dic|tion|ar|y

dic|tion|ar|y
dic|tion|ar|y «DIHK shuh NEHR ee», noun, plural -ar|ies.
1. a book that explains the words of a language, or some special kind of words. It is usually arranged alphabetically. One can use a dictionary to find out the meaning, pronunciation, or spelling of a word. A medical dictionary explains words used in medicine. A German-English dictionary translates German words into English. A dictionary of biography has accounts of people's lives arranged in alphabetical order of their names. »

From the time of [Samuel] Johnson on, the dictionary has been a conservative and standardizing agency for the spelling of the language as well as for its other aspects (Stuart Robertson).

 SYNONYM(S): lexicon.
2. a book of information or reference on any subject or branch of knowledge, the items of which are arranged in some stated order, often alphabetical: »

a dictionary of folklore, a Dictionary of the Bible.

3. Figurative. any repository of knowledge or information: »

Life is our dictionary (Emerson). Burnet was eminently qualified to be of use as a living dictionary of British affairs (Macaulay).

 Abbr: dict.
╂[< Medieval Latin dictionarium < Latin dictiō, -ōnis; see etym. under diction (Cf. ↑diction)]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • dic|tion — «DIHK shuhn», noun. 1. the manner of expressing ideas in words; style of speaking or writing. Good diction implies a skillful choice of words accurately used to express clearly the speaker s or writer s ideas. »He has a clearly understood diction …   Useful english dictionary

  • dic·tion — /ˈdıkʃən/ noun [noncount] 1 : the clearness of a person s speech The actor s diction was so poor I could hardly understand what he was saying. 2 : the way in which words are used in speech or writing The student s essay was full of careless… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Ben|e|dic|tion — «BEHN uh DIHK shuhn», noun. 1. a) the asking of God s blessing at the end of a religious service: »The priest stood before the couple and gave the benediction at the end of the marriage ceremony. b) the form or ritual of this invocation. 2. a)… …   Useful english dictionary

  • ben|e|dic|tion — «BEHN uh DIHK shuhn», noun. 1. a) the asking of God s blessing at the end of a religious service: »The priest stood before the couple and gave the benediction at the end of the marriage ceremony. b) the form or ritual of this invocation. 2. a)… …   Useful english dictionary

  • ju´ris|dic´tion|al|ly — ju|ris|dic|tion|al «JUR ihs DIHK shuh nuhl», adjective. of or having to do with jurisdiction. –ju´ris|dic´tion|al|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • ju|ris|dic|tion|al — «JUR ihs DIHK shuh nuhl», adjective. of or having to do with jurisdiction. –ju´ris|dic´tion|al|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • in´ter|dic´tion — in|ter|dict «verb. IHN tuhr DIHKT; noun. IHN tuhr dihkt», verb, noun. –v.t. 1. to prohibit or forbid. 2. to restrain from the doing or use of something: »They are difficult to disseminate and control, but properly used could deny or interdict… …   Useful english dictionary

  • ad|dic|tion — «uh DIHK shuhn», noun. the condition of being a slave to a habit; strong inclination: »Many people are helpless victims of drug addiction. ... his monotonous addiction to a vein of rather flat footed Marxist invective (Edmund Wilson) …   Useful english dictionary

  • ben|e|dic|tion|al — «BEHN uh DIHK shuh nuhl», adjective. = benedictive. (Cf. ↑benedictive) …   Useful english dictionary

  • con|tra|dic|tion — «KON truh DIHK shuhn», noun. 1. the act of denying what has been said; saying the opposite: »The expert spoke without fear of contradiction by his listeners. 2. a statement or act that contradicts another; denial: »His complete contradiction was… …   Useful english dictionary

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