Compact Oxford English Dictionary + Oxford Compact Thesaurus

This new edition of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English is a fully revised, updated, and redesigned edition of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary. It aims to provide up to date and accessible information on the vocabulary of contemporary English in a conveniently sized volume, together with sound practical advice on writing good English in everyday situations. Based on the Concise Oxford English Dictionary (11th Edition), the Compact Oxford English Dictionary is directly informed by the evidence of how the language is actually used today, drawing on the analysis of hundreds of millions of words of real English contained in the Oxford English Corpus. This information is presented in a clear, concise, and accessible way; definitions focus on the typical meanings of words and are written so as to enable the user to understand the meaning of a word quickly and easily, without having to look up technical terms elsewhere in the dictionary. The new design and open layout, with each new section of an entry (phrases, derivatives, usage notes, and etymologies) on a new line, ensures that finding individual sections, senses, and entries is easy to do. The dictionary covers a broad range of vocabulary: while the focus is on the core language of contemporary English, there is also a wide selection of technical terms from specialist areas such as medicine, computing, and biology. For the new edition, there are thousands more example sentences showing how words are really used; there is also much more help with pronunciation, grammar, and usage. A brand new Effective English section is to be found at the end of the dictionary, which offers the user practical help on achieving good English in everyday situations such as writing CV's, letters of complaint, and business reports, together with a section on formal and informal language and a list of commonly confused words.

Meanwhile, both authoritative and easy to use, the major new edition of the Compact Oxford Thesaurus offers up-to-date coverage of over 300,000 alternative and opposite words, with thousands more examples of real usage to help you identify the synonym you need. Based on the unrivaled databases of Oxford's language research programm, it provides the best selections of alternative words for you to choose from. The most useful alternative words are listed first, and the closest is highlighted for maximum accessibility, making the thesaurus quick and easy to use. Besides synonyms, the Compact Oxford Thesaurus also gives you opposites and brand-new Word Link panels to broaden your vocabulary e.g. choreography at dance, and geriatric at old.Also new to this edition are a more clear and open layout and a two-colour text design which makes the thesaurus even more accessible. In addition, the brand-new Essential English centre section gives you lots of help on improving your writing skills, and guidance to help you get the best out of the thesaurus. The Compact Oxford Thesaurus is perfect for anyone who wants to increase their vocabulary and write more effectively, as well as for word games. Its robust and durable format makes it ideal for use at home, school, and the office.