From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Sean Sieger Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: English dictionary with definitions. Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:02:56 -0500 Message-ID: <874ob1e5z3.fsf@gmail.com> References: <99C5B3961F7047F6AD6C63716FFBD7C5@us.oracle.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-Trace: dough.gmane.org 1290963877 6961 80.91.229.12 (28 Nov 2010 17:04:37 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@dough.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:04:37 +0000 (UTC) To: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Nov 28 18:04:30 2010 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1PMkfh-0004r1-Rl for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:04:30 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:39416 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1PMkfh-00077o-DD for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:04:17 -0500 Original-Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=51736 helo=eggs.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1PMkel-0006b1-TS for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:03:20 -0500 Original-Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1PMkeg-00039I-1I for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:03:19 -0500 Original-Received: from lo.gmane.org ([80.91.229.12]:54738) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1PMkef-00038S-Ph for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:03:13 -0500 Original-Received: from list by lo.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1PMkeZ-0004SX-Ss for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:03:07 +0100 Original-Received: from pool-162-84-246-66.ny5030.east.verizon.net ([162.84.246.66]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:03:07 +0100 Original-Received: from sean.sieger by pool-162-84-246-66.ny5030.east.verizon.net with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:03:07 +0100 X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/ Original-Lines: 21 Original-X-Complaints-To: usenet@dough.gmane.org X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: pool-162-84-246-66.ny5030.east.verizon.net User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.0.50 (windows-nt) Cancel-Lock: sha1:vk+4ZiY8Tt/Ovcc6uVhLgJoijAI= X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: GNU/Linux 2.6 (newer, 3) X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:133204 Archived-At: "Drew Adams" writes: > I wish to ask you what is the best choice for an English > dictionary with definitions. There probably is no "best choice". For American English, "American Heritage Dictionary" is quite good, especially its comparative treatment of usage for synonyms and other related words. There used to be a Random House Unabridged Dictionary CD-ROM. I paid twenty bucks for one 10 years ago. Dictionary.com uses the same data. It's really really great. American Heritage has a pretty extensive etymology (though some would have you believe it's carried away), but the Random House, to my way of thinking is rivaled by none but the OED CD-ROM (which has a lousy interface and is a big waste of money) in etymology and number of words. Like Drew said, no best choice. I use a combination of RHUD and OED, both with quick selections in Emacs.