This second edition of Penguin's flagship English dictionary offers unparalleled in-depth coverage of every aspect of the language. The most accessible and authoritative single-volume dictionary in its class, it has been revised and updated by a team of Britain's foremost lexicographers to ensure that it fully reflects the amazing diversity of the English language today.
- Gives clear, detailed definitions, with particular emphasis on difficult
concepts and meanings
- Covers not only standard English, but also scientific and technical
vocabulary, specialist terms, slang, and the English of earlier periods
- Defines hundreds of new words, jargon, and the latest buzzwords,
reflecting the current state of the language
- Offers guidance on grammar, correct usage, spelling, and punctuation
- Includes usage notes, encyclopedic entries on key concepts, and
fascinating word histories
- Provides examples drawn from the works of major writers, from Shakespeare to Jane Austen, and from P. G. Wodehouse to Salman Rushdie
- Includes contributions from leading experts, including Richard Dawkins on evolution, Geoffrey Robertson on freedom, Helena Kennedy on civil rights,
and Vernon Bogdanor on devolution