Chambers compact thesaurus - Chambers

This new edition of Chambers Compact Thesaurus has been thoroughly revised to provide you with the most helpful alternatives for over 15,000 common words. With more than 300,000 synonyms and antonyms, this compact volume is completely up-to-date, focusing on current language usage. The exceptionally clear A-Z layout eschews complex indexing, making reference quick and easy, while key synonyms and example phrases allow for instant selection of the correct sense of the word. Entries are complemented by lists of related words, such as types of phobia, breeds of dog and parts of the body. Whether you are looking for the solution to a crossword clue or for an impressive word to use in a report or essay, this book is sure to offer you the answer.

Chambers is one of the world`s most respected dictionary publishers, appealing particularly to word lovers and those who revel in all the quirks of the English language. Its extensive list of innovative and completely reliable language and reference titles covers English-language dictionaries, thesauruses, bilingual dictionaries, crosswords, puzzles and games and specialist titles on subjects such as biography, quotations, literary characters, science and technology and world history. Meticulously researched and expertly written, the highly acclaimed Chambers range has been at the forefront of presenting knowledge and learning in an engaging and accessible way since it was first established in the 19th century.

This new edition of the Chambers Compact Thesaurus provides alternatives for 15,000 words in common use in the English language. Apart from the synonyms that can be used as alternatives, each entry includes words with the opposite meaning where appropriate. In all, this adds up to over 320,000 synonyms and antonyms. More than enough for anyone writing on general subjects.

The opposites work very cleverly: the entry for extremism, for example, shows moderation as the opposite. And the entry for moderation then takes you into 21 synonyms of its own, so that in effect you have a range of 22 words from which to choose your opposite for extremism. In most of the entries, there are also example phrases to illustrate the different meanings.

There are also a couple of hundred useful word-lists in the thesaurus. As a noun, fish (for example) is not an easy word for which to find a synonym, and the Chambers doesn't try to do so. Instead it includes one of its lists of related words, and this one shows over seventy types of fish, from bloater to whiting.

It also has to be said that the typography, page layout and presentation make the Chambers Compact Thesaurus easy to find your way around.