Cool Tools
Login  |  Register

Compact Oxford English Dictionary

compact_oed_sm.jpg

The classic, Compact OED is a smaller, handy version of what is the best English dictionary, bar none, the famous OED. Because it's photo-reduced, it contains the entire OED, all 20 large volumes in one convenient reference (it comes with a reading glass). Aside from saving space on your shelf, it's also significantly cheaper. It's quite large, but you could definitely fit it in a regular backpack, if you're a student or need to transport it (although it is about 10 pounds!). I've been using it for 3 years now, at least twice a week for general queries, as I enjoy discovering and using obscure words and I also often look up words and dive into etymology as part of my Wikipedia editing. For example, recently I used my OED to look up an archaic usage of the word "quaint". Apparently Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" makes use of the old meaning where "quaint" also refers to female anatomy. Who knew?!

-- Gwern Branwen

Compact Oxford English Dictionary
E. S. C. Weiner, J. A. Simpson (Editors)
1991, 2424 pages
$240
Available from Amazon

Sample page:

compact_oed_page_sm.jpg


Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

reverse_dictionary_sm.jpg
OneLook Reverse Dictionary

synonym_finder_sm.jpg
The Synonym Finder

visual_thesaurus_sm.jpg
Visual Thesaurus

 






Comments

 

A cool tool is anything useful that is superior to comparable items. If you think this tool is inferior suggest a better one. You are welcome to insult a tool, but comments containing insults to individual people will be deleted. Corrections of fact are always welcomed, if stated politely. Recommendations of better tools are dearly wanted and may be elevated to the front page.


Previous | Next in category Learning

    Recently Asked
Digital Nomad Kit
What is the best general introduction to computers for kids?
Which land line portable telephone is most accessible to the totally blind?
Cheese grater for arthritic hands