Descriptionary: A Thematic Dictionary (Facts on File Library of Language and Literature)
Marc McCutcheon | 2005-02-28 00:00:00 | Facts on File | 644 | Dictionaries
At last, here's a reference book that works the way the mind works, allowing students to locate that elusive word to the specific thing, e.g., What do you call that belt for a tuxedo? Answer: Cummerbund. "This book is one of those small wonders...Highly recommended." -- THE BOOK REPORT.
What do you call the reference of choice for those maddening moments when "you know what it is, but not what it's called?" A Descriptionary, of course! This handy book provides thousands of definitions organized thematically rather than alphabetically. A great reference for writers, students, teachers, crossword puzzle buffs, or any lover of language.
Reviews
Descriptionary is another take on your every day dictionary. I find that when presented with 'the same' information in a new light, it lends new ideas to my work. Very satisfied.
Reviews
The problem I have and other people will have with this book is what it contains and is not made explicit in the description of the book. This book contains explicit language and descriptions of human anatomy and sexuality. Some of the things described in here are very graphic indeed! This book is similar in some respects to the urban dictionary found on the internet. This book is not appropriate for all people and all age groups. I don't believe there is anything wrong with this book for most adults. It is inappropriate for any child and some adults. I had this book available to children and was not aware of this until someone showed me. Of course, shame on me for not instantly trying to look up such things but who would suspect with an innocent cover and no warning of what's inside.
Reviews
The Descriptionary is exactly what is says, "The book for when you know what it is, but not what it's called." Though the book isn't an absolute, fail-safe way of finding everything and anything, it does have a wide variety of terms and ranges. Being a writer, I've found that this book has saved me a lot of grief. If I need to be educated about the kinds of rocks that can be found in caves, all I have to do is look up caves and it gives me the name and description of as many cave related things as they could possibly think of. It saves me from having to do a mountain of research on a subject that I touch on for only a few pages. It also has some slang that is not usually seen in the dictionary, such as what "BTW" means in those IM messages. Fast, easy, and since I'm a bookworm, fun as well. It can't get much better than that.
Reviews
Pardon my bluntness, but this book is fantastic to have around when you're having a 'brain fart'. I found my copy at a thrift store about five years ago, but having just this evening needed to pull it out for an answer, I thought I'd post a review about how indispensable it's been to me over the years.
It's a great book if you're clueless and you need to sound like you know what you're talking about. I wrote a story once about army doctors and the "Military" and "Medicine" sections were my bible during that time. I wrote a story about pirates and the "Naval" and "Sailing" sections were my go to, then.
Just tonight I was writing a description of an attic and couldn't remember what those little windows that stick out of sloping roofs are called. I flipped to the "Architecture" section and within maybe ten seconds, after skimming two pages, I had my answer. Dormer windows. They're called dormer windows. Thank you, Descriptionary!
Reviews
I love this book! Everyone must get it ASAP. You will learn believe me.
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