Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Fifth Edition
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ISBN: 0198604572 / Publisher: Oxford University Press, December 2002
Encompassing all words current in general English from 1700 to the present day, this dictionary provides more than 500,000 definitions and more than 83,000 quotations from seven thousand authors.
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Previous editions are cited in Books for College Libraries 3rd ed. and Guide to Reference Books . OED , the Shorter, sets its sights high and wide, aiming to display every word in general use in the English-speaking world since 1700. Words make it to the Shorter by appearing five times in five printed sources over a five-year period. Shorter is 14.5 lbs. of phat lexicology and killer etymology, with one-third the content of the multivolume OED but in one-tenth the size. The shortening is accomplished by offering fewer usage examples than the OED; although the fifth edition includes usage examples from 178 new authors, including William Gibson, Stephen Jay Gould, and Barbara Kingsolver (authors are listed in the back, but not indexed to their contributions). Pages are remarkably easy to scan due to excellent choices in font and spacing. If the OED is the ultimate research dictionary, then the Shorter is arguably the preeminent reading dictionary. Among the new entries: Homer Simpson's doh, as well as ISP, wedgie, alcopop, and arm candy .) No illustrations or appendices. The previous ediition of the Shorter was in 1993. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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