Customer Reviews

Chambers Dictionary

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Chambers markets itself as the best single volume dictionary. They're not lying.

With more than 1800 pages, 300,000+ definitions, and a high quality construction, this is the dictionary to buy in the $25 to $40 price range. Its nearest competitor (that I'm aware of) is the Concise Oxford Dictionary which is smaller and not nearly as well made with pages that feel as if they'll easily tear.

The Chambers dictionary, while useful to anyone wanting a large single volume with as many definitions as possible, is also perfect for smart college students on a budget with demanding academic loads, especially in English. If you're giving this as a gift, you'll likely want to keep that in mind. Someone who wants your typical Webster's "college dictionary" likely won't appreciate or need Chambers.

The one thing that makes Chambers stand out is its quirkiness. Take these defintions as an example:

mullet: a hairstyle that is short at the front, long at the back, and ridiculous all round

middle-aged: between youth and old age, variously reckoned to suit the reckoner

éclair: a cake, long in shape but short in duration

These kinds of definitions will either attract or repel buyers depending on how you like your dictionaries.

Overall, if you need a dictionary with some muscle this is the one. If you want a better one you'll need to start looking at multiple volume sets such as the "Shorter Oxford English Dictionary" (but _not_ the Webster's 3rd International which is severely dated in its definitions).

"The Chambers Dictionary" is not just the official reference dictionary for U.K. Scrabble competitions, it is the true successor of the famous 'Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary'. With more than 215,000 references and 300,000 definitions, this lexicon is (arguably) the most complete and the most comprehensive single-volume dictionary available in Queen's English. It is worth every cent you spend on it!
Misled by name, many people who rushed into buying 'The Chambers 21st Century Dictionary' instead of this one realized their mistake a little too late. And, I can understand their anger with Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd (for the confusing title which they mistook for the successor of the 'Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary'). Be sure not to be misled!

I don't know if the definition of "rocks" in Chambers would render the correct sense to the title of this review as I have only just purchased my third copy of this dictionary, having given away my previous two to people who just fell in love with them. I think that speaks volumes in itself that a simple dictionary might inspire such passion!

I use many other popular dictionaries when I want to see if most people would understand my usage of a word; but if I want to know about it myself, I use Chambers. Chambers is probably the most comprehensive single volume dictionary around. It is often highly readable and amusing. It is the official Scrabble dictionary for the UK, and if you play the game as I do, to improve your vocabulary, there's no other single volume reference like it. There is no other lexicon which captures the wealth of the language around the world with such geographical impartiality.

It is not easy to find it in some countries (which is why I had to order it at Amazon), and that is a real pity. I hope this does not mean that it is reaching the end of its lifetime as I recently heard it was out of print. I wish it came on CD-ROM with regular updates from the publishers.

Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary was first published in 1901, under the industrious editorship of Thomas Davidson. The dictionary was to become the recommended source for crossword puzzles because of the inclusion of obsolete, dialectical and Scottish words in its extensive lexicon. Dictionary fans loved the quirky and individualistic definitions which were started by Davidson and continued by later editors. William Geddie, in his preface to the 1962 edition, commented on these amateur lexicographers. 'Scores of users have sent in single words and lists of words. We have not accepted all their definitions. One was disappointed not to find myristicivorous, feeding upon nutmegs, a word to which we grant this place on the doorstep but still deny admission to the dictionary.' The Rev. Thomas Davidson served with the Edinburgh firm of Chambers for 17 years over the turn of the century. He was a clergyman by profession, but spent much of his life in literary work, particularly in editing reference works. In 1914 he took up the charge of a church in south Ayshire, and he died in 1923 at the age of 67.

After Davidson's departure from Chambers his post was filled by the brothers William and Liddell Geddie, who supervised and carried out editorial work up to the greatly refashioned edition of 1952. The Geddie brothers, noted for their whimsicality as well as their scholarship. were responsible for a number of unconventional definitions, among them William's picturesque baby-sitter - 'one who mounts guard over a baby to relieve the usual attendant', and Liddell's famous definition of éclair - 'a cake long in shape but short in duration'. Miss A M Macdonald, assistant editor under the Geddies and subsequently chief editor of the 1972 edition, realising that the dictionary was now being increasingly used by 'English learners', especially in the emergent countries, was inclined to take a somewhat critical view of some of her predecessors' flights of 'innocent merriment', hence the modification, even the disappearance, of some of the old favourites. Not surprisingly, the gibe in Davidson's new woman - 'a name applied, especially by scoffers in the late 19th century, to such women as actively sought freedom and equality with men'. One definition, in a prewar supplement, had a very short life: vamp - 'a featherless bird of prey'.

Some of the unique definitions to be found in earlier editions of Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary were noted in correspondences to The Listener in 1979.

middle-aged - 'between youth and old age, variously reckoned to suit the reckoner' charity begins at home - 'usually an excuse for not allowing it to get abroad' kazoo - 'a would-be musical instrument' jay walker - 'a contemptuous word applied to careless pedestrians by motorists who have to avoid running them down' Land o' the Leal - 'the home of the blessed after death - heaven not Scotland' sea-serpent - 'an enormous marine animal of serpent-like form, frequently seen and described by credulous sailors, imaginative landsmen and common liars' noose - 'a snare or bond generally, especially hanging or marriage' end-reader - 'one who peeps at the end of a novel to see if she got him' double-locked - 'locked by two turns of the key, as in very few locks, but many novels' ghost word - 'a word that has originated in the blunder of a scribe or printer - common in dictionaries' The editors of the latest edition of the Chambers Dictionary (1998) state in their preface - 'Those many users who have enjoyed the uniquely witty definitions of Chambers (eg éclair) will be pleased to find that we have added some more.' In his monthly slip, the crossword setter Azed, himself a lexicographer, has indicated the absence of identify as well as the placing of oblong before Oblomovism, and has suggested the definitions of the following as humorous entries in the current edition - bafflegab, Jacquard loom, and perpetrate.

I would welcome more new definitions, if you stumble across them.

After having an English teacher inform me that "zed" was "a letter that used to come after the letter 'z' but was dropped from the dictionary because it was so rarely used" (!), I decided it was time to find a dictionary that would clearly show her error. ("Zed" is the British name for the letter "z", still very much in use today!) This dictionary includes wonderful etymologies and great definitions, including definitions specific to Shakespeare or Chaucer (very handy for English students!) I would recommend this dictionary to anyone who would like a great resource for more than contemporary American English!

Contrary to what Amazon indicates when you do a general search for "dictionary Kindle" this dictionary cannot be purchased for a Kindle. Nor can any other unabridged dictionary. The Kindle is first and foremost for readers and those who read a lot find comprehensive dictionaries very valuable. In the Kindle users' guide they indicated you can buy and install other dictionaries but no unabridged dictionaries are available. I think it is false advertising. There are some specialized dictionaries, such as medical dictionaries but no general, comprehensive dictionaries.

This dictionary has been in the Kindle store for months, status: Real soon now! Publish it or withdraw it!

By far the most comprehensive dictionary I have bought. Very pleased with it.

The best single volume etymological dictionary available. Especially useful for the obscure words that occur in the challenging crosswords in the Guardian, Times and Observer newspapers.

Having worked in the Printing & Publishing industry for 45 years, I can recommend Chambers. The old 'Proof Readers' of Fleet Street along with Newspaper Editors always kept the latest version close to hand.
BPW