the Big 5.

[Steve Kl.]

On Thu, 24 Oct 2002, Frank Abate wrote:

> Any of the Big 4 "college" dicts (Web New World, Random House,
> Merriam-Webster, or Amer Heritage) do nicely for pron help.  Though they
> differ on usage and other such advice (and some other things, too), they
> generally get the basic facts right most of the time.  Another good choice
> for prons (and other things) is the New Oxford American Dictionary, or its
> abridged descendant, the just-published Oxford American College Dictionary.
> Like the Big 4, the new Oxford American dicts were edited in the USA by
> American lexos.  And the NEW Oxford American dicts are up-to-date, having
> just been completed in the past 2 years.

You're too modest, Frank.

Around here, we speak of the Big 5 "college" dicts, with the OACD among
them.

Steve Kleinedler
(Senior Editor, AHD)