GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

ýOne of English languageýs greatest achievementsý, 05 Sep 2004
It is rare to encounter such a well considered and helpful reference work. The thesaurus is based on the work of Peter Roget's original 1852 manuscript and is structured by six classes of word meanings which are later cross referenced in the index. This arrangement is useful for exploring ideas and is a great pleasure to use. The 150th Anniversary Edition includes new modern vocabulary and several interesting essays explaining the history, purpose and ideas behind the book. This item comes highly recommended as an excellent desk reference.

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and phrases, 04 Apr 2003
This book is extremely useful to all - students, scholars and for general family use. It is easy to use and the thumb indexed edition is especially helpful for speeding up your search. I would recommend this book to anyone who does English or Journalism, or for anyone simply wishing to improve their range of vocabulary. This is the best thesaurus I have come across.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

ýOne of English languageýs greatest achievementsý, 05 Sep 2004
It is rare to encounter such a well considered and helpful reference work. The thesaurus is based on the work of Peter Roget's original 1852 manuscript and is structured by six classes of word meanings which are later cross referenced in the index. This arrangement is useful for exploring ideas and is a great pleasure to use. The 150th Anniversary Edition includes new modern vocabulary and several interesting essays explaining the history, purpose and ideas behind the book. This item comes highly recommended as an excellent desk reference.

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and phrases, 04 Apr 2003
This book is extremely useful to all - students, scholars and for general family use. It is easy to use and the thumb indexed edition is especially helpful for speeding up your search. I would recommend this book to anyone who does English or Journalism, or for anyone simply wishing to improve their range of vocabulary. This is the best thesaurus I have come across.

A labyrinth., 12 Jun 2007
This book follows all features of the makings of a good maze; you choose an entry and follow it. Then, you make a choice of what sub-route to follow. This procedure is repeated over and over again until you end up in a room that is a pool of hundreds of words, where you forget what led you here in the first place while you are drowning. This is not a tool, this deserves a whole subject of study itself.

Invaluable for writing better English, 14 Dec 2005
When my old Roget's wore out, I hesitated to buy another – aren't there free on-line services which do the same thing? Wrong. The Penguin Reference Roget's is infinitely superior to the on-line thesaurus services. By narrowing down the scope of the word you're looking for in the index (eg "tired" is subdivided into "inactive", "sleepy" or "fatigued") you rapidly reach exactly the synonyms or related words you're looking for. If you want to improve your English vocabulary and write with concision and style, the printed book remains unbeatable. It's also fun to browse, and makes a great gift.

Conclusion: after 150 years, still a powerful writing tool.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

ýOne of English languageýs greatest achievementsý, 05 Sep 2004
It is rare to encounter such a well considered and helpful reference work. The thesaurus is based on the work of Peter Roget's original 1852 manuscript and is structured by six classes of word meanings which are later cross referenced in the index. This arrangement is useful for exploring ideas and is a great pleasure to use. The 150th Anniversary Edition includes new modern vocabulary and several interesting essays explaining the history, purpose and ideas behind the book. This item comes highly recommended as an excellent desk reference.

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and phrases, 04 Apr 2003
This book is extremely useful to all - students, scholars and for general family use. It is easy to use and the thumb indexed edition is especially helpful for speeding up your search. I would recommend this book to anyone who does English or Journalism, or for anyone simply wishing to improve their range of vocabulary. This is the best thesaurus I have come across.

A labyrinth., 12 Jun 2007
This book follows all features of the makings of a good maze; you choose an entry and follow it. Then, you make a choice of what sub-route to follow. This procedure is repeated over and over again until you end up in a room that is a pool of hundreds of words, where you forget what led you here in the first place while you are drowning. This is not a tool, this deserves a whole subject of study itself.

Invaluable for writing better English, 14 Dec 2005
When my old Roget's wore out, I hesitated to buy another – aren't there free on-line services which do the same thing? Wrong. The Penguin Reference Roget's is infinitely superior to the on-line thesaurus services. By narrowing down the scope of the word you're looking for in the index (eg "tired" is subdivided into "inactive", "sleepy" or "fatigued") you rapidly reach exactly the synonyms or related words you're looking for. If you want to improve your English vocabulary and write with concision and style, the printed book remains unbeatable. It's also fun to browse, and makes a great gift.

Conclusion: after 150 years, still a powerful writing tool.

A very helpful and even entertaining book, 31 Aug 2003
I find this book very interesting and as helpful as entertaining.

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

ýOne of English languageýs greatest achievementsý, 05 Sep 2004
It is rare to encounter such a well considered and helpful reference work. The thesaurus is based on the work of Peter Roget's original 1852 manuscript and is structured by six classes of word meanings which are later cross referenced in the index. This arrangement is useful for exploring ideas and is a great pleasure to use. The 150th Anniversary Edition includes new modern vocabulary and several interesting essays explaining the history, purpose and ideas behind the book. This item comes highly recommended as an excellent desk reference.

