Full text search

What is a Full Text search?

A full search of the entire dictionary text. It finds your term wherever it occurs in the dictionary. This could be in the form of an entry name, part of another word's definition, in a quotation, etc. A Full Text search also allows you to search for words that occur near one another, such as bread before butter.

How can I run a Full Text search?

Here's how to run the simplest search:

1. Switch to Full Text search mode by clicking the button at the base of the screen.

2. The Full Text search panel is displayed on the left of the main window. It contains an input box for a search term, a list box for selecting a search area, a button for submitting the search, and a button for expanding the form to show the proximity search options.

   

3. Type the word or phrase you want to find into the SEARCH FOR... box.

4. Choose your search area (which part of the dictionary entries you want to search): full text (i.e. the entire text of the entries), definitions, etymologies, or quotations.

5. Click the button.

6. The results are displayed in the results list.

7. To go to the top of any entry, click its name (in the left-hand column). To go to the first match in any entry, click the matching term (in the right-hand column).

You can build on this basic procedure to search for phrases, look for more than one term near one another, and/or include wildcards in your search.

Example

To search for the term unmarried in the definition text of entries only, type unmarried into the SEARCH FOR... box. From the search area list box (showing full text) choose definitions. Click A list of results is displayed. Click on any of the entry names to open one of them.