* A Unicode font must be installed on your computer if you want to view the full array of roman characters with diacritics and South Asian scripts. Looking up a word (basic searching)
To look up an entry word type it in the box and click the Search button. Entry words are the words that are defined in the dictionary. Typically the entry words are in bold type and begin the definition. In many of the dictionaries in this project the entry word appears in more than one script. For instance, in A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English by John Platts, the entry words usually appear first in Perso-Arabic script, then in Devanagari, and finally in roman transiteration with diacritics.Advanced search options
The advanced search options allow greater control over searches. The advanced options break down into three categories. The first category is entry words; the second is words found anywhere in the dictionary; and the third is searching for multiple words in the entire dictionary. Searching encompasses footnotes, illustrative quotations and front matter.
Searching for words or parts of words allows for customization of the search process. The advanced search screen has options for looking for a particular 'string' of characters in a designated location. For instance, if the 'string' ant is entered with the "Words starting with" button checked the results would include words such as antecedent. If the "Words ending with" button is checked the results would include words such as elephant. If the "Words containing" button is checked the results would include words such as plantain. And if the "Words that match" button is checked the results would only include definitions for the word ant.
The advanced search option for multiple words is described under the Boolean searches below. The advanced search page gives an easy way for users to search using Boolean operators, without needing to learn the syntax and structure of Boolean logic.Boolean searching
The Boolean operators 'and' and 'or' are supported in the Digital Dictionaries project. Currently the operator 'not' is not supported. Boolean searching allows for combinations of words to be searched throughout individual entries. Boolean searching does not span across definitions. For instance, to find definitions that include both of the words eating and drinking, these two words would be typed into the "Search for multiple words in the entire dictionary" box, separated by a single space and the button "Search definitions for all of these words" should be chosen. To find definitions that have either the word piano or the word organ these two words would be typed into the "Search for multiple words in the entire dictionary" box, separated by a single space and the button "Search definitions for any of these words" should be clicked.Return to the DDSA home page
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This page was last generated on Tuesday 29 September 2009 at 13:03 by [email protected] The URL of this page is: http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/help.html