Descriptionary (Facts on File Writer's Library)
by Marc McCutcheon
List Price:
Our Price: $9.92
You Save: $10.03 (50%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.20 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Marc McCutcheonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-08
ISBN: 0816041067
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Checkmark Books
Book Reviews of Descriptionary (Facts on File Writer's Library)
Book Review: A great resource for writers.
Summary: 5 Stars
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!
Summary of Descriptionary (Facts on File Writer's Library)
Provides thematically-grouped definitions for terms relating to specific subjects, ranging from the environment and animals to the arts, clothing, and religion.The subtitle of Descriptionary says it's "the book for when you know what it is, but not what it's called." Pretty useful, eh? But that description is also a bit limiting, as this handy reference guide can be just as easily used as a standard dictionary when you do know what the word is. Rather than the alphabetical arrangement found in dictionaries and thesauruses, the words here are grouped according to general categories, such as animal and insects, food and drink, the human body and mind, and occupations. Within these broad areas are subheadings--"environment" has been divided into 30 categories ranging from atmosphere to wind. The word listings in these short sections are alphabetical, and while each has a straightforward explanation, you won't find alternative spellings, a pronunciation guide, or any of those dictionary-standard accompaniments to the definition.
So why use this instead of a standard dictionary? Mainly, in order to take advantage of the unusual word arrangement, as it can operate most efficiently when you're writing a paper about a specific topic. Civics students looking up "malfeasance" will find on the same page a variety of words that may spark new ideas and instantly increase practical vocabulary, as any words that catch your eye will be closely related to the topic at hand. Also great for students is the "1,050 Words and Expressions You Should Know" chapter--from "ad hoc" to "zealous," it covers words used regularly in magazines, newspapers, and textbooks. Adults learning a new skill or deciphering current events will find that the sections function nicely as a glossary; the sections on sports, politics, gardening, and cooking are especially helpful in this manner. --Jill Lightner
Synonyms & Antonyms Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Synonyms & Antonyms Books
The Pocket Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus (New Look for Oxford Dictionaries)Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1999-08-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.75
Price in other shops:
The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Styleby Bryan A. Garner
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2000-01-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.54
Price in other shops:
My First Dictionaryby Jonathan Langley, Betty Root
Scholastic; Published: 1993-01; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops:
Word by Word Basic Picture Dictionaryby Steven J. Molinsky, Bill Bliss
Pearson ESL; Published: 1995-03-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $27.54
Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms: A Dictionary of Discriminated Synonyms With Antonyms and Analogous and Contrasted WordsMerriam-Webster; Published: 1984-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.99
Price in other shops:
The New Comprehensive American Rhyming Dictionaryby Sue Young
William Morrow & Co; Published: 1991-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $73.58
Wrong Word Dictionary: 2,000 Most Commonly Confused Wordsby D. Dowling
San Val; Published: 2005-09-28; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $26.95
Scholastic Dictionary of Idiomsby Marvin Terban
Demco Media; Published: 1998-05; Turtleback; Book
Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Wordsby Josefa H. Byrne
Citadel; Published: 1994-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $118.88
The Synonym Finderby J. I. Rodale, Nancy LaRoche
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 1986; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.71
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Word Paintingby Rebecca McClanahan
Writers Digest Books; Published: 2000-08-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
21st Century Synonym and Antonym Finder (21st century reference)by Princeton Language Institute
Dell; Published: 1993-04-04; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.68
Price in other shops:
Ultimate Visual Dictionaryby DK Publishing
DK ADULT; Published: 2006-12-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.25
Price in other shops:
The Oxford Reverse DictionaryOxford University Press, USA; Published: 2002-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.24
Price in other shops:
Rogets Super Thesaurusby Marc McCutcheon
Writers Digest Books; Published: 2004-08-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.49
Price in other shops:
The Synonym Finderby J. I. Rodale, Nancy LaRoche
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 1986; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.71
Price in other shops:
Roget's Descriptive Word Finderby Barbara Ann Kipfer
Writers Digest Books; Published: 2003-05-24; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.85
Price in other shops:
Flip Dictionaryby Barbara Ann Kipfer
Writers Digest Books; Published: 2002-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.48
Price in other shops:
Random House Webster's Word Menuby Stephen Glazier
Ballantine Books; Published: 1997-06-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.86
Price in other shops:
The Describer's Dictionaryby David Grambs
W.W. Norton & Co.; Published: 1995-08-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.76
Price in other shops: