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.