Dictionaries

 

 

The internet has thousands of dictionaries, whether it be regular old definitions to foreign languages to slang. Today I’m going to highlight a couple of unique sites for dictionary purposes.

The reverse dictionary is a handy resource when you can’t remember a word for a particular phrase. Basically, the dictionary asks for the definition to find the word. Let’s say you’ve written “uncomfortably moist.” (hee hee) The dictionary will provide you with several less-squeegee choices such as clammy or dank. You can click on the suggestions to get a definition and find related words.

I have a paper one of these puppies. It’s 2000 pages. An online resource is so much better. As writers, we want to choose the best word to convey our ideas in the shortest phrasing possible. This resource is incalculably helpful.

The Urban Dictionary is a resource for slang. This dictionary can help writers find the correct terms for partners, drugs, hip phrases, and the like. Authors writing for teen audiences might find all those terms “the young people are using” here.

The pages start you off with a post about a phrase or a word. You can search alphabetically for words and phrases. If you have a unique definition for a word, you can add it to the dictionary by submitting an entry. From this resource, I learned about “snowplow moms” women who push away all their kids’ problems for them. I also learned about “leaf blower personalities” people who make their messy problems everyone else’s problems. What great terms!

For the poets out there, try out the Rhyming dictionary. This site will match your entries with words that rhyme. It will also find near-rhymes, homophones, a variety of thesaurus references (synonyms, antonyms), and similar-sounding words for your lyrics, poetry, or whatever. It can search Shakespeare and quotations for your word. Advances searches will give parts of speech, syllables, and meter.

Last, just for fun is Strange and Unusual references. This site has more than dictionaries for your reading pleasure. Included on this site are all or no vowel words (great for Scrabble), one-letter words, and magical words. Some books can be viewed on the site. Some links take you to a bookseller. Either way, it’s super fun.

I planned to do a section on thesauruses as well. But as we already did One Stop for Writers, we’ve covered the cool/unusual thesauruses.