This simplified dictionary of American English, containing over 22,000 words, phrases, and idioms, is an essential reference for English learners at all levels. Definitions are given in plain English, parts of speech are identified, and there is abundant cross-referencing.

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Up-to-date reference for American English; an indispensable learning tool that will build & strengthen the developing vocabularies and vocabulary-building skills of learners of all levels. Paper. DLC: English language - Dictionaries.

Intended primarily for adult and high school-level students of English as a second language (ESL), this simplified dictionary provides spellings, pronunciations, and definitions for 22,000 basic words. It does an especially good job of explaining irregular forms, common compounds, and idiomatic phrases; subsumed under the head word "heart," for instance, are 16 such entries (e.g., "die of a broken heart"). Abundant illustrative sentences enhance definitional comprehension, showing how words and phrases are used in context. On the other hand, the book lacks syllabication, etymologies, synonymies, usage notes, and pictorial illustrations, and it generally omits recent coinages and slang unless well established, as in the computer sense of "mouse" and "boot." In addition, vulgarities and street terms concerning sex, drugs, and more are prudishly excluded. Most ESL dictionaries originate in the UK the excellent Cambridge International Dictionary of English (Cambridge Univ., 1995) is typical and cover the vocabulary of both major branches of English, British and American, which can be confusing to learners on this side of the Atlantic. The NTC dictionary, however, is strictly a U.S. production devoted solely to American English. As such, it is recommended for all libraries with a significant ESL clientele. Ken Kister, author of "Kister's Best Encyclopedias," Tampa, FL Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews