More than a simple online dictionary, the Oxford Dictionaries website includes a number of features that will appeal to writers, writing instructors, and word-lovers of all sorts. For one, this is a "living dictionary," providing helpful information about the origins of words and noting how the colloquial uses of certain words have shifted over time. For example, the entry for nonplussed notes...

If you have ever sat up at night wondering, "Where is the C in CAKE and COD?" you will need to wonder no more after you turn the digital pages of "Dolly's ABC" from 1854. Along with "Dolly's ABC", this delightful collection from the Curriculum Library's Historical Collection at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers up nineteen complete children's books of historical importance. This...

H.L. Mencken, a journalist who was one of the most celebrated American writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was often referred to as “The Sage of Baltimore”. Writing in a number of Baltimore’s daily papers, Mencken developed an acerbic wit and a penchant for syllogisms that would serve him well for decades. As a defender and scholar of American English, Mencken wrote “The American...

Hip-hop and poetry share numerous commonalities -- among them, use of engaging vocabulary. This data project, created by Matt Daniels for the visual journalism platform The Pudding, explores "the number of unique words used by some of the most famous artists in hip hop." Lyrics and language transform over time, as this data project makes clear. The project sorts data in a variety of ways, showing...

The Straight Dope: What Does "OK" stand for? http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/503/what-does-ok-stand-for Linguistically, America is A-OK http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/29/AR2010102907644.html The 'O' Word http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/books/review/Blount-t.html?src=me American Languages: Our Nation's Many...

Have you ever wondered what the various parts of a guitar are called? Perhaps you need a refresher on the various types of dresses? The Visual Dictionary website covers both topics in copious detail, along with offering up information on transportation, biology, and the human body. Essentially, the site offers annotated images that identify each part of a given item, such as an automobile or a...

Many universities have elaborate writing centers to assist students learn about the art of crafting wonderful and meaningful pieces of writing. The University College at the University of Toronto has collected over two dozen excellent resources designed to get undergraduates and others up to speed with the world of writing college-level papers. On the site, visitors will find resources like...