'The meaning of a word is to be judged by the company it keeps'. Explain the concept of 'Noscitur A Sociis'.

Noscitur a Sociis means that when two or more words that are susceptible of analogous meaning, are coupled together they are understood to be used in their cognate sense. They take, as it were, their colour from each other, that is the meaning of the more general word being restricted to a sense analogous to that of the less general. Examples of the principal of Noscitur a Sociis are as follows: Fresh orange juice is not a fruit juice While dealing with a Purchase Tax Act, which used the expression "manufactured beverages including fruit-juices and bottled waters and syrups". It was held that the description 'fruit juices' as occurring therein should be construed in the context of the preceding words and that orange-juice unsweetened and freshly pressed was not within the description. (Commissioners. v. Savoy Hotel, (1966) 2 All. E.R. 299) Private Dispensary of a doctor is not a commercial establishment In dealing with the definition of commercial establishment in Section 2 (4) of the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948, which reads, "commercial establishment means an establishment which carries on any business, trade or profession", the word 'profession' was construed with the associated words 'businesses and 'trade' and it was held that a private dispensary of a doctor was not within the definition. (Dr. Devendra M. Surti v. State of Gujrat, A.I.R. 1969 SC 63).