• Looking up a Word
  • Simple Search
  • Advanced Search Options
• Activities
  • Crossword Puzzles
  • Quizzes

Looking Up a Word

Simple Search

The Look up a word box appears at the top of every page. Use this box to do simple searches. A simple search always looks for words that start with what you type in the box.

1. In the Look up a word box, type all or part of the word you want to look up.
2. Click Go.
3. The Dictionary displays a list of Search Results. If the search finds more than 100 words, then the first 100 words are displayed.
• Below the Results box, click Next to see the next 100 words
• Click Previous to see the previous 100 words.
4. Click any word in the Results list to see its definition.
5. If this is not the definition you wanted, click the Back to search results link below the Look up a word box. The Dictionary returns to the Search Results page where you can click another word.
6. To begin a new search, type a new word in the Look up a word box.

Advanced Search Options

You can use the Advanced Search Options to narrow your search or to search parts of the dictionary that the simple search does not use. For example, you can search for a word that is a synonym, or you can search for a word that appears in a Usage Note.

1. Below the Look up a word box, click Advanced Search Options.
2. In the Look up a word box, type all or part of the word you want to look up.
3. Choose one of the following:
   

   Option	Description
   contains	This option searches for words that contain the letters in the order you typed them in the Look up a word box. For example, if you search for the word "red", the results include "red", "red tape" and "redeem", as well as "accredit" and "assured".
   starts with	This option searches for words that start with your search word. For example, if you search for "red" with this option, the results include "red", "redden", and "redeem".
   ends with	Use this option to search for words that end with your search term. For example, if you search for "red" with this option, the search results include "checkered", " colored", and "cultured".
   whole word	This option searches for words that match exactly what you type. For example, if you type "red" and use this option, the results include "red", "red alert", and "Red Cross".

   
   
4. In the Search area, select the parts of the dictionary you want to include in your search.
   

   Option	Description
   word	This is the word or phrase being defined.
   definition	Clicking this option searches all the meanings for a word.
   thesaurus	The thesaurus is the list of synonyms and antonyms for a word. Not every word in the dictionary has a thesaurus entry.
   usage notes	Usage notes explain the proper use of a word or the importance of a word in American culture. Not all words have usage notes.

   
   
5. Click Go.
6. The Dictionary displays a list of Search Results. Click a word in the Results list to see its definition.
7. If this is not the definition you wanted, click the Back to search results link below the Look up a word box. The Dictionary returns to the Search Results page where you can click another word.
8. To begin a new search, type a new word in the Look up a word box and choose the options for the search.

Activities

Crossword Puzzles

1. There are two kinds of crossword puzzles: Word Web crosswords and Challenge crosswords.
   • Word Web crosswords. These crosswords use words from the Word Web on Heinle's Newbury House Dictionary CD-ROM. A Word Web is a group of words that are related to each other by a common category. Each crossword uses words from a single Word Web category.
   • Challenge crosswords. These crosswords use words from all the Word Web categories.
     
2. You can complete the crosswords online, or you can print out a copy of the puzzle.
   
3. To print the crossword, click the link to the puzzle on the Activities page. This is the interactive puzzle you can do online.
   • Below the crossword, click the link that reads "Click here for a puzzle you can print."
   • Use the Print command on your Internet browser to print the page. The page prints the crossword puzzle and all the clues.

Quizzes

Quizzes are based on the Activity Guide from the front of Heinle's Newbury House Dictionary of American English. The quizzes offer practice searching the dictionary to find answers to questions. For each quiz question, look in your dictionary for the answer, then you must type or choose a correct answer. At the end of the quiz, you can see your results to see which questions you got correct and incorrect. If you have your instructor's e-mail address, you can also e-mail these results.