Selected Dictionaries and Guides to English
Items on the following list have been selected for their potential usefulness for non-native speakers of English. Many are also in general use by native English speakers. If you need one of the titles listed here and cannot locate it in the Reference area on the library's first floor, please see a librarian for assistance.
Print Sources
American Heritage College Dictionary.
This is good standard dictionary of American English. It includes common phrases and abbreviations, arranged in alphabetical order among the words. Pronunciation is indicated for each word and a pronunciation key appears on each page. Brief biographical entries appear for famous and historical persons. Entries for American towns, cities, and states include statistics from the 2000 census. Includes illustrations.
Ref. PE 1628 .A6227 2002
American Heritage Dictionary for Learners of English.
This dictionary is a guide to standard American English for students from all backgrounds and languages. Along with definitions, it includes sample sentences, information on synonyms (words that have similar meanings) and homonyms (words that sound the same but have different meanings), and notes on usage.
Ref. PE 1628 .A6229 2002
The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations.
Even among native speakers of English, debates occur regarding the preferred pronunciation of many different words. This dictionary includes discussions of everyday words such as "garage" and "either" along with debates of the pronunciation of more unusual terms, like "insouciant." Less attention is given to the definitions themselves than to the varieties and histories of pronunciations.
Ref. PE 1137 .E56 1999
Collins COBUILD English Dictionary for Advanced Learners.
The Collins COBUILD English Dictionary is based on the Bank of English, which is a collection of hundreds of millions of words in frequent use by native speakers of English. The emphasis of the Bank of English is primarily on British English, but approximately a quarter of the data is taken from American English materials, and about 5% from other native varieties of English. The dictionary entries are highly detailed. Just a few of the interesting features are an indicator of the frequency of a word's usage, notes on American usage when it differs from British usage, and style labels which, among other things, indicate formal, informal, and offensive words. It is very helpful to consult the guide to the dictionary entries at the beginning of the dictionary in order to understand and make full use of this very helpful and detailed source. The Collins COBUILD English Dictionary for Advanced Learners provides more examples of sentences or phrases for the words it defines than any of the other dictionaries listed here.
Ref. PE 1625 .C65 2001
Dictionary of American Regional English. (v.1- )
The Dictionary of American Regional English, or DARE, gives definitions and examples of uses of regional American English. DARE can be helpful to consult to find meanings of words used in common speech. For example, here in Appleton, you might hear someone say that they are thirsty and are looking for a bubbler. If you look up the word "bubbler" in DARE, you would see that the second definition for the word is "drinking fountain," and that this term is used frequently in Wisconsin.
Ref. PE 2843 q.D52 1985
Dictionary of American Slang.
This dictionary includes informal, non-standard words commonly used in America. It gives definitions and histories of usage, but not pronunciations. The relative offensiveness of different terms is indicated by arrows around the main entry for a word. Vulgar terms, which should be used with care, are marked with an outlined arrow. Taboo terms that should not be used are marked with a solid arrow.
Ref. PE 2846 .C46 1995
Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
This work describes and provides examples of English used commonly in four different "registers" or contexts for communication; conversations, works of fiction, newspaper articles, and academic prose. Users should be aware that the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English does not primarily provide guidance on usage, but rather shows the variety of usage and indicates the frequency of different words and structures from the four different kinds of sources.
Ref. PE 1112 .L66 1999
Longman Language Activator.
A guide to speaking and writing natural English in the form of a thesaurus for non-native speakers. Entries are in alphabetical order, and begin with cross-references to other related words. The cross-references are followed by section headings that include a list of all the related words for a particular sense of a word, followed by examples for each related word. Please see the explanatory pages at the beginning for full information regarding the entries.
Ref. PE 1460 .L67 2002
Macmillan Visual Dictionary.
This dictionary links images and words. It is organized into 28 chapters and includes an index. The chapters each cover a different field or area of interest, including astronomy, geography, the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom, human anatomy, farming, architecture, furniture, clothing, personal adornment, leisure activities, sports, and more.
Ref. PC 4629.M36 1997
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
This dictionary is one that many students are likely to bring to college. In addition to definitions of words it includes a section of foreign words and phrases commonly used by English speakers and a brief handbook of style. An explanatory chart at the beginning gives a detailed key to the abbreviations and symbols used within the dictionary itself. Entries include pronunciation, labels of parts of speech or other functional classifications, an indication of capitalization, etymologies, usage notes, and more. Common English abbreviations are included within the dictionary in alphabetical order.
Ref. PE 1628 .M36 2003
NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words.
This dictionary covers three different kinds of words that are commonly confused: homophones, or words that are pronounced alike but have different meanings and/or spellings (like "prince" and "prints"); words that are governed by complex grammatical rules (like "can" and "may"); and words that have distinct uses but are confused because of subtle differences (like "infer" and "imply"). Pronunciations and sample sentences are given for each meaning.
Ref PE 1595.W49 1995
Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide.
Another fine dictionary of contemporary American English. The Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide includes more substantial guidance on usage than either the American Heritage College Dictionary or the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. It includes a brief reference section at the end of the volume.
Ref. PE 1628 .O8616 1999
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Web Sources
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Entries include etymology, multiple definitions for different parts of speech, synonyms, and pronumciations; this dictionary also features a recording of a standard American English pronunciation for each word, with multiple pronunciations when appropriate.
As always, if you have any questions be sure to ask a Reference Librarian.
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Definitions of terms and abbreviations:
Ref. = Reference collection, first floor
RRef.= Ready reference, shelves behind the reference desk
Periodicals = Current issues; Level A
Periodical Back Files = Level A
GovDoc = U.S. Government Documents, second floor
Reference Indexes = Alphabetically arranged at the end of the reference collection
Microform Area = Reading room east of the reference desk, near microform drawers
q. = Oversized books: interfiled in reference and scores; at end of classes in other collections
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