Roget's Thesaurus

Peter Mark RogetProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 1.5M words
Chapters: 150

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark RogetAuthor: Roget, Peter Mark, 1779-1869,Language: English, Class: PE: Language and Literatures: English, Release Date: Dec 1, 1991

Editor's review

Roget's Thesaurus is a far-reaching thesaurus and synonym dictionary in the English-speaking world. Rather than listing entries alphabetically, it is organized around conceptual categories, gathering words of similar meaning into clusters and helping users start from meaning to find expression. This design makes it not only a reference tool but also reading material that trains association and semantic networks. This public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg is suitable as a standby reference for English writers, translators, and language learners. Its value lies in expanding expressive choices and distinguishing subtle differences among near-synonyms, rather than providing definitions or usage notes, so it is best used alongside an ordinary dictionary. When reading, start from conceptual categories you are familiar with and observe how English vocabulary is distributed by meaning; when writing, start from a core word and follow the classification to find more apt expressions. Note that the book was compiled long ago, and some entries are now distant from modern usage; verify choices against contemporary corpora.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English writers who need richer expression and apt synonyms
Translators working between English and Chinese who need to distinguish subtle differences in meaning
Advanced language learners interested in the semantic networks of English vocabulary

Not a good fit for

English beginners who need definitions, phonetic transcriptions, and usage examples
Readers hoping for coverage of contemporary colloquial and internet neologisms

Reading tips

Use alongside a definition-based dictionary: confirm meaning first, then choose expressions
Browse thematically by conceptual category, reading one small category closely at a time
When writing, start from a core word, follow the classification to find alternative expressions, and check modern usage

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How is this dictionary different from an ordinary English-Chinese dictionary?

An ordinary dictionary gives definitions in alphabetical order by headword, whereas Roget's Thesaurus gathers words of similar meaning by conceptual category, focusing on offering expressive choices rather than explaining meaning. It is suitable when you know roughly what you mean and need a more apt way to say it.

How should the electronic edition be consulted? Can it be used directly as a dictionary?

It can be consulted, but it is not a definition dictionary. It is advisable to confirm meaning with an ordinary dictionary first, then look for synonymous or near-synonymous expressions in the categories. The electronic text is easy to search, but the classification structure takes some time to become familiar with.

Is the vocabulary too old? Can it still be used in modern writing?

The book was compiled in the nineteenth century, and some entries and usages differ from contemporary English. When choosing expressions, verify them against contemporary corpora or your sense of the language, and avoid rare or outdated expressions, especially in formal writing.

Comments

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About the author

Peter Mark Roget Author · British · 1779–1869

Peter Mark Roget (1779–1869) was a British physician and lexicographer. He is best known for compiling Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, a reference work that organizes English vocabulary by concepts and changed the way people look up and choose words, exerting a lasting influence on English writing and language learning. Beyond his lexicographical work, public information on the details of his life is limited, so this entry focuses on his representative works. The library holds two of his works, both centered on this thesaurus, indicating that his writing focused on vocabulary organization and the compilation of language reference books.