Concise Oxford Dictionary

by Henry Watson Fowler

The Concise Oxford Dictionary has become established as the foremost authority on English, and is the standard reference for English in all fields, for study, for professional use, and at home. This special combined book and CD-ROM edition allows you to obtain the maximum benefits from the text. The book's 140,000 definitions provide comprehensive coverage of the English language, including everything from street slang to scientific terminology. It provides coverage of the language particularly of words researched using the world's largest language research programme, hundreds of helpful usage notes giving guidance on correct English, word histories, and word pronunciations. In addition to all these features, the CD-ROM has added sound so you can hear words being read aloud to get the exact pronunciation. Its search facilities allow you to find any given word in a matter of seconds, access usage notes quickly, and back-track your moves. You can also cut-and-paste sections into your word processor document.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Language, Dictionaries

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Henry Watson Fowler (10 March 1858 – 26 December 1933) was an English schoolmaster, lexicographer and commentator on the usage of the English language. He is notable for both A Dictionary of Modern English Usage and his work on the Concise Oxford Dictionary, and was described by The Times as "a lexicographical genius".

Reviews

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another dictionary that meets my criteria for actually buying one: recently updated, lots of usage examples. This one also has a nice reference section, with interesting items such as: biological classification, a style guide, proofreading marks, major divisions of geological time (a good mix of sections you would and wouldn't expect from a dictionary).

I'm unlikely to buy another hard-copy dictionary since the information is so easily accessible on the internet, but it's nice to be able to page through a reasonably heavy tome and discover new information.

[Confucius · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Oxford and David Crystal I trust.

[Howierdg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still using my forty-five year old 6th edition and even though I do sometimes wonder whether I should purchase a newer edition nothing has the same appeal.

[K Stasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my go-to version of this dictionary, though I have most of the editions up to the 10th, and also the ODE. I noticed that some words started having changed definitions from the 1990's ('mandate' was the word that set me on this thread of research, though I looked up many different words), which was interesting to observe, especially in the context of the world in which we live now. I find up to the 8th edition (1990) the most reliable, but use the more modern editions for comparison. It's also encouraged me to question whether newest is always best.

[i · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turns out the zebra did it.

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just about the best english dictionary I've ever owned

[Mark Mullee]

While in prison, Malcolm X copied the entire dictionary in longhand. All I have to do is read it.