Overview

We all know what the words cat and dog and mother and tree mean. What we really need is a dictionary that helps us with the tough words, like elucubrate, or demesne, or cynosure. True, a standard dictionary can bail us out when we run across a tough word at home or in a library. But we often read elsewhere--in a doctor's waiting room or on a plane, or while on vacation. What do we do then? The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is designed to meet this need. A portable reference, it features more than 10,000 entries that focus exclusively on words that, while outside most people's working vocabulary, are often encountered in literature, in technical writings (such as computing or medical terminology), and in such diverse subject areas as law, philosophy, and art. Entries contain pronunciations, parts of speech, concise definitions, example sentences showing the word used in context, and etymologies when a word's history may shed light on its meaning. Special attention is given to easily confused or closely related words (such as efficacious, effective, effectual, and efficient, or cynical, sarcastic, sardonic, and ironic). Usage notes are provided to ensure that readers know how to integrate these words into their vocabularies for more precision and power in speech and writing. Drawing on Oxford's exclusive 200-million-word database of contemporary English, this handy volume helps us with the words that lie just outside our vocabulary.

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9780195173284

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Reviews

Entries are enhanced by sentences and phrases that illustrate the word used in context and a section listing derivatives of the word. -Choice This work conveniently pulls together more than 10,000 difficult words in a readily accessible dictionary. -American Reference Book Annual 2002 From explanations of closely related, often-confused words to usage notes, The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is packed with important guidelines. -Bookwatch

From explanations of closely related, often-confused words to usage notes, The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is packed with important guidelines. -Bookwatch Entries are enhanced by sentences and phrases that illustrate the word used in context and a section listing derivatives of the word. -Choice This work conveniently pulls together more than 10,000 difficult words in a readily accessible dictionary. -American Reference Book Annual 2002

From explanations of closely related, often-confused words to usage notes, The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is packed with important guidelines.

Author Information

Archie Hobson also edited The Oxford Essential Geographical Dictionary (published in 1999 by Berkley Books) and the geographical portion of The Oxford Dictionary of People and Places as well as The Cambridge Gazetteer of the United States and Canada.

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