Dictionary Reviews

I found this dictionary so good, interesting and fun! Anyone learning spanish should get this book. And anyone who already speaks it fluently should too!

This is a new release by McGraw-Hill and is a very handy resource that offers a wealth of definitions and clarification of usage of everyday colloquialisms, slang, vulgarity and their meaning. When I saw the book in the store I was a bit hesitant to purchase it because of the price but I quickly realized that the price was incomparable to wealth of information offered. It's obvious that there was a considerable amount of time and research spent in order to produce this handy tool and I do believe it would most benefit those who are natives of Spanish, advanced students, professionals, journalists, translators, interpreters and writers. This dictionary would be overwhelming for a beginner as it is written in Spanish and the vocabulary used in the definitions and examples is advanced at times. The only flaw in this reference is does not give the country or countries where a typical expression may be used which I think is very valuable because what may be a friendly word or expression in one country may be totally offensive in another. Here are some examples of expressions detailed in this dictionary:

1.chochete- mujer joven (a young woman). This was new to me. I would say "jovencita" or "doncella".
2.en cuerpo y alma- plenamente, completamente (completely) This is an everyday expression in the Spanish language.
3.mala leche - mala suerte (bad luck) (Everyday expression).
4.curichi- avaro, tacaño (greedy)
5.meter la gamba - equivocarse (to make a mistake) I would say "meter la pata".

These are just some examples I selected at random and #4 , # 5 are new to me. I know the generic expressions but not the slang, which is valuable, and somewhere down the road I may come across these expressions. As mentioned above this resource is priceless and it will broaden your scope and understanding of everyday Spanish and aid you with correct usage.This is money well spent!

I am a journalist living in NY, and I was researching vulgar speak in the Hispanic community. This is simply great. A wonderful tool.

This book and Chamber's Etymological English Dictionary are my two favorite but little-known word reference works. The main difference between this book and Roget's Thesaurus is it focuses more precisely on the actual meanings of the words. A thesaurus will give you plenty of words with similar or nearly similar meanings, grouped by general idea or concept. But most of the words are not exactly synonymous. If you need that, this book will come to your rescue. Another nice feature is, as another reviewer here pointed out, it will even give you examples of words with very similar meanings, but with enough description and definition so you can distinguish among otherwise seemingly identical words and synonyms.

It's also in some ways easier to use than a typical thesaurus, since if you just need a different word and can't recall one, it's easiest to just look it up and get a quick alternative, instead of going through all the extra words you'd get in a thesaurus, but which aren't exactly what you want. Overall, a fine reference work and one that deserves to be better known.

This excellent reference book deserves to be much better known than it is. I do a lot of writing in my job, and have used it (or its earlier edition) regularly for about 15 years. I am surprised at how many people do not seem to be familiar with it. There are few truly synonymous words in English; many words mean about the same thing, but have slightly different meanings and connotations, and are more appropriate in different contexts. The purpose of this book is to help you sort all of this out.

It is important to understand that this book is NOT a thesaurus, but a completely different, yet equally useful, reference work. A very good essay at the beginning of this book explains this, and gives an interesting history of how books of synonyms developed over the past centuries.

The best thesaurus is Roget's International Thesaurus -- the original work, now in its 6th edition, not one of the ones in "dictionary format." Roget's provides long lists words of similar meaning, grouped under conceptual headings. Its purpose is to jog your memory, spur creative thinking, or help you realize what you are really trying to say. It is absolutely the best thing for easing writer's block and helping you to find a word.

The purpose of this book, on the other hand, is to help you understand the differences between similar words. It explains nuances of meaning and compares words that mean approximately, but not quite, the same thing. It has a number of long entries that discuss 5 or 6 similar words together, explaining when to use each and giving examples (usually from good literature) of the correct use of each. When you look up one of the other synonyms, it will point you to the main article in which it is discussed. For example, the entry for "prim" dicusses and differentiates the near-synonyms "priggish, prissy, prudish, puritanical, and straitlaced." It explains the differences in meaning, and the contexts in which each word is appropriate. If you look up any one of those words, it will list the synonyms briefly but refer you to the main discussion under "prim."

