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Best English Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Special sections include: A Handbook of Style, Foreign Words & Phrases, Biographical Names and Geographical Names. The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
Reviews
"When using it as a writer (I know the word, but not its spelling, nor if I completely understand the word I seek to use) and not as a reader, I would have been more pleased if those who had added electronic usability had also made it more intuitive to those of us with poorer ability to spell by more simply allowing the browsing for a word as is done with a paper dictionary."
"Received what I ordered and needed."
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Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
Have you ever tried to define the word “is”? The surprises come when she describes the difficulties of defining seemingly simple words like “nude” and “marriage.” Stamper and her fellow lexicographers work mostly in silence, but they can’t escape being drawn into our era’s vociferous political discourse. Readers will find a deeper understanding of how dictionaries are compiled, and a trove of amusing insights into definitions and derivations. While you might not choose to spend an entire month of your life writing a dictionary entry for “take,” Stamper conveys the delight, frustration, and satisfaction her vocation entails. She has that special “feeling for language” she calls sprachgefühl: “the odd buzzing in your brain that tells you that ‘planting the lettuce’ and ‘planting misinformation’ are different uses of ‘plant.’” “Word by Word” offers laymen a glimpse into a crack lexicographer’s mind, and it turns out to be – definitively – a very entertaining place indeed.
Reviews
"Stamper reminded my that my irritation over the use of "defense" as a verb or "irregardless" as a word is simply my peevishness over people not using language the way I think it should be used."
"Jealous as I am that Kory Stamper is PAID to research words, their usage, history, meanings, I am smitten by her good humor and good writing."
"Fascinating book about how dictionaries are made."
"For those who love the English language or wish to better understand it."
"A wonderful book, entertaining, instructing, and riveting, even to an Englishman who spells , and perhaps thinks, differently and would never end up with a preposition."
"For anyone who loves the English language, this book is for you."
"The author bases each chapter around a word she has worked with as a lexicographer."
"A little verbose but interesting as all get out."
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American Dictionary of the English Language (1828 Facsimile Edition)
This 1828 facsimile reprint of the first American Dictionary documents the quality of Biblical education which raised up American statesmen capable of forming our Constitutional Republic.
Reviews
"I rattled my brain thinking how I might be able to find enough people who would love to have Noah's 1828 dictionary used in much of their Kindle reading and, perhaps, to petition Amazon to reevaluate this policy and allow alternate dictionaries used for their e-reader. If you want to see an Integrated 1828 dictionary for the Kindle then PLEASE "like" this review and let Amazon know that you want them to allow users to choose which dictionary they prefer. While I think their should be certain standards for what is considered an acceptable dictionary, Noah's 1828 dictionary more than qualifies and puts modern dictionaries to shame."
"Great resource to have at home."
"An amazing book of relevant english language!!"
"But it's a great resource when you love to read books written a hundred years ago or so."
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Best Dictionaries, Thesauri & Translators

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Special sections include: A Handbook of Style, Foreign Words & Phrases, Biographical Names and Geographical Names. The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
Reviews
"When using it as a writer (I know the word, but not its spelling, nor if I completely understand the word I seek to use) and not as a reader, I would have been more pleased if those who had added electronic usability had also made it more intuitive to those of us with poorer ability to spell by more simply allowing the browsing for a word as is done with a paper dictionary."
"Received what I ordered and needed."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Medical Dictionaries & Terminology

The Language of Medicine, 11e
With this proven resource, you’ll learn a working medical vocabulary built on the most frequently encountered prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. Take advantage of interactive activities, games, quizzes, and flash cards on the Evolve companion website, and you will be ready to communicate fluently in the clinical setting and succeed in your healthcare career. Self-study text/workbook approach reinforces learning every step of the way with a wide variety of exercises, labeling diagrams, pronunciation tests, and reviews, all organized by body systems with additional chapters on key areas of health care such as cancer and psychiatry. More than 500 full-color illustrations depict the details of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, putting medical terms in the context of the structure and function of the body system.
Reviews
"This text book is awesome."
"Fabulous overnight delivery."
"I used it in my pre med year, after I finish studying the lecture I go back to the book and review and do the exercises then check my answers and I scored an A+."
"The free web tool with the book helped tremendously in hearing the pronunciation of terms and many, many more tools to help you succeed and learn the terms."
"I love the atmosphere in Amazon America compare with my home Amazon (Amazon China),which is a website full of fake, pirate commodities."
"this book is so knowledgeable and informative."
"Purchased this book, it is like a workbook and textbook all in one."
"This book is amazing!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Special sections include: A Handbook of Style, Foreign Words & Phrases, Biographical Names and Geographical Names. The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
Reviews
"When using it as a writer (I know the word, but not its spelling, nor if I completely understand the word I seek to use) and not as a reader, I would have been more pleased if those who had added electronic usability had also made it more intuitive to those of us with poorer ability to spell by more simply allowing the browsing for a word as is done with a paper dictionary."
"Received what I ordered and needed."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Medical Dictionaries

