Concise Oxford English Dictionary

I love having a good dictionary. Nothing better than the internet

I tried the Oxford Pocket American Dictionary and was VERY disappointed. The Oxford Concise is excellent and just what I wanted. It is small and handy but also thorough and has enough depth of definition to suit me. It is a wonderful reference volume and perfect for my home office.

Few dictionaries costing under $100 contain any of the more exotic vocabulary I occasionally want to look up. For example, if you read H. P. Lovecraft's tales, sooner or later you will be driven to look up the exact definition of "eldritch". Most affordable dictionaries seem made with the assumption that their users will never try to read above a junior high school level or become curious about unusual words. I keep my dictionary on a desk next to my computer. It's a small desk, so the book's footprint is an issue. Weight and thickness matter because I have small hands and am unwilling to struggle with a volume I could use as an end table in my living room. The creators of this reference have kept its mass and dimensions under control while providing me with a reference that has so far clearly and simply defined every English word I sought. This is a gem of a dictionary at a bargain price!

I bought this dictionary for all my nieces and nephews this year. It's soooooooooo much better than any junky Webster's Collegiate dictionary. You can actually find the words you don't recognize.

the explanations are easy to understand. the dictionary is pretty comprehensive and covers over 240, 000 words. and it is easy to use too.

I returned the Oxford English Reference Dictionary, and the Oxford Dictionary of English. Both are excellent reference books selling for the same price. The former has a noteworthy appendices. The latter is the most descriptive English dictionary (without an appendices) behind Oxford's world class 20 volume Dictionary of English.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary Thumb Index Edition was half the price and weight. This less expensive version contained the words EEPROM, i-Mode, and off-gas. The Oxford Dictionary of English did not have the first two words. The Oxford English Reference Dictionary did not list the three words.I needed a dictionary that would be no-nonsense, current on common words, and under $45CAN. With Chapter's September 2003 $10 discount coupon for purcases over $30, this was the dictionary to buy. And since I am Canadian residing in Canada, this dictionary contains the British spelling of words used in Canada.The Random House-Webster English Dictionary rivalled the Oxford Dictionary of English and was the only dictionary sold at Chapter's to have the word lauan. Unfortunately, the Random House-Webster is an American style dictionary which normally would not be used in Canada.