I highly recommend this book to high school, college, and graduate students; to people learning English; and to people who write for a living. I suggest that a writer get this book and Roget's International Thesaurus (as well as a good dictionary, of course). Look up a word in Roget's to find some synonyms, then look them up in the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms to see which of those words are really correct in the context.

Ii cannot say enough positive about this book. It goes beyond a thesaurus, which provides you with a list of synonyms. It gives one the exact shade of meaning that enable you to use the best word for the exact meaning that you intend. If you don't have it, you should buy it.

This is the most complete reference I have in my collection of garden books. I have yet to find a plant variety that is not in this book. Truly a "must have" for any gardener.

One of the first books I reach for when I feel I need to look something up. Good for beginners and hardy gardening veterans.

Contains a plant encyclopedia with botanical names. Detailed Climate zone maps and climate descriptions. Does not use USDA zones but a more thorough and detailed zoning system. All zones are described in detail. Zoning includes southern regions of Canada (very useful) but not all of it. (If you live in the northern portion of the provinces you will be disappointed it's not truly for Canada like it claims.) The only thing I wish for are Latitude and Longitude lines on the zone maps.

Also contains: Plant selection guide, Pest and disease reference, Botanical name guide and a gardening dictionary all of which are well explained for beginners.

One of the best of the many general gardening books available that I've picked up. Very handy if you move around quite a bit.

Essential for anyone who starts out, as well as for the one who knows a bit about flora and fauna and how to bring colour, fragrance and life to his/her home and garden. Thoroughly recommended by one who did not know a toss about gardens but can now actually dabble with an Adenium Obesum in the home!

As other reviews have said this is an excellent thesaurus that is very handy and user friendly, it is very clear, concise and well put together and it is so far the best thesaurus I have come by and the one that I recommend.

The Best!

This very handy and useful thesaurus is one of my most valuable aids to the English language. It makes me write with more impact while steadily enhancing my command of words. Its the first step to making words work for you.

This is one of the most handy and user-friendly thesaurus that I've used. It helps make the occasionally irksome word hunts efficient and a delight. This is an excellent first reference point that usually suffices without the need for consulting a more elaborate thesaurus.

Warning: This reference book can be addictive once you discover its vocabulary-enchancing functionality and even its entertainment value.

This book has around 11,000 words with adequate definitions.

I like the fact that the people that compiled this dictionary included names and even a guide to assist in pronounciation.

This nook is not an exhaustive researh on the Hawaiian language; but will greatly assist in research; Two Bears.

Aloha nui loa (I love you very much).

this little book is a hidden treasure!I know,for I spent most of my life growing up in the islands.
hawaii is a place unique in the sense that the spirit and the beauty can actually be captured by the words in the language...I highly recomend these priceless pages of fun and enjoyment.if for no other reason than to learn a new word to describe something...the languageis sweet,the words simple,and "the new pocket hawiian dictionary"no ka oi! mahalo to the authors!!!!

This book is VERRY nicly written for quick referance, and fits in your pocket. Going to Hawaii? Grap this dictionary. Are you a pure English american hoping to sound parcialy intelegent when a Hawaiian Dairy Queen worker asks, "I luna la i luna, na monu o ka puana?". Or you're a seasoned hawaiian linguist, that forgot how to say "antidisestablishmentterrionism"; you will find this book Quick, Well-thought-out, and not to mention fun.

one of the three books that any student or writer of poetry needs to own, besides a good dictionary. (The other two are Pound's "ABCs of Reading" and Shapiro's "Primer.") Answers questions & points you in the right direction for more. Once you open it, you'll wonder how you got by without it.

Want to know what a 'priamel' is? Look it up here, "he New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics." Not only will you see 'priamel' defined, but a short history of the use of the concept, examples of priamelic poetry, and a other resources to learn more.

How about Hungarian poetry, what makes a hymn (as opposed to a carol), a discussion on line usage and techniques? It is all here. Exemplum? Septenarius? Metalepsis? What's an iambe? It isn't an iamb, and from their respective entries, you'll see why.

