Rating: 
Summary: For the academic type who is choosy about their dictionaries
Review: As a graduate student on a budget, this dictionary is a godsend. It contains the level of description that is needed for academic writing with all of the extras that make good dictionaries fun, such as brief etymological notes and small illustrations. The style manual, list of US Presidents and Vice Presidents, and reproduced patriotic documents is a cute touch.In this age of extensive web based dictionaries, some overlook the importance of a tangible, paper resource. Thumbing through this dictionary reminds you of why the web can never fully replace paper documents; the discovery of words in the context of the language as a whole. If you are a serious scholar, high school, college, or graduate/professional student, or are looking for a dictionary for one, this is an excellent choice.
Rating:
Summary: For the academic type who is choosy about their dictionaries
Review: As a graduate student on a budget, this dictionary is a godsend. It contains the level of description that is needed for academic writing with all of the extras that make good dictionaries fun, such as brief etymological notes and small illustrations. The style manual, list of US Presidents and Vice Presidents, and reproduced patriotic documents is a cute touch. In this age of extensive web based dictionaries, some overlook the importance of a tangible, paper resource. Thumbing through this dictionary reminds you of why the web can never fully replace paper documents; the discovery of words in the context of the language as a whole. If you are a serious scholar, high school, college, or graduate/professional student, or are looking for a dictionary for one, this is an excellent choice.
Rating:
Summary: Like finding the Holy Grail.
Review: For a long time indeed, I've been hunting for a dictionary that contains _all_ the most obscure words I stumble upon. Then, at last, I found this. I could hardly believe it. Kudos to Random House for publishing this. But why is it soo hard to find? I spent years browsing through book stores, and I can only remember _one_ book store that had it. Why not make some more of this? The world _needs_ a good dictionary, and Webster's always been my favourite.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth its money
Review: I compared the Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary (WEUD) to my Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary (MWTNID). The MWTNID is four times as expensive and a third heavier. Since the MWTNID is rated 5 stars, the WEUD deserves at least 4. It provides you with the full information without searching through an additional addenda section. The treatment of mathematical technical terms is excellent and up-to-date. Even the definitions are perfect. This never happened to me outside the mathematical literature!!! When looking for the old meaning of transparency (ie. the "shining-through" of something otherwise hidden) only the WEUD and not the MWTNID gave me a hint on this meaning (obs.). Finally, the items in the WEUD are less crowded and easier to read than those in the WEUD.
Rating:
Summary: Buy it..
Review: I first bought this dictionary to play scrabble. If you play, you know that drawing the letter "Q" makes the game difficult because most often you also need a "U." A few words exist that do not require the "qu" combination such as qat, qaid, qiyas or qirsh. Rare is the dictionary that has these words to offer when the player is challenged. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary stands the test. I came to use it a great deal for words unknown to my computer's spell checker, while I wrote my master thesis. I still use it today as editor of the local historical magazine. For the holidays I am giving one to my smart step-daughter, and for purely selfish reasons: I am donating a copy to the local Historical Society -- so that I may use it there -- and I will offer my wife her very own Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary -- so that I will no longer have to look for mine in her office! One of my professors said: "learning new words is the only way to increase one's I.Q." I do not know if it is true, but it can't hurt to try.
Rating:
Summary: I am getting three more! Let me tell you why.
Review: I first bought this dictionary to play scrabble. If you play, you know that drawing the letter "Q" makes the game difficult because most often you also need a "U." A few words exist that do not require the "qu" combination such as qat, qaid, qiyas or qirsh. Rare is the dictionary that has these words to offer when the player is challenged. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary stands the test. I came to use it a great deal for words unknown to my computer's spell checker, while I wrote my master thesis. I still use it today as editor of the local historical magazine. For the holidays I am giving one to my smart step-daughter, and for purely selfish reasons: I am donating a copy to the local Historical Society -- so that I may use it there -- and I will offer my wife her very own Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary -- so that I will no longer have to look for mine in her office! One of my professors said: "learning new words is the only way to increase one's I.Q." I do not know if it is true, but it can't hurt to try.
Rating:
Summary: I am getting three more! Let me tell you why.
Review: I first bought this dictionary to play scrabble. If you play, you know that drawing the letter "Q" makes the game difficult because most often you also need a "U." A few words exist that do not require the "qu" combination such as qat, qaid, qiyas or qirsh. Rare is the dictionary that has these words to offer when the player is challenged. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary stands the test. I came to use it a great deal for words unknown to my computer's spell checker, while I wrote my master thesis. I still use it today as editor of the local historical magazine. For the holidays I am giving one to my smart step-daughter, and for purely selfish reasons: I am donating a copy to the local Historical Society -- so that I may use it there -- and I will offer my wife her very own Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary -- so that I will no longer have to look for mine in her office! One of my professors said: "learning new words is the only way to increase one's I.Q." I do not know if it is true, but it can't hurt to try.
Rating:
Summary: Best value for money English language dictionary
Review: I have been using this dictionary for a few years now; I particularly appreciate the quality and breadth of information available - truly an encyclopedic dictionary, with an excellent coverage of both American English and British English.The various standards are well represented from slang to formal, and classical culture,world literature, history and geography are well served too. Such quality at such a price is almost unthinkable, and I recommend this title without any reservations to my students at the French Military Academy. I was fortunate to buy an earlier edition at an American PX in Germany (it also included a superb Atlas, not available in the more recent edition it seems) and was delighted to find this excellent title available through amazon. In a French bookshop it costs around $ 80 so you are definitely competitive !
Rating:
Summary: Best value for money English language dictionary
Review: I have been using this dictionary for a few years now; I particularly appreciate the quality and breadth of information available - truly an encyclopedic dictionary, with an excellent coverage of both American English and British English.The various standards are well represented from slang to formal, and classical culture,world literature, history and geography are well served too. Such quality at such a price is almost unthinkable, and I recommend this title without any reservations to my students at the French Military Academy. I was fortunate to buy an earlier edition at an American PX in Germany (it also included a superb Atlas, not available in the more recent edition it seems) and was delighted to find this excellent title available through amazon. In a French bookshop it costs around $ 80 so you are definitely competitive !
Rating:
Summary: This has been my favorite for years
Review: I have the 1989 edition and it is by far the best reference book I've owned. My undergrad degree is in English, so I've used my share of dictionaries over the years. I can't imagine not having this great book nearby. I use it for everything, including the foreign language translation section, the maps, the crossword dictionary, etc. - it's chock full of useless but interesting informaiton. More than most will ever need. But you never know.
My only beef - I agree with the reviewer who said that the binding sucks. Mine is held together with duct tape. I guess it's time to get a new one.
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