Table Of ContentELUSIVE WOR DS-AWKWARD WOR DS
IMPRESSIVE WOR DS:PERSUASIVE WORDS
PRECISE WOR DS-TECHNICAL WORDS
RIZAIDIER'S DICLST
RENERS)
HOW TO FIND THE WORDS ON THETIP
OF YOUR TONGUE
Reader’ Digest
REVERSE DICTIONARY
READER'S DIGEST REVERSE DICTIONARY
“Text compiled by Wordraft Eting and Writing Liited
Edited and designed by
“The Reader's Digest Assocation Limited, London
Fant Eaiion Copyright © 1989
‘The Reader’ Digest Assocation Limited
25 Berkeley Square, London WIX 6AB,
Copyright © 1989
‘Reade’ Digest Associaton Far East Limited
Philippmes Copyright
1989 Readers Digest Asoition Far East Lid
‘Many trademarks and proprietary names appear
{in the tet ofthis book. They ae wally
‘dented bya apt eter. Although often in fly
several use, such terms renin legally protected. Thee icon
ere should ot be understood ts suggesting otherwise, and
doesnot sugest that they are or maybe wed as
‘uademack without the permision ofthe registered own.
All ight reserved. No part ofthis book may be
reproduced, stored in a retival stem or tamed
in any form or by any means, elecuonc, electrostatic,
magnetic ape, mechanical, photocopying, recording oF
‘others, witout permission in wring from the publishers
READERS DIGrst, The Digs, andthe Pepass logo
ae registered trademarks of The Reader's Digest Asociation, Ine,
Prine in Hone Korg
“The tpetace use for tet in this book is
‘08 9p Times Roman
Reader’ Digest
REVERSE
DICTIONARY
Published by
THE READER’ DIGEST ASSOCIATION LIMITED.
London - New York - Montreal- Sydney
Contributors
EDITOR
John Ellison Kahn, MA, DPhil
‘CONSULTANT EDITOR
Robert Toa, MA, PRD,
Associate Distr of The Survey of Enis Usage
Honorary Research Felon, Univeraty College, London
“Elon Intemational iourna of Leicopraphy
‘The publishers thank the following
{for hte vaable eda and tescoptaphic
‘onrbutons fo this Book
Faye Carney, MA
Sylvia Chaler, MA.
Emily Driver, BA
Nichols Jones, MA
Contents
Full list of charts and illustrations 6-7
Introduction: From the idea to the word 8-9
PART ONE: THE REVERSE DICTIONARY 10-576
PART TWO: LEXICON OF DIFFICULT WORDS 577-767
Acknowledgments 768
Charts and illustrations
(QUICK-REFERENCE FEATURES THAT PINPOINT THE WORD YOU NEED
Page numbers in bold figures
indicate charts and tables
Page numbers in alc figures
indiate illustrations
Abbey R
‘Aboriginal terms ”
Adis «
‘Ages of man v
Aircralt B
‘Alchemy terms »
Alphabets and writing 21
‘acme
‘American Eaglsh terms 22
‘American Indian tems 28,
Anges u
‘Aina terms 2526
Anniversaries n
‘ch »
‘Archaeology terms ”
‘Achtectural styles a
‘Achteture terms 2
‘Armour 2
Art movements 3
Astrology terms 7
Astronomy tems ™
Aumosphere »
‘Awsralan terms a
‘Bacon and ham cute “
Bale terms “
Beef cuts 0st
Bicyle 5435
Birds 56,57
Blood comsitvents o
and cemice
a
oss
606
o
@
7”
Brickwork bonds
Bridges
Buds terms
alten terms
(Cakes and biscuits
Canonical hours
car
ard games
Caste
Cheeses
(Chemisty terms
Court
Cssieation
Clergymen
erica othing
Colum
Compute terms
Conseliations
Cooking
Cricket
Croats
Careney
Dances
Desserts and puddings
Digestive system
Dinosaurs
Diseases, dsorder,
nd coitons
ra terms
Drinks
Drugs of abuse
Dyes and pigments
Dynasties
Ear
Earth
”
”
8
%
”
a
1089
6
11s, 19
1s, 25
28
9
m
ne
10
conomicand nance terms
Eee
leciity and 1645
lect terms
Embroidery stitches 166.7
Engines and motors 170
Bye
Fabrics
Fencing terms 186
Feudal and medieval terms 197
‘ioaie
Fms and fling terms 191
Fh 13
Fish des 3
Fishing terms 4
Flags Ws
Flower 7
Fractures 20
French tems 26
Frat ”
Furniture »
Gases 22
Gemstones 24
Geographical features 215
Geometrical shapes 216417
German tems 218
Gucer 20
lands 20
Golf terms as
Government systems 224
Grammar and 26
Greek alphabet a
Guns 220, 231
Hairstyles ay
Hand 2s
Hanes 2s
Hate 29
Heart 20
Herldy 20,244
Herbs and spices as
Hinduism terms 2
Holidays and festivals 208
