This new edition has been completely revised and updated to create a title that reflects real English in an accessible, modern design. It provides not only a generous choice of synonyms and antonyms, but many other useful features.

This thumb-indexed edition includes a general-purpose dictionary and a thesaurus in dictionary form, arranged so that the relevant material from each appears on the same page, an arrangement made possible by the use of computer data-handling. Meanings, spelling, pronunciation, usage and a wide range of words and phrases are instantly available. The dictionary in this volume is derived from the Collins English Dictionary while the thesaurus is derived from the New Collins Thesaurus.

This work goes back to the sources of modern English words and studies the development of vocabulary over time. It examines what constitutes a word, with a discussion of words that look and sound the same, words that have several meanings, and "words" that are made up of more than one "word". As well as considering the borrowing of words from other languages throughout the history of English as a means of increasing the vocabulary, the book also outlines how English forms new words by exploiting the structure of existing words, through processes of derivation and compounding. The meaning of a word is composite of a number of relations: reference to external context, relations with other words of a similar or opposite meaning, collocational relations, and so on. The book grapples with the meaning problem, but then goes on to look at the contexts in which words are used and the purposes for which they are used, raising the question whether it is more sensible to talk about English "vocabularies" rather than English "vocabulary".

“English Dictionary and Thesaurus” combines a comprehensive dictionary with all the alternatives and opposites the user needs. The book is designed for ease of use, with thumb tabs on every page and all entry words highlighted in bold. This layout means that you can be sure to find all the information you need in the quickest time possible. A dictionary is a kind of reference book that explains the meaning of words. Dictionary serves to help someone recognize new words. In addition to explaining the meaning of words, dictionaries may also have guidelines for the designation, origin of a word and also examples of usage for a word. To clarify, sometimes there are also illustrations in the dictionary. Whereas the thesaurus is a reference list of vocabulary that is grouped based on similarity in meaning (containing synonyms or antonyms), in contrast to dictionaries, which provide definitions of words, and generally list them in alphabetical order. The main purpose of references is so that users can find the most appropriate vocabulary to express ideas. Although it includes synonyms, the thesaurus should not be taken as a complete list of all synonyms for a particular word. Entries are also designed to draw differences between similar words and help in choosing the right words. Unlike dictionaries, thesaurus entries do not provide word definitions.

Rather than presenting a reverse list of words in endless sequence and strictly alphabetical order, this Reverse English Dictionary considers the structure and formation of words, grouping them together in sections and subdivisions. This way of looking at words from behind and comparing similar word endings reveals new and unaccustomed aspects of the structure of words and their formation, illustrating the enormous variety of the English language.