The Language of Medicine, 11e
With this proven resource, you’ll learn a working medical vocabulary built on the most frequently encountered prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. Take advantage of interactive activities, games, quizzes, and flash cards on the Evolve companion website, and you will be ready to communicate fluently in the clinical setting and succeed in your healthcare career. Self-study text/workbook approach reinforces learning every step of the way with a wide variety of exercises, labeling diagrams, pronunciation tests, and reviews, all organized by body systems with additional chapters on key areas of health care such as cancer and psychiatry. More than 500 full-color illustrations depict the details of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, putting medical terms in the context of the structure and function of the body system.
Reviews
"This text book is awesome."
"Fabulous overnight delivery."
"I used it in my pre med year, after I finish studying the lecture I go back to the book and review and do the exercises then check my answers and I scored an A+."
"The free web tool with the book helped tremendously in hearing the pronunciation of terms and many, many more tools to help you succeed and learn the terms."
"I love the atmosphere in Amazon America compare with my home Amazon (Amazon China),which is a website full of fake, pirate commodities."
"this book is so knowledgeable and informative."
"Purchased this book, it is like a workbook and textbook all in one."
"This book is amazing!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best French Language Instruction

Pimsleur French Conversational Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-16 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand French with Pimsleur Language Programs
This course includes Lessons 1-16 from the French Level 1 program - 8 hours of audio-only effective language learning with real-life spoken practice sessions. The French Language French is spoken by 55 million speakers in France, 3 million in Belgium, 1.5 million in Switzerland, 6.5 million in Canada, and 5 million in former French and Belgian colonies. Dr. Paul Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world’s leading experts in applied linguistics.
Reviews
"This first 16 lesson set is not really a good investment, because you really want to develop any proficiency in French, you need to buy the entire 30 lesson level on set."
"The lessons progress in complexity, but they also teach complete sentences in a way that makes me think of what I've already learned."
"A great CD to have, I aways put it on in my car in order to practice my french."
"They always say, if you are going to visit Paris, you should try to learn a little French. I took a few years of French a looong time ago, and for me this is the perfect program. (All those guttural Rs, and they do not all sound the same....) After going through the 16 lessons on this set, I am really delighted with what I have learned and retained. I feel like I have enough French to get along for a relatively brief visit, and to impress my traveling companions who, I am confident, will not have nearly as much French in their brains as I will."
"I can't wait to get the next edition."
"I learned so much the French people thought I spoke French but then I couldn't understand what they said back because I didn't learn what they said."
"The presenter is obviously American (and very good at explaining each new lesson), but the "teachers" are native French speakers, which I think is very important."
"No -after downloading can't find the right disc number in sequence .It is cheap and appears cheep."
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Best Slang & Idiom Reference Books

Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang
Brits and Americans dress the same, eat at the same chain restaurants, pass music back and forth across the Atlantic, and our national leaders are practically conjoined twins.
Reviews
"I am finding the book interesting."
"I have to say this book has most of the slang, I was a little disappointed when reading the book from beginning to end to know that they didn't have some of the slang."
"Makes a change from the books that think all English people are living in cockney London in the 18 hundreds!"
"This is a gift for my husband... he originally grew up in the UK but moved to America at the age of 15. I snuck the book out of its hiding place for me and the kids to read and it made us laugh so much."
"the slang is so funny and I have used a few in conversations with friends( who look askance at me) a very funny addition to your library."
"Found out that our family is from Britain so I bought this book at a flag as a joke for my sister."
"This was a gift for my mother in law who was born and raised in England and came to the States at age 19."
"Unfortunately this "dictionary" is not arranged as a dictionary but as a series of articles."
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Best Synonym & Antonym Reference Books

Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words
With some one thousand entries, from “a, an” to “zoom,” that feature real-world examples of questionable usage from an international array of publications, and with a helpful glossary and guide to pronunciation, this precise, prescriptive, and–because it is written by Bill Bryson–often witty book belongs on the desk of every person who cares enough about the language not to maul or misuse or distort it. Fowler's A Dictionary of Modern English Usage as an authority, though he also makes a handful of references to recent texts, such as the Encarta World English Dictionary and Atlantic Monthly columnist Barbara Wallraff's "Word Court." Despite the revisions, the book often betrays its origins as a British text, as in citing words in common usage throughout the U.K. and British Commonwealth, but rarely used by American writers, such as Taoiseach, the Prime Minister of Ireland or City of London vs. city of London.
Reviews
"This was a gift."
"Fun to read, this is a great primer on the often subtle distinctions between words such as "gantlet" and "gauntlet.""
"And slightly disconcerting discoveries that you had previously totally not understood the true meaning, or for that matter had any idea what the word or phrase had meant."
"I won't remember all situations from the book, of course, but the book has planted a seed so I probably will remember to check in the future."
"The misused, the misunderstood and even the mis-spelled are treated with great humour and insight. Bryson is a highly observant wordsmith and his book should be read by all those who cherish English and its marvelous journey."
"I'm a sucker for reference books, and I've also started writing more."
"Rarely have I had this much fun from one book."
"SUCKS purchase Webster's spelling corrector cheap and promotes good vocabulari."
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