# Dictionary.com and Google **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458 "2005-08-10T16:20:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/1 "2005-08-10T16:20:43Z")
A few days ago I typed [www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com) into the google search bar instead of the address bar on IE. Naturally, I got the google page back. I clicked on the link (no reason to type re-type the addy into the address bar) and got a ‘Cannot find server’ page. Weird. So I went to the address bar and typed the address. Instead of going to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com), I got the google search! I went to Cambridge instead. Today I went to Cambridge, but it was taking forever to load. Then it chugged for several minutes after I entered the word whose spelling I wanted to check. Tired of waiting, I went to the address bar and entered [www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com)… And I got the google search page. And the link didn’t work. What’s going on? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/2 "2005-08-10T16:35:45Z")
This doesn’t explain all your experiences, but [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) has been down frequently these past few days. It’s down right now. Perhaps your browser is detecting these problems and whisking you off to what it considers a good substitute site. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/3 "2005-08-10T18:07:43Z")
Interesting. Usually when a server is down I just get the ‘Cannot find server’, not a google page. Something to do with putting the google bar on IE? What about Cambridge Dictionary Online? Why was it so slow? (I haven’t gone back to check.) Are people suddenly bombarding dictionary sites with requests? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/4 "2005-08-10T18:43:12Z")
My advice: Use [www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com) instead. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/5 "2005-08-11T15:08:33Z")
Or - [www.onelook.com](http://www.onelook.com) It searches several dictionaries, including some pretty specialized ones, and returns several brief definitions the links from which to choose a dictionary for the full entry. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dictionary-com-and-google/316458/6 "2005-08-11T15:14:17Z")
Or, use Google anyway. Type in **define:_keyword_** and Google will give you definitions it finds on the web, and cites to go with them.