Horse 21
Horse-drawn veces 282,
2s
Indian terms 21
Insect 266
Insurance terms 6
Internat combustion 2689,
‘nai
1h terms ~
lam ters m0
Italian terms m
Japanese terms m
Jet engine
Jewellery ns
Judaism and Jewish terms 276
Keybourdinsrumens 279
Knives 20
Kote 2
Laboratory equipment 283
Lamb ext 285
atin words and phases 288-9
Leaders and rulers eo
Leaf shapes 2m
Leathers and hides et
Legal terms Ds
teary terms om
Manias ~~
aot terms af
Map projections an
Mathematics 313,314
Measuring instruments 316
Magica and areal 307
Medicines a8
Mens terms sa
Monsters and mythological 304
Mouth, nose and thoat 335,
Mashcom 26
Music 374,339
Newoussysem 348,344
Nobility Ms
Numbers ue
“ologesand-oprapies 3568
Organ 389
Pring and elated
Paper sizes xs
Paraments 6
Past 308
Percussion instruments 372
Philosophies 86
Phobias ”
Physics terms a7
Piano ”
Poetry terms 286
Pork cuts 201
Prayers ™
Precious stones »s
Printing terms 00
Psychology and 067
pet) terms
Punctuation and daciice 408
Religion oot
Rocks and minerals 31
Roman Catholic terms
Roman terms a
Roots as
san terme my
sade we
sailing 40,465
Sauces “
Scientific instruments 409
Sots terms “
sexipts eo
Seuipeure terms o
Services ranks ”
Sewing tems as
Shapes “
Ships “6
Shoes and boots 48, 469
‘Shing terms m
Skin a
Soldier rn)
Soups =
South African terme 484
Spanish terms as
Sports and games oo
Stirs mn
Sing instruments 0
Surgical operations or
Swords S10
Theatre 517, 518419
Therapies 0
Toasts ss
Tools 6
“Tooth a7
‘Typtaces su
Veal cuts su
Vegetable dishes 6
Vegetables sts
Vehices se
iin 5
Volcano 5501
Weapons ss
Weather and climate terms $589
Weighs and measures S601
Wind instruments set
Windmils aod watemile 565,
Windows 506
Winds so
Wines sa
Zodiac signs 6
From the idea to the word
‘THE REVERSE DICTIONARY AND HOW IT WORKS
“when the pantomime of exasperation begins) you snap
Several angles of atack
“The Reverse Dison ssn all 8 wordnet.
pone to en he pec word fran ea that
Ita be in your min atta ou can expe You
ave the athe took provi he word Ir oes hi
by erecting yu fom amit word conc with
{rom the word jou kaw othe wor ou ne.
‘The familiar “ese word” ene 10 the thy “rst
srt nny of eaten ay:
= by meas of dtion eng you det to
ste get word
= by refering you to 8 cart of terme 08
pair ajo, whe get wed eng thew
= by refering yout an station on wich he
‘age word ino
Stppse you ae tig to el or cover he sae
forte supe os woman th serve 3 clan
tspporing the tot of big ie tcet Gree
YVerous words come 10 miod a pomble car —
roman, sy, 0 ere, coli Look op ny of
‘heen mr, nd il lead yo to he aget word
fxxvane. Wom take you there by may of
eto, sce by way of 2 chat of spre
‘erm, and clu byway of on sation,
Note the dni festa of hie apronch neck
coe tad of starting th + Renton! and mong
the Revere Dictionary starts with the defaiton, ati
(yrds mee he word you ae scing
Hing the target
Most urgt words can be aprons tom sever
Siren lst you can ook up any of several
synonyms IC youre ing to remember the word
“TuwecTOnY, Osun, Yul ed Yu ook wp
ath rere (uve gh path.) of abt aD
Fath). Or you may appro the target wor om
‘cater of anoion ther than snore =
al thrown though the ar bas nts, 0 70
igh aim a te target word by looking op bal or
fir. Ad sine mises to have ters, you
‘ul thee word mio the tage
"Te gus ie of the human mind works by
ltr hiking a we as ght opal king,
tnd many oie word have been sled 10 make
‘iat scoring oo wp he cor words, Jo, a
aero fd the reper ret words eat,
tart word mt even e cet by is opos i
‘hat seems a prombing.approch othe term
‘legaton ole found by ooking up prem, as
{vty col be found by ooking op mera
Clary weld be imracietet0 provie every
‘he Revere Disonay i more tha jut word Sader
Tes vray uer oo Ise at 6 etn Your
commando wos — to ig ito the cate of Your
‘oring vestry take words tat hve up 10 88
