A friend in need is a friend indeed,” says a Latin proverb and according to me it aptly defines ‘dictionary’.

There are many ways through which a person can find out more about words, but the best one is to use a dictionary!

It can be a very handy tool for people belonging to different sections of life, and to cater to their different needs there are many varieties of dictionaries available in the market, such as etymology dictionary, subject dictionary, language dictionary, etc. However, it is wise to use a native dictionary, as we know that English has many dialects which consist of multifarious accents and vocabulary. For American English there is Webster, for British English one can use Oxford and Macquarie for Australian English are at the top of the list.

It goes without saying that Oxford Advanced Learner is chef d’oeuvre. Besides this there is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and The Webster’s New World College Dictionary, which has received brilliant reviews and is used by the Associate Press, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and other leading newspapers as their official dictionary of choice.

‘Old is gold’ is somewhat a misnomer regarding the selection of dictionary. Language is always on the flux, new words are frequently added in a dictionary, therefore, it is wise to keep the latest edition of the dictionary with you so that you can have access to the up-to-date information on words.

A good dictionary like Oxford Advanced Learner helps you in different aspects of language when you are in mind-boggling situations. But sometimes we do not take full benefit of what is offered to us. That’s why we commit errors or I would take the liberty to say blunders. One should consult a dictionary every now and then and its usage becomes inevitable when we come across a new word.

The best way to use a dictionary is to read the preface because it explains the grammatical symbols and provides a guide to phonetic symbols which help in the accurate pronunciation of the words. One should never remain stuck to looking up only meanings but also focus on the pronunciation.

A dictionary is also an excellent grammar book, which helps us in recognising whether the word is a noun, verb, helping verb or an adjective. It also gives an idea about whether a noun is singular or plural; a verb is regular or irregular and about forming inflections.

Dictionary is, without a speck of doubt, a treasure house of the words, which also serves as an etymologist by telling you the origin of different words.

In a nutshell, like a true friend, a dictionary helps you in every possible way. Using a dictionary also improves your vocabulary, if you spend a few minutes going through it or even rechecking the words that are already your possession, you will find that your language skills have improved. All you have to do is to have a keen eye and quest for knowledge!