Describers Dictionary A Treasury Of Terms &

Have you ever found yourself grasping in vain for that ideal descriptive word lost somewhere within the misty recesses of your vocabulary? Or felt frustrated that an oddly shaped structure or pretty setting you wished to portray in writing didn't quite translate clearly to paper?

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then The Describer's Dictionaryis exactly the book you need. Open it, and you have not only just the right words but'"bringing them to life'"stellar literary examples of descriptive writing as well.

The Dictionaryconcern itself with the observable, from shapes to buildings to human beings. "Referably" organized, the book uses a handy reverse, definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term you're seeking. For example, look up "Noses" to find "aquiline," "leptorrhine," and "snub-nosed." And as an inspiration to any writer'"showing how it's done by the best'"hundreds of colorful and evocative descriptive passages from such diverse authors as Dickens, Darwin, and Updike appear on facing pages, making this a singularly and richly different kind of reference book.

The craft of description lives in literature, conversation, journalism, and personal letters. For help in painting pictures with the English language, The Desciber's Dictionaryis one of the most indispensable reference tools you can own.

" " Digby Diehl

"Offer[s] hours of fun and useful words.... Valuable to writers, readers, and those stuck for a word or phrase to spice up a letter or diary entry." Digby Diehl

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then is exactly the book you need. Open it, and you have not only just the right words but--bringing them to life--stellar literary examples of descriptive writing as well. The concern itself with the observable, from shapes to buildings to human beings. "Referably" organized, the book uses a handy reverse, definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term you're seeking. For example, look up "Noses" to find "aquiline," "leptorrhine," and "snub-nosed." And as an inspiration to any writer--showing how it's done by the best--hundreds of colorful and evocative descriptive passages from such diverse authors as Dickens, Darwin, and Updike appear on facing pages, making this a singularly and richly different kind of reference book. The craft of description lives in literature, conversation, journalism, and personal letters. For help in painting pictures with the English language, is one of the most indispensable reference tools you can own.

TheDictionary concern itself with the observable, from shapes to buildings to human beings. "Referably" organized, the book uses a handy reverse, definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term you're seeking. For example, look up "Noses" to find "aquiline," "leptorrhine," and "snub-nosed." And as an inspiration to any writer showing how it's done by the best hundreds of colorful and evocative descriptive passages from such diverse authors as Dickens, Darwin, and Updike appear on facing pages, making this a singularly and richly different kind of reference book. The craft of description lives in literature, conversation, journalism, and personal letters. For help in painting pictures with the English language, The Desciber's Dictionary is one of the most indispensable reference tools you can own. "

A Treasury of Terms and Literary Quotations

David Grambs has worked as a dictionary definer for American Heritage and Random House, translator, encyclopedia writer, magazine copy editor, and travel-guide journalist. Among his books on words and language are The Describer's Dictionary, The Endangered English Dictionary and, with Ellen S. Levine, coauthor of So You Think You Can Spell?. He lives in New York City.