Writing & Rhetoric Studies

Current. A historical dictionary. The accepted authority on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. It is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over half a million words, both present and past. Traces the usage of words.

Webster's Third International Dictionary comprises the text of Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, published in 1961, and subsequent updates which take account of current usage.

Over 250,000 definitions and entries. Oxford's American editors drew on its 200-million-word databank of contemporary English, plus the unrivaled citation files of the world-renowned Oxford English Dictionary. The result is an all-new and updated American dictionary, the crowning achievement in the Oxford line of American dictionaries and thesauruses. Produced by Oxford's American Dictionaries Program, and drawing on the expertise of scores of American scholars and advisers.

300,000 alternative and opposite words. This thesaurus covers nearly one-third of a million alternative and opposite words. The most useful alternative word is given first, with words closest in meaning to the entry word given in capitals. Opposites and related terms are clearly marked, and the third edition includes even more real examples of usage to help users identify the right sense. There is clear labelling of informal, dialect, literary, and technical words.

6,000 colour illustrations from 800 subjects across 14 themes. The illustrations and cutaways from this Visual Dictionary provide extraordinary rich treatment of a wide range of topics from astronomy and the human body to the arts and society. All the computer-generated illustrations are produced to the highest quality and detail. The labeling on all diagrams reflects the very latest terms in use, for subjects as diverse as sport, architecture, computing, and weapons.

Over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney ‘abaht’ to the American term ‘zowie’, this is the most authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries. Packed with illustrative quotations and providing full details of origins and dates of first printed use. The text contains expressions from around the English-speaking world such as ‘dork’ and ‘cockamamie’ (North America) and ‘giggle-house’ and ‘Jimmy Woodser’ (Australia).

What is the singular of 'paparazzi'? Is 'graffiti' singular or plural? Should I say 'empathic' or 'empathetic'? What is the correct pronunciation of 'concierge'? In this book of crisp, precise and often witty pronouncements on modern American English, Bryan Garner decisively answers these and hundreds of other questions that bedevil those who care about the language.