Every student of poetry, whether in college, teaching or writing, needs this book. All the major terms and styles are covered here, but also every country producing poetry.

This is useful to the poet who wants to learn more about what has been done through the years, and how and why a particular style was used. The book is certainly for the intelligent reader, but won't be bogged down with overblown, hard to understand explanations. This an encyclopedia, not a dissertation.

Professors and students can use this book as a reference point as they research poetry. Ever read a literary critique and not have a clue what term Dr. Iam Smart just referred to? I sure have. This book helps me know what I am reading.

The entries are well-structured, and give plenty to get started, and then point you where you can learn more.

I fully recommed "The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics" by Alex Preminger.

Anthony Trendl

This stunningly comprehensive volume truly merits the title "encyclopedia". Nearly 1,400 pages, two columns to a page, with small print (the size of the print being one of the few shortcomings of the book). Over 700 entries, each including a brief bibliography. Detailed discussions of 106 national poetries. Entries on all varieties of poetic schools and movements, including Dada, Surrealism, Beat Poets, and . . . Fyrtiotalisterna (a group of Swedish modernist poets). Definitions of every imaginable poetic term, from anacoluthon to chiasmus to vers libre. Entries written by recognized authorities, from A. B. Lord writing on "Oral Poetry" to M. H. Abrams discussing "Theories of Poetry" to Elaine Showalter on "Feminist Poetics". "The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics" is simply the best single volume on poetry and poetics available, an indispensable reference for anyone seriously interested in poetry, as well as anyone interested in literature, literary history and prosody.

In David H. Nathan's fascinating novel, The McFarland Baseball Quotations Dictionary, a true writer, whose abilities rival those of Stephen King and "the guy who wrote that book that I really liked that had that guy who was cool in it." It's David Nathan! You may remember him from other baseball books as Baseball Quotations: The Wisdom and Wisecracks of Players, Managers, Owners, Umpires, Announcements, Writers and Fans of the Great American Pastime and...I think that's it. Now maybe it's because he's my english teacher, or maybe because I haven't read the book, but this book is amazing! Read it!

In David Nathan's unbelievable novel, The McFarland Baseball Quotations Dictionary, one of modern-day's greatest writers, who rivals Stephen King and Tom Clancy, has written a book that will never be forgotten. As you can see, I love the book. Now maybe it's because the author is my english teacher, or maybe because I haven't read the book, but it gets 5 stars from me.

I know the author personally; he was my senior english teacher. This is a great book by a great guy. The quotes and tidbits are funny and interesting. If you love baseball or just love reading quotes, I suggest this book!! Mr. Nathan you rock, even though you teach at St. John's now.

Fantastic. Although I did find a mis - spelling, I believe it was due to a typo in the translation.

Noah Webster's dictionary terms are on target and provide a basis for research into other fields such as law, the Constitution of the united States of America, as well as other areas.

NOAH WEBSTER'S FIRST EDITION OF AN AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. San Francisco: Foundation for American Christian Education, Twelfth Printing, 2000. ISBN 0-912498-03-X

This book is a facsimile of the 1828 two-volume dictionary in one volume, which besides having its own great intrinsic interest, will also be of great interest to students of Emily Dickinson.

Noah Webster was a very learned and very devout man, and his ideas about language in his very long Introduction to this book make for interesting reading. The frontispiece gives us a marvelous portrait of Webster. He looks like a man of strong will and determination, qualities he would have needed to push his great project to a conclusion.

As for the actual entries, Christian readers will find it rewarding to compare his definitions of such words as "marriage", "education", "sin", "law", "faith", "prayer", etc., with those given in any modern dictionary. They will probably be surprised at the great differences, and may come away with a renewed respect for this great American.

Turning to Emily Dickinson, we know that she made frequent and extensive use of Noah Webster's 'Dictionary of the English Language' in writing her poems, paying attention not only to definitions but also to Webster's etymologies and his illustrative quotations.

The scholarly consensus is that she probably made use of an 1844 reprint of the 1841 edition, but since this is now rare, and since the 1828 edition was also in the Dickinson library, the present facsimile of the 1828 edition becomes an important resource for helping us to recover at least some of the senses in which she understood certain words.

