What could be more important than THIS?

Why do they put the word "dictionary" in the dictionary? Ya gotta know
what it is if you're using the dumb thing, dontcha? Besides, it's
written right on the cover what it is and if you don't know what it's
used for you aint gonna look it up are ya? Heck, cant'cha just look on
the cover if you don't know how to spell it or do they think we're so
dumb that we're gonna look it up for the spelling? Think of all the
trillions of dictionarys in the world and multiply that by the amount
of ink and paper it takes to put dictionary in a dictionary. That's
probably a whole damned rain forest and an ink spill the size of the
one from the Exxon Valdez! I say we all boycott the dictionary companys
till they start taking that needless word out!

_________________________

DL

 

It is there for people like Clinton that need to know the definition of "is".

 

If they didn't put the word "dictionary" in the dictionary then scrabbles rules lawyers wouldn't let you use it.

well... Hey, that could be the reason... really it could it be.

 

are you OK?

 

Who me?

When?

DL

 

I have always been rather fond of The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce which has this to say:

In the interest of keeping an open mind on the subject I recently read The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester which tells the story of the Oxford English Dictionary. It is quite interesting and helps one appreciate the effort involved in producing such an enormous work.

Since I don't have the cash or shelf space to indulge myself with the full 20 volume OED here it is for you straight from the pages of the Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus:

 

Main Entry: is
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German ist is (from sIn to be), Latin est (from esse to be), Greek esti (from einai to be)
present third singular of BE
dialect present first & second singular of BE
dialect present plural of BE
___

Main Entry: be
Pronunciation: 'bE
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): past first & third singular was /'w&z, 'wäz/; second singular were /'w&r/; plural were past subjunctive were past part been /'bin, chiefly British 'bEn/; present part be·ing /'bE(-i)[ng]/; present first singular am /&m, 'am/; second singular are /'är, &r/; third singular is /'iz, &z/; plural are present subjunctive be
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English bEon; akin to Old High German bim am, Latin fui I have been, futurus about to be, fieri to become, be done, Greek phynai to be born, be by nature, phyein to produce
intransitive senses
1 a : to equal in meaning : have the same connotation as : SYMBOLIZE <God is love> <January is the first month> <let x be 10> b : to have identity with <the first person I met was my brother> c : to constitute the same class as d : to have a specified qualification or characterization <the leaves are green> e : to belong to the class of <the fish is a trout> -- used regularly in senses 1a through 1e as the copula of simple predication
2 a : to have an objective existence : have reality or actuality : LIVE <I think, therefore I am> <once upon a time there was a knight> b : to have, maintain, or occupy a place, situation, or position <the book is on the table> c : to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form <let him be> d : to take place : OCCUR <the concert was last night> e : to come or go <has already been and gone> <has never been to the circus> f archaic : BELONG, BEFALL
verbal auxiliary
1 -- used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive-voice auxiliary <the money was found> <the house is being built>
2 -- used as the auxiliary of the present participle in progressive tenses expressing continuous action <he is reading> <I have been sleeping>
3 -- used with the past participle of some intransitive verbs as an auxiliary forming archaic perfect tenses <Christ is risen from the dead -- 1 Cor 15:20 (Douay Version)>
4 -- used with the infinitive with to to express futurity, arrangement in advance, or obligation <I am to interview him today> <she was to become famous>

 

You guys are really board right?

 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Scrabble has their own, separate dictionary...

 

You mean bored?

After all, this is a dictionary thread.

 

.
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sweeeeet. I needed a chuckle this morning. thanks.

 

suck

VERB: Inflected forms: sucked, suck·ing, sucks

TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To draw (liquid) into the mouth by movements of the tongue and lips that create suction.
2a. To draw in by establishing a partial vacuum: a cleaning device that sucks up dirt. b. To draw in by or as if by a current in a fluid. c. To draw or pull as if by suction: teenagers who are sucked into a life of crime.
3. To draw nourishment through or from: suck a baby bottle.
4. To hold, moisten, or maneuver (a sweet, for example) in the mouth.
5. Vulgar Slang To perform fellatio on.

INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To draw something in by or as if by suction: felt the drain starting to suck.
2. To draw nourishment; suckle.
3. To make a sound caused by suction.
4. Vulgar Slang To be disgustingly disagreeable or offensive.

NOUN: 1. The act or sound of sucking.
2. Suction.
3. Something drawn in by sucking.

 

What's another word for Thesaurus?

 

the other book on the shelf?

 

Why do boat owners put the name of their ski boats (a large sticker) on the rear windows of their trucks and not the names of their trucks on the front window of their boats?

 

For the same reason, car owners put names of their cars on their chest/shirts and not the name of their shirts on the front/back of their cars?

 

The problem is, the OED is the end-all-be-all of words in the English language. If it isn't in the OED, it is not a word. That, and somebody might be interested in the etymology. Dictionaries are useful for more things than spell checking. I read the whole thing. The zebra did it. (Thanks Steven Wright!)

 

To mimic another on this site:

GET OFF THE SAUCE!!!!

or

PUT DOWN THE SAUCE!!

 

No mimicking of Brother Bruce on this site!

 

Bruce is a good man, and I think highly of him. (as he knows)