The Oxford modern English dictionary /

Using the venerable Oxford University Press citation files as well as the British National Corpus database, The Concise Oxford Dictionary features 150,000 entries and 230,000 definitions. Definitions are brief and to the point, which gives the work its title. Libraries desiring a British dictionary (albeit one with plenty of American terms) to complement American dictionaries will certainly want to consider this work. The Oxford Modern English Dictionary is actually a compact edition of The Concise Oxford Dictionary, at a price more in line with collegiate/desk dictionaries. The difference? Fewer definitions, with pronunciations given only for "difficult words." Even when pronunciations are given, Oxford Modern favors what the preface calls a "simple respelling system" over the IPA. Since pronunciation represents "the standard speech of southern England," American users are better off not using pronunciations in this work, anyway. Etymologies have likewise been toned down, with technical terminology kept to a minimum. Although neither work will be a first choice in American libraries, both merit consideration, given Oxford's standing in the lexicographic field.