Reference Tools - Dictionary
A tells you the meanings of words. You can find a word because they are placed in alphabetical order. A dictionary also tells you what part of speech the word is, how to pronounce it, and sometimes has tables of other information in the front and back (such as weights and measures, etc.)
| If you are looking up | Then choose this type | Our Library has |
|---|---|---|
| Day-to-day spellings, meaning, pronunciation | Abridged dictionary (known also as desk, concise or pocket) | Concise Oxford Dictionary, Collins Cobuild English Dictionary |
| Unusual or less common words | Unabridged dictionary | Webster's Third New International Dictionary |
| Technical or specialised words | Subject dictionary Glossary |
The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Dictionary of Science At the back of the book |
| Slang | Dictionary of slang | The Dictionary of Contemporary Slang |
| Specific parts of things | Pictorial dictionary | Ultimate Visual Dictionary |
| Pronunciation | Pronouncing dictionary | English Pronouncing Dictionary |
| Thesaurus | Dictionary of thesaurus or synonyms | Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, The Oxford Thesaurus: an A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms |
Here are Internet dictionary links: