How to Use a Dictionary

1. How to Use a Dictionary Jennifer Batson INDT 501 May 2011

2. Step 1: When to use a dictionary Step 2: How to look up a word Step 3: What’s in the entry Step 4: The definition: check it in the text Step 5: Putting it all together

3. Home Step 1: When to use a dictionary • When you are unsure of a word’s meaning • To check spelling • To find other definitions • To find a word’s origin • To find similar or different words (synonyms & antonyms) • To find other grammatical information • To find out how to say a word Click for sound whenever you see this!

4. Home Step 2: How to look up a word • Words are listed alphabetically. • The words on the top of each page are guide words. All of the words on the page will be listed alphabetically between the two guide words. • For example, the guidewords are cat and crouch, all of the words on this page are words that come after cat alphabetically, but before crouch! Dictionary Click me to watch a movie!

5. Home A Closer Look at How to Look Up Words in a Dictionary by Discovery Education

6. Home Step 3: What’s in the entry (click on each yellow question mark) This is the word’s part of speech. Clutter can be a verb or a noun. This tells you how to say the word. Dictionary Clutter - [kluht-er] Verb: to fill or litter with things in a disorderly manner: All kinds of papers cluttered the top of his desk. Noun: a disorderly heap or mess; litter: It's impossible to find anything in all this clutter. Origin: 1550–60; variant of clotter  (now obsolete). Synonyms: mess, disorder, jumble. Antonyms: organized, neat. This is the definition for the verb clutter: to fill or litter with things in a disorderly manner. An example of the word clutter used in a sentence is also given: All kinds of papers cluttered the top of his desk. Clutter can also be a noun. Here is the definition for the noun clutter. This is the word’s origin. Clutter originated between 1550 and 1560. These are synonyms (words that are similar) and antonyms (words that are opposite) to the word clutter.

7. Home Step 4: The definition: check it in the text • After you’ve looked up a word, make sure you understand it’s meaning in the text you’re reading! • Many words have more than one definition. Which one is the one you were looking for? Check the definitions against the text! Which definition makes sense? This definition means to cover. I like to cover my cookies in milk. That sounds right! • Suppose we read the sentence, I like to coat my cookies in milk. If we look in the dictionary, there are two definitions for the word coat: • The first definition is a noun which means an outer garment or jacket. • The second definition is for the verb coat which means to cover. • Which definition is correct for the sentence above? 1 or 2? This definition means an outer garment or jacket. I like to jacket my cookies in milk. That doesn’t sound right. Let’s try the second definition. • Do you have a better understanding of the word now?

8. Home Step 5: Putting it all together I’m not sure what bundle means. Let’s check the dictionary. While we’re there, let’s find out all we can about the word bundle.

9. Home Step 5: Putting it all together • First, we have to look up the word bundle in the dictionary. Remember how to do that? Look at the guidewords at the top of the page to find words that start with b-u-n . Bundle - [buhn-dl] Noun: several objects or a quantity of material gathered or bound together: A bundle of hay. Verb: to tie together or wrap in a pile: Bundle the newspapers for the trash man. Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English bundel. Synonyms: (part of speech, noun) bunch, pile, pack, heap, assortment. Antonyms: (part of speech, verb) disperse, scatter, spread, divide. • After you find bundle, look at the entry. What do you see? 1. How to say the word. 2. The part of speech. 3. The definition and how it’s used in a sentence. 4. Another definition. 5. Origin. 6. Synonyms & antonyms.

10. Home Step 5: Putting it all together After looking in the dictionary, I know that bundle means a bunch, pile, or heap. In this story, a bundle of straw means a bunch of straw, just like what the pig is carrying in the picture below! Now I know a lot about the word bundle!

11. Home Step 5: Putting it all together Hmmm. I think I know what presently means from the context, but let’s look in the dictionary to find the definition and synonyms for the word presently.

12. Home Step 5: Putting it all together • First, we have to look up the word presently in the dictionary. Look at the guidewords at the top of the page to find words that start with p-r-e-s until you find the word presently. Presently- [prez-uhnt-ly] Adverb: in a little while; soon: They will be here presently. Verb: to tie together or wrap in a pile: Bundle the newspapers for the trash man. Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English. Synonyms: shortly, soon, forthwith Antonyms: later. • Now that we’ve found the word, what is the definition? • In a little while; soon. • What are words that are similar to presently? • Shortly, soon, forthwith.

13. Home Step 5: Putting it all together Now I know that presently means soon or in a little while. The dictionary helped me see that we could use the word soon in place of presently in this story and it would mean the same thing!

14. Home Now you’ve got it! Keep a dictionary handy and use it when reading and writing, or just to satisfy your curiosity for new words!