The present book is a large heavy quarto volume (8.5 by 11 inches), stitched, bound in full strong cloth, well-printed on thin but good quality paper, and has clearly been designed for heavy use. Since it isn't paginated in the normal way, I'm not sure exactly how long it is, but at a guess I'd say it must be at least 1500 pages, if not 2000.

It's a great pleasure to handle such a well-produced book, and to read its definitions and ponder the great changes that have occurred in the meanings of words over the last 130 years. This is a book that should be in everyone's library, as providing a fund of wisdom, knowledge, and information that few modern books can even begin to approach.

A "must-have" for those who would understand the American Constitution and the basis for our heritage and beliefs. This book is more than a dictionary, it concisely defines the words whose meanings have "evolved" in our language. Excellent reference for Bible studies, history papers, and general better basis of explanation and reasoning for our national documents. Though it is definitely a "dictionary," I find myself pouring over its contents for clarity and meaning to much more than the words themselves.

More than eight years in the making, the editors deserve a note of thanks for compiling this thoughtful, thorough and scholarly collection of 260 theologians' thoughts on more than 600 of Christianity's big issues.

The book represents a panorama of viewpoints. Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, conservative, radical and evangelical viewpoints are all represented in the signed entries. A bibliography follows each essay and cross-references lead from one topic to another. Controversial topics are dealt with in a balanced fashion.

I have two problems with the book. First, I am easily distracted when I use it. This is more my problem than the editors'. When I consult this volume I have a specific topic or question I want answered. The interesting and provocative nature of the entries often leads me far astray from the question I want answered. It is the same problem I have with Study Bibles. I become so enmeshed in the commentary; I lose sight of the verse or topic I want to research.

Second, graphically each page is a vast sea of gray. There are no illustrations, pictures or white space to visually break up the entries. If the content were not so stimulating, you would never pick up the book.

Despite my reservations, this is a great addition to any Christian's library. If it were not for the graphics, it would deserve five stars.

There is no denying that the Oxford Companion to Christian Thought is a very expensive book, but as it is something like an entire library in one book, it sure is worth its price.

You can have a look at the table of contents to see what you can find in the Companion. The essays are written by brilliant and committed theologians, there isn't even a whiff of the dead prose of encycolpedias.

The stress is on contemporary theology, but the excerpts which are accessible here show you that the history of Christian thought is well represented too.

Christianity is more than just your local church and your local preacher's views. This book gives you an idea what has been going on all around the world in the past 2000 years. There is much to learn!

This book is quite an amazing look at Christianity. Not only does it cover a wide range of topics, its contributors come from a variety of backgrounds. It is niether centered on Western Christianity nor is it overly dogmatic. Particularly I was impressed with the tact with which hotly debated issues were presented (e.g., abortion, homosexuality, etc.). Moreover, it is extraordinarily accessible while remaining engaging. The articles are written excellently with further readings provided at the end. It's an impressive accomplishment that I would whole-heartedly recommend to any Christian from any background.

Extremely helpful for technical as well as misc entries that can be extremely hard to look up in a traditional dictionary. Being organized by subject is very helpful. Illustrations are somewhat dated (Especially with computers which may want to see an update since there are now more components to a computer which did not exist when this book was published). This book is a fantastic resource for anyone learning German and is essential for those who find themselves using technical terms.

This is the most comprehensive vocabulary book for nouns - even in technical areas - that I have ever encountered. I have not seen another book like it. The bulk of the book is arranged by subject and the back contains all the vocabulary words arranged alphabetically cross-referencing with the subject section. This book is a must-have. It is a reference book. An earlier review mentions it is English not American. In my version (2nd Ed.), the American translations are in parentheses next to the English where there is a difference. There is no problem.

The price is in pounds not dollars. The name and says it all " Oxford-Druden." However this is an indispensable dictionary. Every page has a picture on it with numbers pointing to objects. The opposing page has the numbers pointing to words written in German and English. The English takes a little getting used to (suspenders = braces, elevator = lift, and so on. Can you say exposure control device in German (die Belichtungssteuereinrichtung.) tried that without pictures?