The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary: Includes Abbreviations, Geographical Names, Foreign Words and Phrases, Forms of Address, Weights and Measures, Signs and Symbols

Rating:
Summary: Very complete for a paperback
Review: Among paperback dictionaries, the NAWHCD excels in its completeness and its usage guidance. I appreciate those features in my big American Heritage Dictionary, too, but the NAWHCD is more convenient to keep on my desk, and I like having two different dictionaries so I can get a second opinion.

Virtually every page in the NAWHCD has helpful notes on usage or word origin. Correct usage is generally favored over popular usage, e.g., "imply" and "infer" are distinguished without waffling. "Lay" and "lie" and their often-confused past tenses and participles are sorted out in a note, and now that I know the differences I'm annoyed by how many people don't.

I examined several paperback dictionaries before selecting this one even though it didn't have a top brand name. The more I use it, the more I like it.

Rating:
Summary: First word I looked up not there!
Review: Disingenuous/adj. having secret motives; insincere...
The first word I looked up (to check the spelling). I don't look too many up, but when I do I expect to find them. This one was not there. And I only have a high school diploma. Guess they use smaller words in the college where this dictionary is handy. Maybe in the fourth edition...