reverse dictionary

[mollykins]

My nan has this reverse dictionary, but I never saw how it works. Aparantly, if you know the meaning of a word but can't remember what it is, you can some how look it up and it tells you the word, but how?

[Prudie]

Not a Thesaurus then?

[mollykins]

No, the title of it was 'reverse dictionary'.

[mollykins]

At first I thought it meant it went from z to a but mum said that you look up a meaning then it tells you the word you're looking for.

[factor-fiction]

Examples here.http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionar
y.shtml

[factor-fiction]

http://www.onelook.co...erse-dictionary.shtml

[mollykins]

hhmmmm, but with the internet you can type in stuff and it finds stuff that's relevant, would a book be by categories?

[shaneystar2]

Oxford publish a reverse dictionary as do Chambers
http://www.amazon.co....ference/dp/0192801139
http://www.amazon.co....sswords/dp/0550100490

You can also get dictionary type reference books which contain lists grouped alphabetically under various headings . eg Bradfords Crossword Lists .

[Quizmonkey]

I've used a reverse dictionary for years - very good for obscure words needed for crosswords. Say you needed the word for 'shaped like a sword', you look up sword and it will have subheads like 'shaped like a s', 's with curved blade' etc.