What is the best dictionary you can buy off the shelf?

Question

Looking for a dictionary with the basics like my old one had :)

Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives ect... and the explanations of these. Have looked at the collins, oxford dictionary's but they don't seem to have the basics in anymore... Theres plenty of gumpf about crosswords, words games scrabble ect.. Even a users guide to microsoft word in the back of one i looked at.. But not one single dictionary with the basics of the english language in the front of it.

Maybe i was on another planet when i was looking for my dictionary in the shop...

Can anyone suggest a good dictionary, not to big but with obscure words included and with the basics on english language included ??

Answer 1

Compact Oxford English Dictionary or Collins English Dictionary

Answer 2

Meriam-Webster has been the most popular dictionary for decades.  You can find it in almost any bookstore

Answer 3

I'm a fan of the Oxford dictionaries; but perhaps you need a basic grammar book to help you with parts of speech (nouns, adjectives, etc.) Evevery entry in the OED will have an indication of the part of speech, like n, adj, t.vb (transitive verb), intr.vb, adv (adverb) and the rest.

Answer 4

i agree w. Kinning_Park; my recommendation for a dictionary is an American Heritage one. i would not buy a merriam webster unless you're only looking for spelling and basic definitions.

Answer 5

Dictionaries have traditionally not concerned themselves with grammar or syntax, but with etymology, so their introductory chapter tends to concern etymology and ideas of word origin and classification. Those that concern themselves with grammar tend to be bi-lingual dictionaries, where a student's need is more obviously sentence construction and translation and so on.

As has already been mentioned, the Oxford dictionaries have a justified pedigree and are thoroughly reliable ; I have the Concise version (COD) and the full Oxford English Dictionary (13 volumes), the OED. The Shorter version (SOED) is still too big for your needs. However, good as the Oxford dictionaries are, my favourite dictionary is Chambers. I have had mine for forty years, and whilst I'd use an on-line dictionary for new words coined since I bought Chambers, Chambers still satisfies every regular need I have for a dictionary. I like it in particular for its "regularisation" of -ize/-ise endings to -ise.

The recommendation that you should look for a second text on grammar is a good one, even though it's not the answer you are looking for. I like The King's English, by the Fowler brothers, but recognise that it may be a bit 'stern' for some, though for those who love the English language, few can match Frank and Henry Fowler for their thorough knowledge and sheer old-fashioned learned-ness. Of course, it may be available these days (if it is) as The Queen's English. (The original was written, obviously, before the present Queen ascended the throne.)