Oxford Dictionary

I've always regarded the OED as the be all and end all of English language dictionaries, therefore it has been my favourite for as long as I can remember, it may have been the fact that you need a magnifying glass to read the print in the two volumes of the standard print edition and that one was included in a little drawer in the top of the case! Of course, how many people do you know that have a favourite dictionary? Yes, I'm a giant geek/nerd. 🤓 Anyway, this app is as close as you can get to owning the physical version of the dictionary. It has all of the wonderful little details and assists that the print version has, of course, without the magnifier, though you can use the triple-tap option on your iPhone to magnify the entry if you need it. The app is a bit on the pricey side, especially if you opt in on the translator add-on, but, as with the print version, the Oxford English Dictionary is worth whatever you spend on it. I love that I can look up obscure or unusual words and the OED has them listed! I truly loathe trying to locate the definition of a word that I've come across in my current novel and it's unavailable!! It then becomes a quest to locate the true definition, if not the etymological origins, of a particular word. Being someone who loves and collects words, the OED is the perfect resource for someone like me!😁 I think that the OED app is worth every cent that one decides to put into it. So, what do I say? Splurge!!🤑

The dictionary is superior. However, the distributor, Mobisystems, seem to expect payment for the “premium” version on each iOS device on which it’s installed by the same account holder. That’s a non-starter. Until they change this deceptive practice (they mention it nowhere, and “restore purchase” functionality only works on the “original” device) and end their extortionate price levels, I’ll use it on the one device and not deal with it further. Caveat emptor. You cannot pay once and use the app on both an iPad and an iPhone. .... I have changed the rating to 4 stars, because there is still some trouble getting the app to restore purchases on additional devices. It required deleting the unresponsive download and a new download and installation. Also, to be fair, the developer did respond to my original derogatory review by email, which sat unread on an unused server for six weeks. Their instructions for restoration, clearly well-intended, were not helpful. I had to fiddle further on my own. On the basis of the app itself and the product, this deserves a 5-star rating. An app that carries the brand “Oxford” however should not be flawed in terms of fulfillment in this way, I believe. I misjudged initially. There is no deception.

Might you consider upgrading this “word of the day” automatic feature? Granted, I acknowledge the disclaimer that the word on every given day is randomly generated. That, however, is why the user can’t adjust it, not a fact that makes it impervious to the developer modifying the software. The problem as I see it is simply, if you will, that the words are too simple. My experience with such novelties is that they highlight words not usually found in common usage, in order to expand one’s vocabulary. Your app, on the other hand, serves up a daily dose of hopelessly commonplace nouns and verbs; for example, “rodeo” and “nibble”, respectively, as two recent offerings. As such, the feature is uninformative at best and, unless one shuts down the notifications entirely, a nuisance. The distinguished OED should expand the mind and the vocabulary of the educated user, not cater to popularity in pursuing the least common denominator among the crowd. Please consider this sensible upgrade to your software. Thank you for your attention to my concern, meant constructively of course as a longtime faithful adherent to the OED.

These two missing features are equally egregious in my mind. Firstly, this dictionary does not have definitions (in its app) that would be helpful while reading. I know not every word needed can be anticipated. But too often I look up a word while I am reading for class and there is no definition for it. If there were a “student version” with more definitions and was priced reasonably (about $5) I would immediately download it, even at the cost of space. Additionally, a “request definition” button could help solve this issue in the long run. If enough people request a definition, it could help the analytics side see that the definition is needed and promptly add it in the next update. Secondly, when I tap the search bar, I do not want the word I just looked up to be remembered. Most search bars actually have a feature where the previous search is cleared when you tap on the search bar. This is a feature that makes sense. Usually, when I am tapping on a search bar, I want to make a new search. Not here, though. This app assumes I want to look up the same word over and over again. I operate with the former assumption, so often my searches end up looking like such: “shewantipathy,” when it should just be “antipathy.” Fixing these two issues would raise my rating to a 5 for sure.

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Before providing the excellent definition, a Buy premium screen interrupts. “Buy premium” ads are one place where advertisers are rewarded for being obnoxious. I resist the upselling so as not to reward them. In addition the app sometimes—no, often—has very annoying glitches such as when the definition vanishes before I have finished reading it. Or, before I can type in the entire entry, an unrelated screen appears. Of course the content is top of the line, it’s the OED. But the implementation by Mobi isn’t worthy of the greatest English language dictionary. Hold your nose and buy it. Maybe Mobi will raise its standards to match what it is selling. ~~~~~ A couple of months later, still annoying as heck. Each time I use it I think about ditching it. The OED should have selected a competent partner. I am lowering my rating from 3 to 2. Weighting the implementation more heavily than the content, which after all, represents over a century of work by competent conscientious people.