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and phrases, 04 Apr 2003
This book is extremely useful to all - students, scholars and for general family use. It is easy to use and the thumb indexed edition is especially helpful for speeding up your search. I would recommend this book to anyone who does English or Journalism, or for anyone simply wishing to improve their range of vocabulary. This is the best thesaurus I have come across.

A labyrinth., 12 Jun 2007
This book follows all features of the makings of a good maze; you choose an entry and follow it. Then, you make a choice of what sub-route to follow. This procedure is repeated over and over again until you end up in a room that is a pool of hundreds of words, where you forget what led you here in the first place while you are drowning. This is not a tool, this deserves a whole subject of study itself.

Invaluable for writing better English, 14 Dec 2005
When my old Roget's wore out, I hesitated to buy another – aren't there free on-line services which do the same thing? Wrong. The Penguin Reference Roget's is infinitely superior to the on-line thesaurus services. By narrowing down the scope of the word you're looking for in the index (eg "tired" is subdivided into "inactive", "sleepy" or "fatigued") you rapidly reach exactly the synonyms or related words you're looking for. If you want to improve your English vocabulary and write with concision and style, the printed book remains unbeatable. It's also fun to browse, and makes a great gift.

Conclusion: after 150 years, still a powerful writing tool.

A very helpful and even entertaining book, 31 Aug 2003
I find this book very interesting and as helpful as entertaining.

Very useful, 10 Apr 2006
I needed a comprehensive, easy to use, and I found this nice book on Amazon, and for this price it is a real bargain. I even bought one for my friend as well. It is very important to have one of these if you're a student, or a writer or have any interest in words and their meaning. It is easy to use, and uptill now, it did not let me down, I found all the words I needed and more...

GO LET IT LOOSE, 13 Oct 2008
If you write a bit, have one of these by your side. In a short time it will become an essential writing tool, able to turn even the most unpromising material into something appreciably better.

I'm not particularly interested in the specifics of the OXFORD PAPERBACK THESAURUS, save to say that Oxford, and possibly Collins, are the best of its type. I'm just glad it fits into my back pocket and does what it says on the tin, so to speak. And that's the bottom line: this is an excellent and user-friendly dictionary of synonyms and as portable as my laptop.

Feeling pretentious, precocious or obnoxious? Hey, a thesaurus can help...provided you understand the rules. If not, you may find yourself unwittingly dropped flat on your arse without mercy, so be careful what you wish for. And how you articulate it.

Try it, though. That's what I'm really saying. If you love the language but need, on occasion, to express yourself with a bit more imagination or clarity, then this is the way to go. Once you get used to using it you'll never look back.


VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A valuable addition to your (travel) library, 20 Jul 2004
The big hardback thesauri are too big, and the mini or Gem thesauri are too small for your needs. Then look no further than The Oxford Paperback Thesauarus (OPT). According to the introductory blurb, it is an abridgement of the New Oxford Thesaurus of English published in 2000. In fact it is 95% of said New Oxford Thesaurus of English. Having downloaded the pdf file with a sample of the larger thesaurus and compared it to this OPT, I was amazed. For a fraction of the price you do indeed get an average of 95% of the content!
The layout is good: headwords are in a bold sans-serif font and the synonyms are in a (for some maybe a little too small) serif font. The different senses of the words are clearly numbered and in general each sense begins with an example sentence. These sentences annoy some, but I find them a welcome addition: they help you get as close as possible to the intended nuance of meaning.
As an example: the word "flat" as adjective (no abbrevitation, it really is an adjective and not and adj.). There are 11 clearly numbered nuances of meaning (white numbers in black circles), each one beginning with an example sentence and the 8th pointing out that the usage for that nuance is British. The verb "take" has 34 (!!) numbered nuances.
This is one book that will travel with me. 968 pages of useful information covering just about all the vocabulary you are going need on a daily basis.
One minor groan: Oxford never uses the best available paper in its paperback books. Chances are the pages will start yellowing after about a year.
Are you a linguistic masochist? Then buy the Chambers Giant Paperback Thesaurus instead. If the Oxford can be compared to a cruise on the QM2, the Chambers can be compared to crossing the Channel in a rowing boat. But Chambers makes use of good quality paper.
Even at the cover price of GBP 6.99, the OPT is worth every penny. If you find otherwise, do not hesitate to take me to task!

Probably the best of a poor showing of thesauri, 26 Jul 2001
The work is a reasonable attempt to produce a useful reference work. It suffers to some extent from the author's attempt to put more into a thesaurus than is strictly necessary. When I use one it is because I wish to find a word-equivalent which may be synonymous or simply be loosely related. I do not want a list of examples of how to use the word, or someone elses's view of how the various words should be grouped or categorised, nor do I want a dictionary. I don't want someone else's opinion about the frequency with which the words are used - I simply want a LIST OF WORDS! Get it????? Having said all that, the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus is about the best of a very poor bunch at the present time. The best of all was the Chambers Thesaurus ISBN 1-85296-017-5. My paperback copy is falling to bits and it is plain that I will have to try to get it repaired. On a scale of 0 - 10 I would give this 10. If you can find a copy grab it and treasure it. I would award the Oxford Paperback maybe 6/10 and most of the others a mere 3 or 4 out of ten.

