Chambers Dictionary
Encyclopedia
The Chambers Dictionary was first published by W. and R. Chambers as Chambers's English Dictionary in 1872. It was an expanded version of Chambers's Etymological Dictionary of 1867, compiled by James Donald. A second edition came out in 1898, and was followed in 1901 by a new compact edition called Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary.
TCD is widely used by British crossword
solvers and setters, and by Scrabble
players (though it is no longer the official Scrabble dictionary). It contains many more dialect
al, archaic, unconventional and eccentric words than its rivals, and is noted for its occasional wryly humorous definitions. Examples of such definitions include those for éclair ("a cake, long in shape but short in duration") and middle-aged ("between youth and old age, variously reckoned to suit the reckoner"). These jocular definitions were removed by the publisher in the 1970s, but many of them were reinstated in 1983 because of the affection in which they were held by readers.
The twelfth edition of The Chambers Dictionary was published in August 2011 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd
and runs to 1936 pages. The eleventh edition is available for mobile use as an iPhone and iPad app. Also on sale is the smaller 21st Century Dictionary of 1664 pages, where "the focus is on the English that people use today, and definitions are given in straightforward, accessible language". This dictionary can be accessed for free online.
In an agreement with Mattel
the Chambers dictionary was also the official source of words for the book "Official Scrabble Words" (OSW), a lexicon of all words and inflections playable in tournament Scrabble
within the UK and other countries like New Zealand and Australia. In 2005 Mattel changed the source dictionary to Collins
.
TCD is widely used by British crossword
Crossword
A crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer...
solvers and setters, and by Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
players (though it is no longer the official Scrabble dictionary). It contains many more dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
al, archaic, unconventional and eccentric words than its rivals, and is noted for its occasional wryly humorous definitions. Examples of such definitions include those for éclair ("a cake, long in shape but short in duration") and middle-aged ("between youth and old age, variously reckoned to suit the reckoner"). These jocular definitions were removed by the publisher in the 1970s, but many of them were reinstated in 1983 because of the affection in which they were held by readers.
The twelfth edition of The Chambers Dictionary was published in August 2011 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd
Chambers Harrap
Chambers Harrap Publishers is a reference publisher formerly based in Edinburgh, Scotland, which held the property rights of the venerable W.R.Chambers Publishers and its competitor George G. Harrap and Company .-History of Chambers:Chambers was founded as "W. & R...
and runs to 1936 pages. The eleventh edition is available for mobile use as an iPhone and iPad app. Also on sale is the smaller 21st Century Dictionary of 1664 pages, where "the focus is on the English that people use today, and definitions are given in straightforward, accessible language". This dictionary can be accessed for free online.
In an agreement with Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
the Chambers dictionary was also the official source of words for the book "Official Scrabble Words" (OSW), a lexicon of all words and inflections playable in tournament Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
within the UK and other countries like New Zealand and Australia. In 2005 Mattel changed the source dictionary to Collins
Collins English Dictionary
The Collins English Dictionary is an important printed dictionary of English. It is published by HarperCollins.The first edition of the Collins English Dictionary with Patrick Hanks as editor and Lawrence Urdang as editorial director, was a milestone in British dictionary making as it was the...
.
See also
- Chambers's EncyclopaediaChambers's EncyclopaediaChambers's Encyclopaedia was founded in 1860 by W. & R. Chambers. It has no relationship with the Chambers' Cyclopaedia, or Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences of Ephraim Chambers in the 18th century, except that the latter shared the same name as the publisher of this.-History:The first...
- William Chambers
- Robert Chambers
- Chambers Harrap PublishersChambers HarrapChambers Harrap Publishers is a reference publisher formerly based in Edinburgh, Scotland, which held the property rights of the venerable W.R.Chambers Publishers and its competitor George G. Harrap and Company .-History of Chambers:Chambers was founded as "W. & R...