Product Description

You know what you want to say but can't think of the word. You can describe what you're thinking but you don't know the name for it. Perhaps you have a general word in mind but you need a more specific term. The Writer's Digest Flip Dictionary solves these common problems! Best-selling author Barbara Ann Kipfer has crated a huge reference that offers cues and clue words to lead writers to the exact phrase or specific term they need. It goes beyond the standard reverse dictionary format to offer dozens of charts and tables, listing groups by subject (such as automobiles, clothing types, plants, tools, etc.) Writers of fiction and nonfiction will use it to find that elusive word they need, and word lovers will find it an entertaining book to simply sit and browse through. Crossword puzzlers will also find it invaluable. In all, this indispensable desk reference is as necessary as a dictionary or thesaurus - but a lot more fun.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #723176 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 720 pages

Amazon.com Review
"Omit needless words," intone Strunk and White in The Elements of Style; "use definite, specific, concrete language." In order to use the best word for the job, though, you have to know it. The Flip Dictionary is full of words you may have forgotten and words you never knew, all accessed by their meaning. Look up "mounds and hills, with," and you will find tumulus. Search "the ropes connecting the harness and the canopy of a parachute," and you'll find shrouds. There's no need to say "lowest point in orbit" when you can say perigee, or "lowest deck of a ship" when you can say orlop. We don't know when we'd ever find a chance to use the word tomally, but we like knowing the one word out there that means "lobster liver." And, oh, the lists! Of apples and art movements, beers and birding terms, constellations and clothes (including 47 kinds of shirt), fears and ferns. The same caveats apply as with the use of a thesaurus: some of the definitions are a bit off ("hater" is vague for misanthrope), others are rather informal (boner, for instance, to mean "error"), and still others are so specific that you will want to be sure that you truly have found the right word for the job. Great fun. --Jane Steinberg

About the Author
Barbara Ann Kipfer is the author of numerous reference books, including The Order of Things and The At-a-Glance Spelling Dictionary. She is best known as the author of 14,000 Things to Be Happy About.

Customer Reviews

A Must-Have for Every Type of Writer
You've got the perfect idea for your novel but you can't pinpoint the right word. Maybe you're going to diagnose your character with a deadly disease. But which one?

You have a particular phrase in your head but don't quite know the exact word. For instance, when you screw something until its flush with the surface, what's it called?

Whether you're looking for another word for "momentous" or hunting for tree-related terms, "The Writer's Digest Flip Dictionary" is a comprehensive guide no writer should be without.

Use this book to tighten up your writing. By targeting the correct word to use in your manuscript, you'll be able to create a more compelling short story or novel.

When searching for a word, you'll often come across a list of "Related Terms." Sample entries include:

* Doctor-Related Terms

* Gods and Godesses

* Herbs

* Legal Terms

* Marine Corps Ranks

* A Complete List of Rivers

* Types of Rock

* Summer Olympic Games

* Weights and Measures

* Types of Wrenches

With close to 700 pages of words, phrases and related terms, finding the perfect word for your writing couldn't be any easier. You can spend hours just flipping through this rich source of information.

From fiction writing to business writing, "The Writer's Digest Flip Dictionary" is a valuable companion to your writing venture and your muse's new best friend.

Actually fun to flip through
This is a reverse dictionary with a lot of lists, charts, etc. Although it can be confusing to use, it is one of the best reference books I've seen for just flipping through. Lots of surprises and interesting facts tucked away in sidebars.

While there is plenty of words and good relationships, I found its organization a bit difficult to use when needing to rapidly find a word. Saying that, it's also the one most often on my desk and not in the bookshelf with the others.

Helpful book
I got this book as a gift. I keep it by my desk all the time now because I use it so much. Every person that notices the book on my desk takes a look at it and marvels at how useful it is. I also use this book a lot when I need to make my searches on the Internet more efficient. Great idea for a book!!!