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The Complete Rhyming Dictionary: Including The Poet's Craft Book
The essential handbook for songwriters, poets, students, teachers, speechmakers, and members of the performing arts
This simple-to-use, exceptionally complete reference work has been updated, expanded and redesigned to meet the needs of today's most demanding wordsmiths. Included here
• Over 10,000 new entries—over 60,000 in all
• More rhymes than any other book
• Sight, vowel, consonant, and one-, two-, and three-syllable rhymes
• Proper names, slang, and scientific words
• Guide to techniques and forms of poetry
This simple-to-use, exceptionally complete reference work has been updated, expanded and redesigned to meet the needs of today's most demanding wordsmiths. Included here
• Over 10,000 new entries—over 60,000 in all
• More rhymes than any other book
• Sight, vowel, consonant, and one-, two-, and three-syllable rhymes
• Proper names, slang, and scientific words
• Guide to techniques and forms of poetry
705 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
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706 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 30, 2021
forget Dr. Seuss, this guy is the real shit!! huge friggin' simp for Clement Wood bc I could NOT put this book down. mostly due to the glue on the cover.
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September 3, 20241936 edition reviewed by someone in Astral Codex Ten's 2024 book review contest, and he makes a very strong case for this version, written at a time when both structure and free verse were still in play, and poetry itself had not vanished from the common ken.
April 23, 2009
A toast, to The Complete Rhyming Dictionary...for all the years that I was to broke to afford the internet, hence, online rhyming sites. For a poet, or a musician...mostly a musician,, because "roses are red, violets are blue..." type poems aren't too popular these days, a rhyming dictionary can be a life-safer. Many a night, I've been writing a song only to be stumped because I couldn't find something that rhymed with colloquially...not to worry though, The Complete Rhyming Dictionary gave me options like, "substantially" or "most definitely", or perhaps "I'm ready to pee" the choices were suddenly limitless. So thank you, from all of us internetless people out there who needed you! TK
September 7, 2023
Unless you're Ogden Nash, this book is worth the cash.
Ogden never needed a book to help him rhyme. But we mortals can use some help occasionally. This is more than just a dictionary; it explains several elements of poetry. They call it the Poet's Craft Book. This is not the only book and I am not about to compare, as this is a five-star book in its own right. It is well-organized and easy to follow.
If you are a pseudo-poet then alas, one day this book may cover your (look it up)
Ogden never needed a book to help him rhyme. But we mortals can use some help occasionally. This is more than just a dictionary; it explains several elements of poetry. They call it the Poet's Craft Book. This is not the only book and I am not about to compare, as this is a five-star book in its own right. It is well-organized and easy to follow.
If you are a pseudo-poet then alas, one day this book may cover your (look it up)
June 23, 2020
Loved it. Perfect prose to serenade neighbors and friends through a bullhorn as you slowly drive through the neighborhood...
May 15, 2024
Very useful, I saw it more than my family
December 6, 2025
I had this book for a college lyric class back in 1994. I just re-read recently because it's a fascinating explanation of all poetry, versification, and linguistics.
Introduction - "Poetry is the only way people used to communicate. We've devolved into verse and prose."
1 - Originally published in 1935.
2 - The Table of Contents could give a writer or lover of words a heart attack because it is so well organized and delves so deep into linguistics.
3 - "Prose and poetry have rhythm, but prose has variety and poetry has regularity. Poetry furthermore has variety within that regularity."
4 - Unfortunately, book advises not to use commonplace words but I think slang and colloquial words are great when sprinkled in with other prose.
5 - Words have a gender! A word ending on an accented syllable is masculine, and a word ending on an unaccented syllable is feminine.
6 - Whitman invented artificial line division which can be seen as a cheap trick. Don't indent unless to show off rhythm.
6a - Whitman did write in polyrhythmic verse which made up for his unneccessary indentation.
7 - "Cleverness defeats convenience within poetic word choice."
8 - "The poet himself is the judge of what form is most pleasing to his inner sense of music."
9 - Book suggests to get a Phonetic Rythimng Dictionary also. Ordered, received, and excited!!!
10 - Any writer can create any rhythm or structure for their poetry. As it is with other Fine Arts (painting, music, etc.) : Learn the Rules - than Break the Rules.
11 - "A poetry test is can your poetry be said to your maid or butcher without being eccentric? If your poetry speaks your own LIVING LANGUAGE, it's vocabulary is acceptable."
Introduction - "Poetry is the only way people used to communicate. We've devolved into verse and prose."
1 - Originally published in 1935.
2 - The Table of Contents could give a writer or lover of words a heart attack because it is so well organized and delves so deep into linguistics.
3 - "Prose and poetry have rhythm, but prose has variety and poetry has regularity. Poetry furthermore has variety within that regularity."
4 - Unfortunately, book advises not to use commonplace words but I think slang and colloquial words are great when sprinkled in with other prose.
5 - Words have a gender! A word ending on an accented syllable is masculine, and a word ending on an unaccented syllable is feminine.
6 - Whitman invented artificial line division which can be seen as a cheap trick. Don't indent unless to show off rhythm.
6a - Whitman did write in polyrhythmic verse which made up for his unneccessary indentation.
7 - "Cleverness defeats convenience within poetic word choice."
8 - "The poet himself is the judge of what form is most pleasing to his inner sense of music."
9 - Book suggests to get a Phonetic Rythimng Dictionary also. Ordered, received, and excited!!!
10 - Any writer can create any rhythm or structure for their poetry. As it is with other Fine Arts (painting, music, etc.) : Learn the Rules - than Break the Rules.
11 - "A poetry test is can your poetry be said to your maid or butcher without being eccentric? If your poetry speaks your own LIVING LANGUAGE, it's vocabulary is acceptable."
December 18, 2018
The organization's a bit hard to get your head around at first, but the lists are pretty comprehensive and it includes a whole section on common poetic structures. I bust it out every time I'm on a poetry kick.
December 22, 2022
The introduction is a book-within-the-book, a little over 100 pages, guide to poetry. I still haven't forced myself to figure out the logic of the actual dictionary. It's a little complicated, but I imagine it'll be easy enough once I get the hang of it.
April 26, 2019
This book is my close friend. I'm on my 2nd copy - worn, weathered, and seasoned, not far from beginning the replay of it crumbling between my fingers.
December 20, 2021
A just have for any poet or song writer
June 2, 2008
Has a significant amount of rhyming words, although there are occasional additions that need to be made. Excellent for folks writing rhyming poetry, but only for those willing to think of their rhyming sounds phonetically. And not all folks are willing to work it that way.
My only negative about this book is that its binding breaks far too easily, and I wish it were available in hardcover.
My only negative about this book is that its binding breaks far too easily, and I wish it were available in hardcover.
August 9, 2012
The best rhyming dictionary I've found. Intended more for writers and poets then song writers.
July 17, 2013
Helped me when the words were lost
May 31, 2014
a constant companion since the early eighties. I purchased a 1943 edition at Soho Books in NYC. I don't think it cost more than $5.00. A great investment.
March 30, 2015
Best one I have ever come across
Includes all the proper ways to write a verse
Includes all the proper ways to write a verse
July 26, 2015
This is the best rhyming dictionary for sure.
July 18, 2016
Only about eight thousand times better than the piddly children's rhyming dictionary I had been pretending was good enough for way too long.
February 13, 2024
A must-have for any songwriter/lyricist. Assisting in finding and understanding the difference between perfect, family, additive, subtractive, assonance, and consonance rhymes.
February 5, 2016
An excellent reference, frequently used. An essential piece of kit for the songwriter
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews