UIUC Library Information Desk

A. Unabridged Dictionaries

 Unabridged dictionaries are a good source for words not commonly found in smaller dictionaries.  We have three good unabridged dictionaries in the Reference room in addition to the historical OED.  The dictionaries that are too large to be safely shelved on the wall are put on dictionary stands on the tables around the Reference Room.

• Oxford English Dictionary (Q.423 Ox26 1989 -- Wall).  With 20 volumes, this is by far the largest (and most recent) of the unabridged dictionaries; includes a defined word's etymology, current and past definitions, and a history of literary usages.  Extremely thorough, but too lengthy for quick definitions or ready reference.  Also available through Library Gateway.

• Webster's Third New International Dictionary (Q.423 W39 1986--Table).  Originally published in 1961, it is the largest and most prestigious U.S. dictionary; definitions are descriptive; reflecting usage of the 50's; contains some color plates; however, print is relatively small and difficult to read; 1 volume is large and cumbersome.  There is also a 1966 edition on a table.

• Random House Dictionary of the English Language (Q423 R159 1987--Table). (Second edition).   Not as broad in coverage as Webster's 3rd, but 20 years more current: definitions are also descriptive, and more modern terms (including "four letter words") are defined; format is easier to use than Webster's: the pages are more readable and the volume itself is not as bulky.  A 1966 edition is also on a table.

• Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary of the English Language  (Q.423 St2 1964 Table).  This unabridged has been updated since 1965 by its desk dictionaries.  You are all too young to remember “You could look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls.”

B.  Desk Dictionaries (From the Wall).

Patron:  I need to find the definition of the word "incondite".

• American Heritage Dictionary  (423 Am352 2000).  This fourth edition adds 10,000 new words and meanings, and regional notes for words restricted to certain areas of the U.S.

• Funk & Wagnalls New International Dictionary of the English Language  (423 F964ne 1987).  This 2 volume set is somewhat larger than the other abridged dictionaries; it is more or less prescriptive in nature, and volume 2 contains a 500 page encyclopedic supplement section.

• The New Oxford American Dictionary (Q. 423 N421).  Prescriptive definitions, this new edition contains illustrations for entries.  Smaller scope than other “college level” titles.  Contains ready reference section at the end. (2001)

• Webster's New World College Dictionary   (423 W395 1997).  This 3rd edition of its college dictionary is not produced by Merriam-Webster, but Simon & Shuster (Macmillan); it is more of a descriptive dictionary; also contains illustrations for some definitions.

• Barnhart Dictionary of New English  (423 B266 1990).  This third edition includes words not entered or fully explained in standard dictionaries, as a supplement to current English dictionaries.  Includes quotations to show usage.

C.  Slang Dictionaries.

Patron:     I'm trying to find the meaning of the expression "run it up the flagpole".
Librarian: Have you looked in any dictionaries already?
Patron:     Yes, but I couldn't find it.

• Thesaurus of American Slang  (427.97303 C367t—Desk).  This 1989 work has approximately two halves.  One half of the thesaurus is devoted to an alphabetical listing of slang words and their various meanings; the other half consists of an index to the terms and their synonyms.

• NTC’s Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions  (428.00973 Sp31n:RA 2000—Desk).  Published in 2000, this is one of our most recent slang dictionaries.  This publication contains slang and colloquial expressions in frequent use in the U.S. in the twentieth century.  Entries are alphabetized without regard for punctuation.

• Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang  (427.090x2--Wall).  8000 short entries including the century in which a word was first used.  This is on the wall.

• Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang.  (Q.427.97303 H 629—Wall).  In progress.  Only up to the letter “O” but fascinating.

• Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English  (427.09 P25d 1984—Desk).  This dictionary covers British slang; Partridge's dictionary is probably the most scholarly of slang dictionaries.

D.  Thesauri and Synonym Dictionaries

Patron:     I'm trying to find a book that will tell me other words to use for a specific word.
Librarian: We have several that can do that.

 The desk collection has several synonym dictionaries:

• Roget’s International Thesaurus (423.1 R63t 2001--Desk).   Updates earlier editions.  This is not in standard dictionary form; rather words are divided into classes.  Looking up words is a two step process, beginning with finding the word in the index, and then picking the synonym which is closest to the meaning you want.

