partial. Consider this with the example of the word "small".
Grammatical Categories

Lexical meaning
Let's define with lexical value of the givenunits of language. According to the "Explanatory dictionary" it means someone or something of a small size and corresponds to the words "small", "short", "close", "inexpensive", etc. For example: small children, small height, small sweater .

Hence, so you can call everything thatis of small size, length, height, size and so on. Synonyms for the word "small" in the phrase small step: short, small, quiet. But for the same definition with reference to the lexeme "house" they will be already different: miniature, tiny, toy, small, inconspicuous. When building a proposal, it is necessary to observe the laws of lexical compatibility. So, synonyms for the word "small" in the meaning "short" can be: low, low, short, miniature, small:
- A tiny girl was walking along the street.
- Mitrasha was short, but stocky and strong, a real mushroom boletus.
- The boy turned out to be small for his seventeen with a tail of years, thin to slackness.
However, the lexeme "low" has other semanticshades, meaning either moral or moral qualities, or social origin. But in these cases they can not act as synonyms for the word "small". We say "low deeds, thoughts, deeds," meaning that they are vile, nasty, vile. Or "low origin" - that is, not small in the sense of growth or age, but belonging to the common people, the lack of noble, noble roots. Although in the language there is the expression "petty". So in the old days and until the first quarter of the 20th century, they called impoverished or not very aristocratic nobles, who had quite a small village, an estate, a mansion. Synonyms for the word "small" in combination with the word "homestead" will be: poor, small, poor, ruined, needy, miserable, scant, insignificant, unsightly.

Anthony pairs
In the same way, the compatibility laws work withrebuff of antonyms. Some of them are common language, they are suitable in any contextual environment. Others have a strictly limited sphere of use. Let's admit, small (synonyms: tiny, small) house - traditional antonyms to it: big, huge, majestic, high. Contextual is considered to be: luxurious, chic, rich. And to the phrase "little people" fit either great, significant, famous, or high, giants.
That's such an interesting word - "small".