The Oxford English Reference Dictionary - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198600461 ISBN 13: 9780198600466

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1999

Synopsis

The iOxford English Reference Dictionary/i is a revised edition of the leading encyclopedic dictionaryproviding a comprehensive English dictionary (with more than 192,000 definitions) with proper name entries on people, places, science, the arts, politics, religion, and mythology. This updated revised edition also features a rebranded jacket illustrating the new series design for the Oxford English dictionary line.
The iOxford English Reference Dictionary/i is more useful, more practical, and more informative than conventional dictionaries. It encompasses both contemporary and world English with up-to-date coverage of new words. Clear advice on English grammar, including full pronunciations, with fascinating facts about word origins is also included.
But what makes the iOxford English Reference Dictionary/i truly stand apart from the Oxford English dictionary line are its encyclopedic qualities. A 16-page, full- color map section, including the latest border and name changes, is accompanied by a 100-page illustrated Factfinder with scores of quick-reference tables and illustrations: a chronology of world events, coverage of animal and plant kingdoms, astronomy, the human body, the solar system, the arts, architecture, music, and sports and games.

About this title

About the Author

Judy Pearsall was Senior Editor of the Reader's Digest Oxford Wordfinder. Bill Trumble was Associate Editor of the New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.

Reviews

According to the preface, this is "a fully integrated reference book" that offers a "greater depth of information than is normal in a dictionary." This depth rests in the appendixes, which include a chronology of world events, countries of the world, a 16-page atlas, etc.--addenda that may be a plus for the home user but are not that useful for librarians, who will choose more obvious sources when hunting for this information. The dictionary itself, which is based on the Concise Oxford Dictionary (8th ed.), offers 3000 new words and senses but at times gives obtuse definitions. "Wolfsbane," for example, is defined as "an aconite," which is in turn defined as "a poisonous ranunculaceous plant of the genus Aconitum, esp. monkshood or wolfsbane." (Compare the definition from Merriam Webster, 10th ed., which refers the reader to Monkshood and provides the information that it is dangerous: "a highly variable yellow-flowered poisonous herb.") Another drawback is the pronunciation scheme (the International Phonetic Alphabet), which is found only at the beginning of the book, making it difficult to puzzle out pronunciations without flipping back. Finally, this is a British English dictionary, not a U.S. English dictionary. Recommended only for academic and public libraries looking for an updated British English dictionary.
-Cynthia A. Johnson, Barnard Coll. Lib., New York
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198600461
• ISBN 13: 9780198600466
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 1792
• Editor: Pearsall Judy, Trumble Bill