Useful, 06 Dec 2007
advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile

Stupendous., 20 Aug 2008
This is a fabulous dictionary and thesaurus. The explanations are concise and easy to understand and the synonyms are clearly laid out and embedded within the dictionary. Highly recommended.

A must have for anyone with the need to KNOW!, 04 Aug 1999
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this book. I have returned to school and am pursuing a Grad. Degree in Psych./Social Services. If you are studying Philosophy, Religion, Physics, Engineering, English Lit.,and the list continues; or merely trying to express yourself better! This book is essential. If it's not in here, it's not worth knowing!

Best concise dictionary I've used!, 07 Apr 1999
As a publications editor, I use my dictionary many times a day. I have found this particular dictionary to be the best I've ever used (I wish I had owned this book when I was in grad school). The definitions are clear and crisp, and the synonyms are a nice additional check on meaning and connotation as well as welcome suggestions for alternate words. This book is a must for writers and editors; it truly is the "ultimate language reference." I bought a copy for the office and a copy for my home.

Essential rehearsal kit....., 17 Jan 2007
I am a acting and voice teacher in a London drama school. I trained in Stanislavski about 25 years ago, worked as an actress till I stopped liking it and have been teaching and directing with great enthusiasm ever since. And ...(big confession).....I didn't get it till I worked with this book.
You see.......
You only need to play the actions. Just play actions. Any actions.
And preferably weird, wonderful wacky actions. Let your imagination run wild........and this little book will help you to do that, even when you have run out of steam, energy and ideas, even when you think that finding an action to play on this line is impossible and you've thought about it for hours and hours........hear come Maggie and Marina, riding over the brow of the hill like the cavalry, full of the most delicious, particular, cheeky, sparky, whimsical words. All playable. All there in your back pocket (if you've any sense)

I will never go to work without it.


A lot of knowlege in a small book, 15 Nov 2004
This book obviously took a huge amount of work, the editing alone I can see and must assume, had to have been a gargantuan undertaking. It is the perfect book of its kind, and a 'must have' for actors at all stages of their career, be they Garsides (unknown) or Gambons. My heart felt thanks to the authors for their efforts, and I hope it will bring me closer to my goals of treading the boards in better surroundings that the local amateur dramatics productions.

ýOne of English languageýs greatest achievementsý, 05 Sep 2004
It is rare to encounter such a well considered and helpful reference work. The thesaurus is based on the work of Peter Roget's original 1852 manuscript and is structured by six classes of word meanings which are later cross referenced in the index. This arrangement is useful for exploring ideas and is a great pleasure to use. The 150th Anniversary Edition includes new modern vocabulary and several interesting essays explaining the history, purpose and ideas behind the book. This item comes highly recommended as an excellent desk reference.

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and phrases, 04 Apr 2003
This book is extremely useful to all - students, scholars and for general family use. It is easy to use and the thumb indexed edition is especially helpful for speeding up your search. I would recommend this book to anyone who does English or Journalism, or for anyone simply wishing to improve their range of vocabulary. This is the best thesaurus I have come across.

A labyrinth., 12 Jun 2007
This book follows all features of the makings of a good maze; you choose an entry and follow it. Then, you make a choice of what sub-route to follow. This procedure is repeated over and over again until you end up in a room that is a pool of hundreds of words, where you forget what led you here in the first place while you are drowning. This is not a tool, this deserves a whole subject of study itself.

Invaluable for writing better English, 14 Dec 2005
When my old Roget's wore out, I hesitated to buy another – aren't there free on-line services which do the same thing? Wrong. The Penguin Reference Roget's is infinitely superior to the on-line thesaurus services. By narrowing down the scope of the word you're looking for in the index (eg "tired" is subdivided into "inactive", "sleepy" or "fatigued") you rapidly reach exactly the synonyms or related words you're looking for. If you want to improve your English vocabulary and write with concision and style, the printed book remains unbeatable. It's also fun to browse, and makes a great gift.

Conclusion: after 150 years, still a powerful writing tool.

A very helpful and even entertaining book, 31 Aug 2003
I find this book very interesting and as helpful as entertaining.

Very useful, 10 Apr 2006
I needed a comprehensive, easy to use, and I found this nice book on Amazon, and for this price it is a real bargain. I even bought one for my friend as well. It is very important to have one of these if you're a student, or a writer or have any interest in words and their meaning. It is easy to use, and uptill now, it did not let me down, I found all the words I needed and more...

Fantastic Reference, 20 Mar 2008
It is a must tool for a student of English Language. What is unique about this dictionary is that it provides a word's definition in English followed by its translation in Arabic. Hence, students are given the opportunity to appreciate the meaning in English before resorting to the translation in Arabic - a further reinforcement.