Chambers Dictionary
Book Review
by Derek
(Brisbane, Australia)
Where to get it
For many years now,
Chambers have had a stronghold on the word game market. This dictionary is a pure delight to browse for word-buffs, because it caters for all those crazy words you find in crossword puzzles and on Scrabble boards, but never in the real world. I mean, where else will you find delicious entries like
EUOI, a cry of Bacchic frenzy, and
YRIVD, an obsolete past participle of
rive. Yet, despite this indulgence, the dictionary manages to maintain its tractable size.
The reason I first bought the
Chambers Dictionary was that it was the chief word source for international Scrabble. Unfortunately, this privilege has since been handed over to
Collins, who just don't demonstrate the scholarly attention to detail of
Chambers. Even so, the meanings of many of the words allowed in Scrabble today can only be found in
Chambers, and even when they can be found elsewhere, the
Chambers entry is usually more helpful.
The
Chambers Dictionary is also famed for allowing a handful of chuckle-worthy entries to be sprinkled throughout the tome, betraying a playfulness not expected of lexicographers. Like this one...
ECLAIR n. a cake, long in shape but short in duration.I won't spoil the other surprises for you.
Fired by
Mattel or not,
Chambers will remain in the service of this here word-buff for many years to come.