dic’tionary  (-sho-) n

dictionary n.  Book explaining, usu. in alphabetical order, the words of language or words and topics of some special subject, author, etc., wordbook, lexicon, (French-English, etc. - list of French etc. words with English etc. translation or explanation:  dictionary of Americanisms, of architecture, of the Bible, of proverbs, Dictionary of National Biography, Shakespeare dictionary, etc.)  //f. med. L dictionarium  (manuale manual) & dictionarius (liber book) f. L dictio  (see prec.,  - ARY)//

Ask most people to define the word, ‘dictionary’, and the chances are they will provide a passable explanation, though probably not in as much detail as the one above, taken from the Concise Oxford Dictionary.

Ask the same people whether they possess a dictionary - either at home, in the office, or in a briefcase or book-bag- and the answer would most probably be ‘yes’.

Again, ask the same people how often they refer to it and whether they fully understand the abbreviations which accompany each word’s explanation, and the answer might be very different!

Why do people so often fail to check the meaning or spelling of a word?  The answer lies in the Vocabulary Range diagram.  As you see, everyone’s vocabulary may be divided into two sections—firstly, the words which a person knows well, and uses regularly, and secondly, the words which a person tends not to use, but which he is able to recognise when he meets them in a book or magazine.  The first section  may be termed our active vocabulary and the second, our passive vocabulary.  In addition, there is a third section of words, which a person does not know or use, or recognise.  In between the second and third sections lie those words which we recognise when we see them in print – we remember that we have seen them before—but which we have been too lazy to look up!  And this is why people tend to use only the words they know well while avoiding unfamiliar ones.

As you can imagine, the number of words a person knows and uses – his
active vocabulary – varies a great deal between one person and another.  A journalist or reporter,  for example,  might  be expected  to have a wider vocabulary range then, say a forester or watchmaker, whose work is more solitary and specialised.

Every student of English and communication, however, needs to widen his or her range of vocabulary,  since  this  will  help  both oral  and written English to be more accurate and interesting.  And this is why the ability to use a dictionary effectively  and the determination to consult it regularly are so important.

As you will have noticed from the definition of the word ‘dictionary’ at the head of this section, there are a number of references and abbreviations which may at present  seem  strange and  unfamiliar.  Once  you  have mastered the techniques of consulting a good dictionary, however, you will find that  your  vocabulary range,  spelling and awareness of the force of language  will improve greatly.   Check the following points carefully and then browse  through  your  own  dictionary  to  see  how  much  more information you are able to gain from it.
1  Use your dictionary to complete these spellings.

2

1. In each of the following pairs of sentences there is a blank.
2. Use your dictionary to decide which word fits in which sentence, and write the correct word in.

1. As in the previous exercise, put the correct word in the appropriate sentence.   Use your dictionary.

1. Insert  the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below.

appointment                  duties                             procedure
announces                     escorts                           refer
area                                gesture                           register
arrangements                movements                     suggestion
client                              notify                             tact

A receptionist in a small firm may have to use the typewriter, operate the switchboard, and perform other clerical   ……………….,  in  addition  to receiving visitors.   In a large firm a  receptionist  can  concentrate  on welcoming and looking after visitors.

A visitor to a large firm should make an  ………………..because executives are often very busy and do not have much time for visitors.  Executives and secretaries should  ………………………the receptionist  in  advance about  important  appointments,  and  about  the  …………………….  of executives,  especially  when  they  are out of  the building on business.
Executives often ask receptionists to make travel  …………………….  for them, such as booking hotel rooms and airline tickets.

There is a certain  ……………………for receiving visitors.  A receptionist should find out if the visitor has an appointment or not.  If the visitor is an important   …………………, the executives or this secretary will come down to the reception  …………………….to greet the visitor.     Sometimes   the
receptionist or another secretary ……………………, or accompanies,   the
visitor to the executive’s office.  Using the visitor’s name when he arrives is a friendly  ……………………and gives the visitor a good impression of the firm.  When the receptionist and the visitor arrive at the executive’s office, the receptionist  ……………………….the visitor’s name, title and position, and introduces the executive to him.

