Concise Title: Difficult Words Dictionary for Oxford

We are all familiar with common words like "cat," "dog," "mother," and "tree." However, what we truly need is a dictionary that assists us with more challenging terms, such as "elucubrate," "demesne," or "cynosure." While a standard dictionary can help us when we encounter a difficult word at home or in a library, we often read in other settings, such as a doctor's waiting room, on a plane, or during a vacation. The question then becomes, what do we do in those situations?

The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is designed to address this need. This portable reference work features more than 10,000 entries that focus solely on words that, while outside the everyday vocabulary of most people, are frequently encountered in literature, technical writings (including computing or medical terminology), and a wide range of subject areas, such as law, philosophy, and art. Each entry provides the pronunciation, part of speech, a concise definition, example sentences demonstrating the word in context, and the word's etymology when its history can shed light on its meaning.

Special attention has been given to words that are easily confused or closely related, such as "efficacious," "effective," "effectual," and "efficient," or "cynical," "sarcastic," "sardonic," and "ironic." Usage notes are included to ensure that readers can confidently incorporate these words into their vocabularies, thereby enhancing the precision and power of their speech and writing.

Drawing on Oxford's extensive database of 200 million words of contemporary English, this handy volume helps us navigate the words that lie just beyond our regular vocabulary. Whether we are reading a scholarly text, a work of fiction, or a technical manual, the Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words can be an invaluable tool, providing us with the definitions, context, and guidance we need to understand and use these less common yet important terms.

By reorganizing the language and structure of the original content, this revised version offers a more reader-friendly experience while preserving the core information and staying within the target word count. The key changes include adjusting the sentence structure, rephrasing certain passages, and introducing transitional elements to create a more cohesive and accessible narrative.

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