Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Thesaurus of English: Oxford
Thesaurus of English: Oxford
Oxford
Thesaurus of English
second edition
1
OTE2_e prelims P3.1 23/4/04 3:29 PM Page vii
Preface
The word thesaurus comes from the Greek word thesauros, meaning each of those 16,000 entries, there is an average of 38 alternatives, careV
‘storehouse’ or ‘treasure’. This is an apt description, because a fully chosen, sorted, and arranged to help you find the word you need
thesaurus is a kind of treasure trove of the language, allowing you to as quickly as possible.
explore its richness and variety. By listing groups of words that have In addition to the standard entries, the Oxford Thesaurus of English
similar meanings to each other, a thesaurus offers a choice of alterV offers an array of special features designed to enhance the usefulness
native words (synonyms) that can be used in place of one that you and accessibility of the book. ‘Choose the Right Word’ panels explore
already have in mind. in detail the differences between close synonyms such as brusque,
Thus a thesaurus helps you to express yourself more accurately and abrupt, curt, and terse; the findings presented here, new to this edition,
in more interesting and varied ways. It is an invaluable tool for anyone are the result of sophisticated computational analysis of how these
who writes, whether for memos and reports at work, essays and words are used in real English, giving the user the fullest and most
dissertations at school and college, letters to business contacts, friends, accurate account available. Also new to this edition are over 1300
or potential employers, or creative writing for a living or for pleasure. Word Links, at 720 entries, to words which are not synonyms but
A thesaurus can provide the answer when a word is on the tip of your which have another kind of relation to the headword: for example, at
tongue, or it can expand your vocabulary to help you find new ways of cat there are terms for the male and female cat (tom, queen) as well as
saying what you want to. A thesaurus can also help in solving crossV the adjective relating to cats (feline).
word puzzles and with many other word games. Lastly, there is a new Word List section in the centre of the book,
The Oxford Thesaurus of English, first published in 2000 and now offering hundreds of lists covering everything from types of cheese to
appearing in its second edition, contains an unrivalled number of species of bird and names of dances. These are cross-referenced from
alternative and opposite words: well over 600,000 in total. It is the most within the main text but can also be used independently, ideal for
comprehensive one-volume thesaurus available, including not only crossword and word-game enthusiasts.
everyday words but also unusual and colourful words, specialist terms, For a quick tour of the main features of the Oxford Thesaurus of
and archaic and obsolete terms. There are more than 16,000 entries, English, look at ‘How to use this thesaurus’ on pp. xi–xii. The
arranged A–Z, which means that you only have to go one place to find Introduction on the next few pages gives more details on the contents
what you are looking for, and there is no need for a bulky index. For and organization of OTE and how to get the most out of it.
OTE2_e prelims P3.1 23/4/04 3:29 PM Page xi
book See centre pages for list of Stories (Types of Story and Novel )
part of speech of headword Onoun 1 he published his first book in 1610 volume, tome, work, printed core synonym
work, publication, title, opus, treatise; novel, storybook; manual,
handbook, guide, companion, reference book; paperback, hardback,
softback; historical yellowback.
example of use 2 he scribbled a few notes in his book notepad, notebook, pad, memo pad,
exercise book, binder; ledger, record book, log, logbook, chronicle,
journal, diary, daybook; Brit. jotter, pocketbook; N. Amer. scratch pad; French
form of the headword for which cahier.
synonyms are given 3 (books) the council had to balance its books accounts, records, archives;
account book, record book, ledger, log, balance sheet, financial
noun phrase entered under statement.
noun section 1by the book he does all his police work by the book according to the rules,
in accordance with the rules, within the law, abiding by the law,
lawfully, legally, legitimately, licitly; honestly, fairly, openly; informal on
the level, on the up and up, fair and square.
Overb 1 Steven booked a table at their favourite restaurant reserve, make a
reservation for, arrange in advance, prearrange, arrange for, order; label indicating currency of
charter, hire; informal bag; dated engage, bespeak. following synonyms
2 we booked a number of events in the Wellington Festival arrange,
programme, schedule, timetable, line up, secure, fix up, lay on; N. Amer.
phrasal verb entered under slate.
verb section 1book in he booked in at the St Francis Hotel register, check in, enrol,
record/log one’s arrival.
word links
list of books bibliography
book enthusiast bibliophile, bibliomane
relating to rare books antiquarian
dishonour, disgrace, shame, ignominy disinter Overb his corpse was disinterred and reburied in another grave
exhume, unearth, dig up, bring out of the ground, bring to the surface;
See disgrace. rare disentomb, unbury, ungrave.