When a visitor cannot be satisfied, the receptionist should apologize and make some  ……………….. for an alternative meeting.   If a  meeting is impossible, the  receptionist  should express  regret  and  explain  with ………………………., what has happened, so that the visitor’s feelings are not hurt.

6  A receptionist should keep a  …………………..  which includes dates, times, name and the firm the visitor works for.  A receptionist can then …………… to this if there is a request for information.

7  Insert the correct word in the appropriate spaces.

          balance                          commercial                    quarterly
          basis                              consular                         quotation
          bill                                 debit                              retains
          clear                               duty                               statement
          column                           open                               submit

An invoice is a ………………….  that is, a demand for payment.  It can also be a  ………………….., a regular notice of a buyer’s account  with a seller.   
The statement invoice is for buyers who have an ………………account with sellers, and is often sent  monthly or   ……………………. .     In a statement
each invoice is a  ………………… entry, and each payment by the buyer is a credit entry.   There is  a  separate  …………………..  in  an  invoice  for the quantity of goods despatched, the  description  of the  goods,  the price per unit, and the total value.  In the statement there is one each  for debit  and credit entries and for the  ……………………..

A Pro-Forma invoice is like an ordinary invoice, except that it is sent to the buyer for  information before  he buys,  or for  payment  before  the seller despatches the goods.  If the Pro-Forma   invoice is for information, it is a form of  ……………………, a description of price and costs to help the buyer to decide.

An invoice which is used in international trade and includes the cost of freight and insurance is called a   …………………or Export Invoice.  This is one of the shipping documents and is very important for banks, customs, and shipping.

An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing country’s embassy or consulate is called a  ……………………..invoice.
This is one of  the shipping documents and is very important for banks, customs, and shipping.

An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing country’s  embassy or  consulate is  called a  …………………….. invoice.
This invoice  is very  often used  for  customs authorities in the importing  countries to make  sure  that the  customs    ………………………..  is paid.
It is also used to help  …………………… a consignment through customs, to avoid  a  lengthy  inspection and a long delay.  When the invoice is made out, a  copy is sent to  the Packing and Despatch  Departments,  and the Accounts Department  …………………… a copy.  They fill in the columns for price and total value.  These details must be accurate, as the invoice is the  ……………………….  for  the  Bill  of  Lading,  and  the  exporter  must
………………………these two documents, the Export Invoice and the  Bill of Lading to a bank for payment.

8  Insert the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below.

          accept                   endorsing             packing                shipped
          airmail                  in blank                present                 title
          consignee             law                        receipt                  transfer
          discharge              negotiable            responsibility       unclean

The Bill of Lading  is important in  international  finance,  insurance,  and
………………………  It is the local ………………………. to ownership of the goods described on the Bill of Lading.  The …………………….. cannot accept delivery of his consignment unless he possesses a copy.

You can describe a Bill of Lading in one way by saying that it is a …………..
signed by the captain of the ship, stating that he has received the goods on board his ship.  A Bill of Lading signed by the captain after he receives and inspects the goods on board ship is called a ……………………Bill of Lading.
If the goods are damaged before they reach the ship, the captain or the shipowners issue an …………………..Bill of Lading (sometimes called “dirty” or “foul”).  If the captain receives the goods on board in good condition, the
full title of the document he signs is a ‘clean, shipped on board Bill of Lading’.  Banks usually demand shipped Bills of Lading before they accept
………………………… for the credit.

The holder of a Bill of Lading can  …………………..possession of the goods to another person or company by …………………..or signing on the back of it.  In other words, the Bill of Lading, unlike the Air Waybill, is a ……………
document.    If a buyer  or a  bank  ask  the seller  not  to  restrict  the negotiability of the Bill of Lading, they demand that it should be endorsed
…………………………

The details printed on the Bill of Lading must include the port of loading and the port of ………………….  The type of packing must also be stated.                     
Examples of this are cases, crates, and boxes.

When the Bill of Lading is completed, copies are sent by ………………… on separate days, so that if one is lost, the other may reach the importer.  The importer, or consignee as he is described on  the  Bill of  Lading, can   then

…………………. the Bill of Lading to the shipping company and ……………..
delivery of his goods.