• Longman Synonym Dictionary  (423.1 L8632 1986—Desk).  This British dictionary is produced by the same publisher as Roget's, and is probably easier to use; it also claims to contain more words than any book of its kind (more than one million).

• Random House Roget’s College Thesaurus (423.1  R159 2000--Desk).  This 2000 thesaurus updates a 1984 edition.  It contains fewer entries than Longman's, but also includes antonyms and a section on avoiding insensitive and offensive language.

• Roget A-to-Z (423.1 R616--Desk)  From the publishers of Roget’s International Thesaurus, this thesaurus contains in-depth entries that provide synonyms and explains how the words are often used in language (closely associated words, slang, literature, part of speech).

• Webster's New Dictionary of Synonyms (423.1 W399 1984--Desk).  Defines and compares usage of synonyms; provides examples of usages.

E.  Dual language Dictionaries

There are a large number of dual language dictionaries on the Wall under Dewey classification numbers 433-470 for Western European Languages, and 489-499 for Eastern and other languages.  The Reference Library tries to have at least one English – [other language] dictionary for the major and most of the minor languages.  For large, unabridged dictionaries of other languages, refer the patron to Modern Languages, Slavic, or Classics, as the case may be.  Browse these shelves so you'll get a general  idea of what is there.  Included are such languages as Yiddish, Cajun, Serbocroatian, Hausa, Zulu, Samoan, and Basque.  Also look for dictionaries of English usage, i.e. Bahamian, Canadian, South African, and Australian.

F.  Word Phase Origins

Patron:      How can I find out the origin of the phrase, "without rhyme or reason"?
Librarian:  Could it be from a literary work or quotation?
Patron:      I don't think so.

Besides the usual quotation books, the Desk collection has some word/phrase origin sources:

• Morris Dictionary of Word Phrases and Origins  (422.03 M83m 1988--Desk).  This 650 page dictionary gives paragraph long explanations of up-to-date words and phrases.

• Loanwords Dictionary  (422.403 L782--Desk).  This 1988 work covers more than 6,500 words of foreign origin not fully assimilated into English.

• Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins  (Q.422.03  H383f--Desk).  Describes origins of a selection of interesting words, many of which are slang terms rather than "proper" English.

G:  Resources About Dictionaries (Collection Development Aids)

Useful for choosing which dictionaries to buy; finding the latest published dictionary in a particular language; or to find if a dictionary exists for a particular language or subject.

• Dictionary of Dictionaries (423 K111d 1997).  Also covers some encyclopedias.
• Word Dictionaries in Print (Q. 016.403 W893)  Latest was published in 1983.

422.03 Am352 1992  American Heritage Dictionary
422.403 L782 1990  Barnhart Dictionary of New English
423 K111d 1997  Dictionary of Dictionaries
427.09 zp25d 1984  Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
489-499  Eastern Languages
Q.422.03 H383f  Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins
Q.423 St2 1964  Funk  & Wagnells New Standard Dictionary of the English Language
423 F964ne 1987  Funk & Wagnalls New International Dictionary of the English Language
422.403 L782  Loanwords Dictionary
Q. 423 N421  The New Oxford American Dictionary
423.1 L8632 1986  Longman Synonym Dictionary
428.00973 Sp31n:RA 2000  NTC’s Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
422.03 M83m 1988  Morris Dictionary of Word Phrases and Origins
Q.423 Ox26 1989 Wall  Oxford English Dictionary
Q423 R159 1987 Table  Random House Dictionary of the English Language
423.1 R634 2000  Random House Roget’s College Thesaurus
423.1 R616  Roget’s A-to-Z
423.1 R63t 2001  Roget’s International Thesaurus
423.1 W399 1984  Webster's New Dictionary of Synonyms
423 W395 1997  Webster's New World College Dictionary
Q.423 W39 1986 Table  Webster's Third New International Dictionary
Q. 016.403 W893
 World Dictionaries
427.97303 C367t  Thesaurus of American Slang
others:  English - Bahamian, Canadian, South African, and Australian
Browse shelves for these languages.  Yiddish, Cajun, Serbocroatian, Hausa, Zulu, Samoan, and Basque
 

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February 2005 bsw