Customer Reviews

Scribner-Bantam English Dictionary

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It's a shame that the recent paperback versions of this book are so poorly produced - cheap paper blurs the type - because the content is superior to that of any other dictionary I've read. Just a glance at the entry for the verb "decrease" demonstrates the value of the work. After providing a succinct definition, the Bantam Scribners offers a cogent explication of several variants of the word, namely, "abate," "lessen," "diminish," and "dwindle." For even a mature writer the analysis of these distinctions can be illuminating. For a young writer, or one unfamiliar with English, it offers a priceless education. Edwin B. Williams may or may not have been a genius, but the legacy he leaves in this supremely useful dictionary is unique, brilliant, and timeless.

In my opinion this is the best paperback dictionary of American English available, bar none. I have used one edition or another for almost 40 years.

This is my favorite dictionary. I've had the same copy for over 10 years now. It has never EVER failed me.

You can look at a lot of paperback dictionaries before you find one that is so robust and easy to read. A number of paperback dictionaries have poor printing techniques that make the text hard to read, especially when the text is particularly small.

I got this as a graduation gift and I've used it ever since.

I've looked at a number of other dictionaries, but I can't find a small paperback like this one that has as many definitions (over 80,000) and is as easy to read with the small text.

The "bad" words aren't in there... but seriously - do you really need to look them up to know what they mean?

Of all of the English dictionaries I have encountered, this one is clearly the best value for the price of the [inexpensive] paperback dictionaries. It is one of the few paperbacks I have seen that covers etymologies.

It avoids the overly concise definitions found in other paperback dictionaries while still remaining compact and inexpensive. I consider it an alternative to a bulky hardback desk reference dictionary.

This is the best dictionary that I have found that weighs less than 20 pounds. This was highly recommended in my college English grammar courses, but I compared all of them myself. If you want a smaller volume, get this one. If you want a larger bookshelf volume, but not as large as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), get the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition). That, in addition to this book, would be an excellent combination. This book has good descriptions and comparisons of usage, exactly what college students need, especially if they want to fit it into their backpack of books.

I have been a dictionary freak for many years, but nothing matches the scribner bantam dictionary. written in beautiful english , its like reading a good book. My poor unabridged dictionary is collecting dust.
if you want to expand your vocabulary and get the correct word each time, buy this little treasure trove. you wont be sorry.