You use it online, and beginning on Wednesday, you'll be able to use the popular Dictionary.com reference service on your iPhones and iPod Touches.
The free Dictionary.com for iPhone is straightforward, but attractive, and has one or two highlights that give it some interest. It isn't the only dictionary application for iPhone by a long shot, but it is a solid effort that has brand name appeal for Internet vocabulary geeks--plus, it's got those helpful tidbits we mentioned. For instance, after typing a search term, you can switch between the dictionary definition and thesaurus without losing your word. Also, the definitions and synonyms are preloaded into the app, which means your world of words won't go dark if you lose Wi-Fi or signal.
With an intact data connection, the app can read your definition aloud. Logophiles who want more vocabulary excitement can tune into the Word of the Day feature on the phone, and will be prompted to sign up for the e-mail definition delivery service as well.
The iPhone app is missing some of the power behind Dictionary.com on the Web--most notably, the translator and helpful articles. As a search-and-retrieve word application, however, this is a good start for those looking for a free reference app or who are trained to prefer Dictionary.com's experience.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Are you ever at a loss for words? Whether you're writing an essay, a letter, a business proposal, or even a novel, there are inevitably times when the right word is just out of your mind's reach. In the old days, you might pick up a dictionary or thesaurus to find a specific word, but now most people know that resources on the Internet are only a couple of clicks away. There's one program I like to use, however, that's even easier than opening your Web browser.
Get all the information you need about your word by hitting a hot key
(Credit: CNET Networks)WordWeb is a free program that lets you highlight a word and then hit either Control and right-click or Control-Alt-W to quickly scour a database of more than 150,000 root words and 120,000 synonym sets. From there you'll be able to look at common word usages, synonyms, and antonyms all with an easy-to-navigate tabbed interface. Clicking the speaker icon lets you hear the word spoken aloud using the Windows speech engine. You can even search for words that sound like the word you're looking for by clicking the Nearest tab to check similar spellings. Once you've found the perfect word, simply hit the replace button and Wordweb will replace your originally highlighted word. Once you get used to using it, you'll wonder why anyone bothers going online to look for definitions or word ideas.
WordWeb just got a recent update so it's even more useful, now offering several thousand new entries. It works with almost any program so all you'll need to know when you're looking for the right word are the hot keys to bring up WordWeb. Even if WordWeb doesn't have the word you want it offers other resources to continue your search.
This excellent freeware program will stop you from ever fretting over a definition or antonym again. WordWeb offers hot-key lookup and offline resources in a smart package.
In addition to displaying definitions, synonyms, and antonyms, WordWeb can find sets of related words. The database has more than 150,000 root words and 120,000 synonym sets, and plenty of proper nouns, pronunciations, and usage tags. It can't tell you when you've split your infinitives or garbled your gerunds, but it gives great word accuracy on the fly.
WordWeb is a handy utility that gives you the definition, synonyms, and antonyms of any given word without requiring you to go online, though it can connect to the Internet for expanded functionality. The interface should feel familiar, since it resembles many office application dictionaries. Users can manually type words into the Lookup text field, but the real strength of the program lies in the hot key function that lets users find definitions with a single keystroke.
The bottom pane offers tabs for such items as synonyms, antonyms, and related words. There are tools for changing the database to one of several English variations, altering the text size, and disabling WordWeb from recognizing offensive terms. Sadly, the dictionary struggles with some unusual terms, like "pescetarian," that you'd still expect to find in a good dictionary.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
When Power Downloader recently sat down to check his e-mail, he quickly noticed a message from his niece, Kitty Kilobyte. In the message, Kitty explained that she would soon be attending a summer English class, which would mean she would probably be writing a lot of papers. She went on to explain that though she was embarrassed to admit it, spelling wasn't her greatest skill, and any software he could recommend would be a big help.
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