A term coined by Alan Cruse.

Relates to the fact that in ordinary speech the meaning associated with a lexical item undergoes 'modulation' as a result of the context in which it is used. For instance, in the following examples, the semantic contribution of fast is adjusted as a consequence of the context in which it is embedded:

1. That parked BMW is a fast car
2. That BMW is travelling fast
3. That's the fast lane of the motorway In the example in (1), fast relates to the potential for rapid locomotion. In (2) fast relates to rapid locomotion.