English, Dictionaries, Foreign Language Study & Reference 

Oxford has long been renowned as the leading dictionary-maker of the English-speaking world, publisher of the redoubtable 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary and the highly acclaimed two-volume New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. But while these monumental works are ideal for people who want the best resources on English available, they are too much dictionary for people whose reference needs are simpler or who want a dictionary they can carry with them. Now Oxford introduces The Oxford Desk Dictionary, a perfect volume for the casual user. Light and portable, it fits easily in an attaché or backpack. Founded on the authority of the renowned Oxford Dictionary Department's vast database, and newly edited specifically for the U.S. by noted American lexicographer Laurence Urdang, this convenient volume packs a remarkable amount of information in a small package. Its features include: * More than 60,000 entries--the broadest coverage available in this size dictionary * The latest new words and senses, including many found in no other dictionary of any size, plus thousands of colloquial and slang expressions * Coverage of technical terms from computer science, medicine, technology, and business * Up-to-date geographical and biographical entries * A single alphabetical arrangement for all the entries, including prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations; foreign words and phrases; and biographical and geographical names * More than two hundred line drawings illustrating selected words * Complete, precise, and easy-to-use pronunciation key * Plus quick-reference tables of weights and measures, metric equivalents, signs and symbols, chemical elements, ZIP codes and area codes, and much more Portable, affordable, and authoritative, The Oxford Desk Dictionary will be the first choice for those who need a dictionary for ready use and for anyone on the go. - from Amzon