I’ve discovered a couple cool new tools to share with you all. Both are dictionary related.
I used to go to Merriam-Webster.com hourly, but they have some new pop-up thing that sends my pop-up blocker into spasm trying to load Frontpage. I find this beyond annoying, SO I had to find an alternative. After many stressful hours (really it’s true, I obsessed) I purchased the Concise Oxford English Dictionary on CDRom. It was affordable and works great. You just have it open in the background and when you double click on a word-Voila! it pops up with the definition/spelling. The only complaint I have is sometimes you are highlighting a word to move it or delete it or whatever, and the COED still does its thing, but that’s not too annoying.
My second find is a good one–it’s free and on the Internet, the Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/ You can search by first letter or use the search function. If you use the search function it works like a theasaurus bringing up all entries with that word in them. I was looking for an alternative to twit that would have been used in 1790 Missouri. Thanks to etymonline, I found dolt and ninny, and I now know the time period is good.
So, go forth and lookit up words–enjoy!!
Lori
I’m constantly saying that I need a reverse dictionary. I want to be able to type in what it is I want to say and the dictionary will spit out the word that corresponds. LOL. There is one online but I don’t find it works very well.
I’m going to check out this etymonline one.
by Valeen June 9th, 2006 at 8:08 am