Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: New dictionaries, multiple word views, multitouch lookups

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Mac OS X Lion adds polish to the bundled Dictionary app, with new dictionaries and an improved multi-pane interface. The system also improves overall dictionary functions with enhanced Spotlight integration and multitouch support for inline text lookups.



New reference files



The Dictionary app in Mac OS X Lion updates its existing "New Oxford American English" dictionary to the third edition of 2010 (current versions use the second edition from 2005).



A new Oxford Dictionary of [British] English is now included, also the third edition of 2010, and a companion British English Thesaurus now joins the American English version.



The Japanese, Japanese-English, and Japanese Synonym dictionaries from Shogakukan are also updated, bearing a 2010 copyright compared to the existing 2006 version. Apple has also updated its own dictionary file, which includes the company's trademarks and product names.







Better app, system integration



The app itself now uses a two pane display, making it easy to reference a list of words, phrases, or Wikipedia entires in alphabetical order, rather than just one definition at a time.







Additionally, definition functions built into Spotlight now popup with a full definition preview, rather than just displaying the first few words.







Lastly, double clicking with three fingers on a selected word in any standard app now brings up the inline dictionary, which formerly required selecting "Look Up In Dictionary" from the contextual menu. A preference setting within Dictionary selects whether the contextual menu command will open the inline mini-dictionary panel or to launch the full Dictionary app.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 57
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I like that definition integration in Spotlight.
  • Reply 2 of 57
    hdasmithhdasmith Posts: 145member
    I'm not really sure the "[British]" addition was really necessary for the English dictionary. After all, there's a reason the language is called English.
  • Reply 3 of 57
    Nice updates!





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    I'm not really sure the "[British]" addition was really necessary for the English dictionary. After all, there's a reason the language is called English.



    Well, if someone's talking about the Mac's English dictionary, (s)he probably means the default one, which is American English. And yes, it originated in England, but its worldwide importance is due primarily to America.
  • Reply 4 of 57
    Love that Spotlight popup!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    I'm not really sure the "[British]" addition was really necessary for the English dictionary. After all, there's a reason the language is called English.



    Speak for yourself. Anyone with exposure to both international/British English and American English could do themselves a favor by garnering a basic understanding of the differences. Even trolls could benefit: I've lost count of how many times some jerk has mocked another in a form for their spelling when the 'spelling errors' were just a different standard of English.



    And, you know, there's professionals like editors, writers, etc.
  • Reply 5 of 57
    hdasmithhdasmith Posts: 145member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheGreatBug View Post


    Well, if someone's talking about the Mac's English dictionary, (s)he probably means the default one, which is American English. And yes, it originated in England, but its worldwide importance is due primarily to America.



    You're absolutely right. The British empire had nothing to do with the status of English as the world business and political language. After all, the founding fathers of America were considering making German the political language in America.
  • Reply 6 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheGreatBug View Post


    ... (English) ... originated in England, but its worldwide importance is due primarily to America.



    WTF?! ?????



    Even if this wasn't completely inaccurate, it would be insulting, but you've managed to do both.
  • Reply 7 of 57
    hdasmithhdasmith Posts: 145member
    Sorry, I'm a "jerk" and a "troll" for simply pointing out a redundant word? I apologise for being a little fed up of England taking second place to America with regards to her language... and I'm Scottish.
  • Reply 8 of 57
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    I'm not really sure the "[British]" addition was really necessary for the English dictionary. After all, there's a reason the language is called English.



    "English English Dictionary" might have looked a bit funny



    I wonder if all these new dictionaries apple has licensed means iOS will get a dictionary app soon?
  • Reply 9 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheGreatBug View Post


    And yes, it originated in England, but its worldwide importance is due primarily to America.



    Someone missed their History classes it seems...
  • Reply 10 of 57
    drfreemandrfreeman Posts: 111member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    Sorry, I'm a "jerk" and a "troll" for simply pointing out a redundant word? I apologise for being a little fed up of England taking second place to America with regards to her language... and I'm Scottish.



    I think the issue is to distinguish between colour and color. No hidden agenda here...
  • Reply 11 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Lastly, double clicking with three fingers on a selected word in any standard app now brings up the inline dictionary, which formerly required selecting "Look Up In Dictionary" from the contextual menu. A preference setting within Dictionary selects whether the contextual menu command will open the inline mini-dictionary panel or to launch the full Dictionary app.



    Inline dictionary exists today, just not with a mouse gesture.
  • Reply 12 of 57
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    WTF?! ?????



    Even if this wasn't completely inaccurate, it would be insulting, but you've managed to do both.



  • Reply 13 of 57
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Who would win in a fight between UK and the US?



    The US is a lot bigger but UK has all the best nerds.
  • Reply 14 of 57
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Really? And I thought it was because England made 3/4 of the planet an English colony at one time. That is why they speak English in places like India, Australia, Canada, and yes the good old USA. I was unaware of the USA importing English anywhere.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheGreatBug View Post


    And yes, it originated in England, but its worldwide importance is due primarily to America.



  • Reply 15 of 57
    bedouinbedouin Posts: 331member
    In my experience, British English is more commonly used internationally -- at least in academia.



    If you are a writer or editor though, and your employer says you must use a specific variation, the dictionary certainly helps.



    I wish America would just drop it and merge with the rest of the world. Like with the metric system they are compelled to be different just for the sake of doing so. Thanks to growing up in the US I have to mentally recalculate measurements when I walk outside, just to make it relative to feet, inches, gallons, etc.



    It doesn't help that I am horrible at math, which I would like to also attribute to being born in America -- though that's a stretch.
  • Reply 16 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Lastly, double clicking with three fingers on a selected word in any standard app now brings up the inline dictionary, which formerly required selecting "Look Up In Dictionary" from the contextual menu.



    Actually, you can activate the inline dictionary by hitting command+control+d. Easy after you've done it a few times.
  • Reply 17 of 57
    allblueallblue Posts: 393member
    The few different spellings are a minor irritant, but there is one area of potential confusion. If you see the date notated thus: 4/5/11 what is it? For most of the world it is the fourth of May, but for Americans it is the fifth of April. You'd think these things would have been sorted by now.
  • Reply 18 of 57
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    Anyone with exposure to both international/British English and American English could do themselves a favor by garnering a basic understanding of the differences. Even trolls could benefit: I've lost count of how many times some jerk has mocked another in a form for their spelling when the 'spelling errors' were just a different standard of English.



    my favorite translator is http://septicscompanion.com/
  • Reply 19 of 57
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    Sorry, I'm a "jerk" and a "troll" for simply pointing out a redundant word? I apologise for being a little fed up of England taking second place to America with regards to her language... and I'm Scottish.



    phew. for a minute there i thought you were going to say Welsh.
  • Reply 20 of 57
    Will iWork 2011 probably be released this summer with Lion? If so what dictionary improvements do you think will be implemented into it?
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