Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases

Roget's Thesaurus is a classic and I am always agog at the learning and stamina of its original compilers. It is divided into sections and therefore needs an index to find a particular word and this takes up nearly half of the book. The sections include " Abstract relations" with 8 sub-headings, "Space" with 4 and so on. Let's say you want "uselessness" (as I did when my cake sank): you go to the index, find "useless" as an adjective and at number 641. There you find the noun "uselessness" with many synonyms, other numbered words to look up, sub-sections such as "rubbish" (describes my cake exactly!), the adjectival sense with similar entries and the verb "make useless". Best of all is the inclusion of expressions: here are several such as "flog a dead horse" (as in trying to revive a failed cake!) It is therefore a dictionary of idioms also. Using it sounds complex but it does become second nature when you have a copy in your eager hands - so buy it now. You won't regret it!

This edition replaced my battered 1962 version and is predictably much more comprehensive including many new words and phrases. Its layout is much clearer with better spacing but the format is essentially the same. The main innovation is the introduction of literary quotations and text boxes. The latter includes lists of cheeses, cocktails, wines and grapes, chemical elements and terms used in particle physics; all essential for crossword addicts. I am not sure of the value of "It is quite a three-pipe problem" (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) under 459 Enquiry but the quotes add interest to searches. Highly recommended.

Being German and finding it fairly easy to learn the English language - nine years in total - no teacher ever told me about this amazing book. An English friend of mine gave it to me as a present for my 26th birthday, some thirty-four years ago. He put a hand-written dedication in it saying "You should never be short of the right word". As it so often happens, we are not in touch with each other anymore. And that's what this book is all about - an astonishing array of vocabulary with a cross-over into six different categories. About every ten years I get hold of the latest edition. I can't live without it. Dennis Andrew King - where are you now?

Good book, but the text is slightly smaller than my old one and this can make it difficult to read. For instance, whole sections in this book are shorter in length than my old book. At the same time, some of the sections give more information. If you can read without a magnifying glass, it will do.

The FULL Roget's Thesaurus - this is the most comprehensive edition you will find. Though it takes a little longer to refer to than a dictionary thesaurus, the original Roget's format, listing words by concept and group, is much more conducive to imaginative writing and inspiration because for each word it gives a much broader selection of synonyms. Such a pity the seller I bought it from took three weeks to get it from Slough to Oxford. I use this copy in conjunction with an 1899 edition of the Thesaurus which contains a surprising number of expressions which have been expunged from the modern version.

This was a present for a 95 year old to help with her crosswords, I thought it would help her as I already have had one for years & think it's invaluable, however, the postman left it behind my wheelie bin in the rain without putting a card through my door, it was there for 2 days & is all wrinkly. I have told the postoffice but it is an uphill struggle to get them to understand that I received it, not sent it!

I bought my first Penguin version of the Roget's Thesaurus, second hand, during my 2nd year at seniors school. Since then I bought and worn out 3 further copies. Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (Penguin Reference) is my 4th copy. I've looked at and used other thesauruses (or thesauri depending on your dictionary) and always found this incarnation the easiest to use. In most cases, books are beginning to lose out to their on-line brethren but I feel that this book gives you a much greater and easier access to similar words than any on-line version I've used. Amazon's price also makes it almost a crime NOT to buy a copy for your home - your kids will love you for it!!!!!

Do not look to far into words, it can be dangerous if your interest study the words of biblical scripture its every enlightening and good for the soul.

Even as a college student, I loved the Roget's Thesarus. One of the finest, quickest, and easiest, ways to build your English vocabulary. EVERY word, along with its roots, and its synonyms, is explained in a very detailed fashion, and in a manner that it becomes to forget any word !!! Bravo, and good wishes. Dr. AVS Ramesh Chandra

Todo bien

Very cool.

That book is very helpful if you have to right a paper or if you are doing a dissertation

My son loved it