disinterest Onoun 1 I do not pretend any scholarly disinterest with this book
dishonourable Oadjective he is accused of dishonourable conduct impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, detachment, disinterestedness, lack
disgraceful, shameful, shameless, shaming, disreputable, discreditable, of bias, lack of prejudice; open-mindedness, fairness, fair-mindedness,
degrading, debasing, ignominious, ignoble, blameworthy, contemptible, equitability, equity, balance, even-handedness, unselfishness, selflessness.
despicable, reprehensible, shabby, shoddy, sordid, sorry, base, low, OPPOSITE bias.
improper, unseemly, unworthy; unprincipled, unscrupulous, corrupt, 2 (informal) he looked at us with complete disinterest indifference, lack of
untrustworthy, treacherous, perfidious, traitorous, villainous; informal interest, lack of curiosity, lack of concern, lack of care, lack of
shady, crooked, low-down, dirty, rotten, rascally, scoundrelly; Brit. informal enthusiasm, dispassionateness, dispassion, impassivity; boredom, apathy,
beastly; archaic scurvy, knavish. nonchalance.
OPPOSITE honourable. OPPOSITE interest.
disillusion Overb if they think we have a magic formula, don’t disillusion them disinterested Oadjective 1 she is offering disinterested advice unbiased,
disabuse, undeceive, enlighten, set straight, open someone’s eyes; unprejudiced, impartial, neutral, non-partisan, non-discriminatory,
disenchant, shatter someone’s illusions, disappoint, make sadder and detached, uninvolved, objective, dispassionate, impersonal, clinical;
wiser; informal throw cold water on. open-minded, fair, just, equitable, balanced, even-handed, unselfish,
OPPOSITES deceive, fool. selfless; free from discrimination, with no axe to grind, without fear or
Onoun the future held almost certain disillusion disenchantment, favour.
disillusionment, disappointment, disaffection, dissatisfaction; a rude OPPOSITE biased.
disincentive Onoun high interest rates are a disincentive to investment disinterested or uninterested?
deterrent, discouragement, dissuasion, damper, brake, curb, check, Disinterested is frequently used as a synonym of uninterested,
restraint, inhibition; obstacle, impediment, hindrance, obstruction, meaning ‘having or showing no interest in something’. The
block, barrier. traditional meaning of disinterested, however, is ‘not biased;
OPPOSITE incentive. impartial’, as in bankers are under an obligation to give disinterested advice.
Uninterested is the preferred word used to mean ‘having no interest’,
disinclination Onoun they show a disinclination to face up to these issues as in he was totally uninterested in politics.
reluctance, unwillingness, lack of enthusiasm, indisposition, slowness,
hesitancy, hesitance, diffidence; loathness, aversion, dislike, distaste;
objection, demur, resistance, opposition, recalcitrance; archaic disrelish; disjointed Oadjective 1 a disjointed series of impressions in her mind
rare nolition, sweerness. unconnected, disconnected, without unity, disunited, discontinuous,
OPPOSITES inclination, enthusiasm.
fragmented, fragmentary, disorganized, disordered, muddled, mixed up,
disinclined Oadjective she was disinclined to abandon the old ways jumbled, garbled, incoherent, confused, fitful, erratic, spasmodic, patchy,
343 flotsam F fluency
OPPOSITE plain. contravene, infringe, breach, commit a breach of, transgress against;
3 endearments in florid English flowery, flamboyant, high-flown, high- ignore, disregard, set one’s face against, kick against; informal cock a
sounding, magniloquent, grandiloquent, ornate, fancy, baroque, orotund, snook at; Law infract; archaic set at naught.
rhetorical, oratorical, bombastic, laboured, strained, overwrought, OPPOSITE observe.
flout Overb retailers have been flouting the law by selling tobacco to under-16s flue Onoun duct, tube, passage, channel, canal, conduit, shaft, air
defy, refuse to obey, go against, rebel against, scorn, disdain, show passage, airway, vent, well; funnel, chimney, chimney stack, smokestack;
contempt for, fly in the face of, thumb one’s nose at, make a fool of, pipe, pipeline, outlet, inlet.
poke fun at; disobey, break, violate, fail to comply with, fail to observe, fluency Onoun 1 a job that calls for verbal fluency eloquence, articulacy,
545 Word Lists