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PrefaceThis Dictionary is an American adaptation of the Oxford Student's Dictionary of Current English, with some inclusion of advanced level material from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English, somewhat expanded to serve learners of American English through the Intermediate level. It lists the more usual words, compounds, and idiomatic expressions that the learner is likely to hear in everyday conversation among educated Americans or to see written in letters, newspapers, and documents of the kind that one might be expected to encounter when beginning to work or study in the United States. This Dictionary also contains most of the words used in modern American books and periodicals of all but the most technical or literary kind. For listed words there is information on spelling, pronunciation, grammatical use, and meaning. In addition, there are often example sentences or phrases to illustrate details of usage, and special guidance is given on difficult points of spelling, pronunciation, and meaning.The exclusive use of American spelling conventions should pose no problem to learners accustomed to British usage if a few general correspondences are kept in mind. These, however, have many exceptions and cannot be taken as a sure guide for converting from British to American spelling, or vice versa.American -er for British -re in some words; center:centre, theater: theatre (but both American and British neuter, acre).American -ize for the more frequently used -ise of British English; organize.organise (but both American and British recognize, advise).American (-)- for British (-)ae-/(-)ie- or (-)oe-/(-)a?-; etiology :aetiology !(etiology, fetus.foetuslfoetus.American -or for British -our in many words; color.colour, honor .honour, labor.labour (but both American and British glamour).American -I- for British -11- when certain verbs ending in -I are inflected with -ingl-edl-er, le veling: le veiling, reveled: revelled, traveler traveller.Different American and British spellings of individual words; American jail for British gaol, American check for British cheque.American use of the period (.) after certain kinds of abbreviations which may be without it in British usage; Mr.\Dr.:Mr\Dr.As with the spelling, the pronunciation indicated in this Dictionary is fully American. The tradition established in the Oxford Student's Dictionary of Current English and the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English of using the phonetic symbols of the International Phonetic Association is continued here, but the shift in focus from British to American pronunciation has prompted some changes in the use of specific symbols as well as in the indication of stress and length. Teachers and learners who may take up the use of this Dictionary after having familiarized themselves with its British counterparts should keep the following changes in mind: