# Shotgun blast of questions Re: linking to online dictionaries **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110 "2005-08-08T13:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110/1 "2005-08-08T13:50:29Z")
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](http://www.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](http://dictionary.com) and replace them with [Merriam Webster](http://www.m-w.com/)? 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? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110/2 "2005-08-08T14:06:56Z")
I like this dictionary site because it searches many sites and gives a pick list. [OneLook Dictionary Search](http://www.onelook.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110/3 "2005-08-08T16:16:25Z")
Okay, [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) has started working again (the hamsters are back with improvements to job security and wages). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110/4 "2005-08-08T17:08:25Z")
The ARTFL project’s [1913 and 1828 Webster’s revised Unabridged Dictionaries](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&resource=Webster's&word=tradition&quicksearch=on&sourceid=Mozilla-search) are useful for stripping away recently aquired meanings. The site also loads faster than [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com). ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shotgun-blast-of-questions-re-linking-to-online-dictionaries/316110/5 "2005-08-08T18:07:19Z")
[Answers.com](http://Answers.com) is a good catch-all dictionary source: [shambles](http://www.answers.com/shambles)