Shotgun blast of questions Re: linking to online dictionaries

Factual Questions
1

Nothing cures split hairs better than a good cite to an online dictionary. (well maybe “cures” is too strong a word.)

BUT I was typing a post and was trying to create a link to dictionary.com. When I went to look up the word - no workie. Is the site defunct? Are their hamsters just on strike temporarily? (DNS down maybe?)

What if they are gone forever? Should we go back to every post’s urls that target dictionary.com and replace them with Merriam Webster? Should we do that anyways?

Speaking of MW: I once tried to link to MW’s definition of shambles, the noun that is (My desk is a shambles). When I entered the word, I got that pick-list cuz there are multiple definitions. I picked, got the definition, but found I couldn’t get the URL. What did I do wrong? How can I do better?

Finally: Which is the best online dictionary to use? Which is most respected by Dopers? Is one most favoured by the prescriptivits - most reviled?

2

I like this dictionary site because it searches many sites and gives a pick list. OneLook Dictionary Search.

3

Okay, dictionary.com has started working again (the hamsters are back with improvements to job security and wages).

4

The ARTFL project’s 1913 and 1828 Webster’s revised Unabridged Dictionaries are useful for stripping away recently aquired meanings. The site also loads faster than dictionary.com.

5

Answers.com is a good catch-all dictionary source: shambles