The Concise Oxford English Dictionary by H. W. Fowler
For this new edition, Oxford's lexicographers have used evidence provided by The British National Corpus to rewrite every entry to represent English as it is used today. There are over 220,000 words, phrases and meanings covering current and historical English, and specialist and technical areas. Each entry is now clearer and more accessible, with the most modern meanings placed first, and definitions given in a clear and straightforward style. Authoritative guidance on grammar and usage is provided in highlighted boxes, that addresses contentious and controversial views. There are also new Word Formation panels that show how complex words are created and identify different word groups such as phobias, cultures and ariums, adding to the rich coverage of English.