Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage (Paperback)

~ Inc. Merriam-Webster (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage is a dictionary. It is not a usage guide. It is not Fowler, or Partridge, or Bernstein (nor, at 799 pages, is it exactly concise, but that's another matter). Unlike those eminent watchdogs of the English language, the editors of this volume are record-keepers, chronicling the way language is used, not the way it should be used. Based on Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, this book cites the classic English-language specialists generously but finds its true course by observing actual contemporary usage. Take the word discomfit, for example, the meaning of which (to thwart, foil, or frustrate) is staunchly defended in many usage guides. Sorry, says Merriam-Webster. Their survey says that the use of the word as a synonym to discomfort is so entrenched as to have become "thoroughly established" as the most prevalent meaning. Though the editors of this book are more reporters than campaigners, their prose is eminently readable, charming, and even, like that of the best usage enforcers, quirky. For instance, the word data, they claim, is a "queer fish," while errata "leads a double life," and yclept is "peculiar-looking." --Jane Steinberg

Product Description

A handy guide to problems of confused or disputed usage based on the critically acclaimed Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Over 2,000 entries explain the background and basis of usage controversies and offer expert advice and recommendations.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Merriam-Webster; 1 edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877796335
• ISBN-13: 978-0877796336
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #426,873 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone who works with words, September 7, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary Of English Usage: The Essentials Of Clear Expression is a well organized, extremely practical, "user friendly" writer's reference. More than 2,000 extensive and meticulous entries discuss the nuances in the daily uses, both historical and present, of commonly confused words in the English language. Enhanced with a multi-page bibliography, Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary Of English Usage is a solid and highly recommended guide for anyone who works with words as a core aspect of their career.

17 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Definition of Concise?, June 20, 2002

By A Customer

I was really disappointed with this book. I like words and I enjoy etymology. The precise word can make a poignant statement when used with stiletto accuracy. But, this book is babble using quotes to describe common and contrasting usage of a word. It has all the means but no end. There is nothing concise about this book.