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Summary: You need this book!
Review: The BEST one volume reference work ever. Although the print is tiny, the accompanying magnifying glass make this a great tool and fascinating conversation piece for your coffee table. The etymological information is comprehensive and the usage citations present an eclectic progression of meaning through time.
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Summary: Compact and Complete
Review: The book I'll be clutching on my deathbed, in all probability. Truly magnificent in it's completeness. An abridged version defeats the purpose, as far as I'm concerned, and while I might opt for the full set once I have my own 2-story floor-to-ceiling oak-paneled library, for now I much prefer to be able to hold the equivalent of 10 volumes in my hand at a time. Aside from the obvious depth of this dictionary, it's greatest benefits are the examples of usage drawn from throughout printed history. If you've ever been disgusted after being unable to find a word in some other dictionary, and thought to yourself, "What self-respecting dictionary doesn't have (insert sought word here)!", I can assure you that it will never happen again if you get this book. If you're thinking that the magnifying glass business is unworkable or unwieldy, think again. You've basically got 4 pages on each (oversize) page. For quick reading, I can do without the magnifying glass. For digging deep into the definition, it works like a charm.
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Summary: The Compact Oxford English Dictionary
Review: The Compact Oxford English Dictionary gives the word dictionary a whole new meaning. Having every word ever recorded in the english language has its advantages. This dictionary is definitely #1 on my list!!!
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Summary: This book is the Philologists dream, The Ultimate Dictionary
Review: The definitive dictionary, do not get "compact" confused with "concise"; nothing is glossed over in this dictionary, it's all here. By 'compact' they mean four pages of the 20 volume set are put on every single page in microprint of this one. Sometimes it gets confusing not knowing which way to read to find the next 'mini-page' on every page, Because if you continue to read down the list of words, and have skipped a paged inbetween. However you get used to this & catch yourself.
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Summary: The book was great for the bathroom.
Review: The guys at Oxford have really done it this time! I read the book from cover to cover in just under three days. I just couldn't put it down. Anyone who needs to be taken to another place must buy this book.
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Summary: The Best English Dictionary Available
Review: The type is small but worth the effort to read it with the magnifier. This is the entire OED at a fraction of the price of the full-sized version. A must have for anyone interested in acquiring a copy of the full OED at an affordable price.
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Summary: The best. The best reference book in the World
Review: This book is simply THE authority on the english language. It's the book to buy when you're not satisfied with just the definition, when you want to know everything about the word you're looking up. You can look through it for hours on end; it's just so interesting. I only wish that I could bring it with me to the can to study there, but it's too large for that. The magnifying glass is really cool, too, and the users guide helps you learn about how to get the most out of your excellent reference book. And, any book that uses 25 pages to thoroughly describe (and give usage examples of) the word "set" simply has to be good. Abecedarians and those searching for an erudite vocabulary should buy this book. And, if you happen to be one that is satisfied with a simple definition, then, suit yourself.
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Summary: Some specifics to help you make a buying decision . . .
Review: This dictionary is unequalled (see the praise of all the other reviewers, with whom I agree regarding the quality of this reference). Beyond excellence loom are other issues, however: weight and legibility are the most obvious. My balance beam scale indicates that it weighs (approximately) 11-3/4 pounds (i.e. 5-1/3 kg). So when a reviewer says this edition is 'heavy' this is what he means.... Note that the dimensions (sometimes called 'big') are 3.89 inches x 17.55 inches x 11.21 inches.... As to legibility, I cannot find any mention of the point size, so I will be more subjective. I am 55 years old and I wear progressive lens (in other words I'm both farsighted and nearsighted!). In average light if I take my glasses off I can read the definitions WITHOUT the magnifying glass, though the words sometimes alternately blur and sharpen, so it's sometimes a stretch. I find it quite easy to read WITH the magnifying glass, especially under a lamp. True, the tiny print means it's not like reading a John LeCarre paperback, but this is a * dictionary *, for Pete's sake! I use it to solve linguistics puzzles. Tonight I was stumped by the words "theophoric" and "enclitic" (both in reference to scribal practices involving the copying of the Hebrew Bible). So I lugged the monster down from my bookcase (where it lies flat!), skipped pulling out the magnifying glass, and looked up the definitions, pausing as my eyes would go in and out of focus (I can be quite lazy when I'm lying prone on the carpet and don't want to get up to get the magnifier!). I am absolutely happy with my purchase. My wife would not be, partly because she would be shocked to discover what I paid for it, and partly because her case of early macular degeneration would probably make it unavailable to her. So it's a decision to be made carefully, and one should be honest with oneself. If you are visually handicapped, or if you lack an obsession with the English language, there are 'digest condensed' dictionaries which would drive me to tears but which might completely satisfy you... I can only say that I'm happy as a clam with my 'ultimate dictionary....'
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Summary: A valuable addition to any library, but long in the tooth
Review: This is the zenith of dictionaries. Almost all words in the English language put in an appearance, with many of them getting extensive etymologies. The only catch is that the second edition merely compiled the multitude of previous volumes, so the quotes for which the OED is justly famous stop abruptly about 1900 for many of the entries. A new version is currently being prepared, but won't be totally ready until 2010 (internet users get the revised sections as they are completed). My other minor peeve is that they deem standard British usage to be standard world usage. The dictionary should ideally reflect world usage. However, a discussion of the numerous versions is also in order. I got my Compact OED last Christmas after using all three versions. Below is a list of what I feel to be the pros and cons of each version. Compact Pros: the cheapest way to get your hands on the OED; it IS a book; it comes with an abridged version of the user's guide (but not the full thing unfortunately); nicely presented. Cons: an electron microscope is a more appropriate reading device than a magnifying glass; it's HEAVY, man (so an investment in a table and a good reading light may be in order). CD ROM Pros: scalable font, fully searchable and ... um ... er ... that's it. Cons: How they can get away with charging more for the CD ROM than the Compact paper edition is beyond me; it's not a book, is it (where's the tactility)? 20 Volume Set Pros: Something to give to the grandkids; easy to read Cons: Do you have a spare metre or so of shelf space?; even at a reduced price, it still costs three times as much as the compact edition (although the average cost per volume is VERY low).
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Summary: A Worthy Tome
Review: This is without a doubt the last dictionary I will ever purchase. It is the best compilation of definitions ever created. I am a professional writer and find that the OED is now the cornerstone of my office, in more ways than one. Side note: it happens to be a great boon having great eyesight when reading the pages within.
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