Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes - Oxford Paperback Reference

Let's suppose you are a poet or a song writer and you need a rhyme. Rather than beating your brains out for hours on end wasting paper, what you need is a copy of what is probably the world's best English language rhyming dictionary, the Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. Actually, it is not just a English language rhyming language dictionary, as well as proper names and pace names, it contains foreign teems, too.

Unlike some behemoth rhyming dictionaries, this one is of a sensible size. I can imagine a poet in his or her garret, notebook in one hand, pen or pencil between teeth, with the Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes in their other hand.

How is the book laid out? Firstly there is a preface which explains what the book is and also why it is. Then there is the introduction by John Lennard. Actually, this is more than a mere introduction. It gives examples of the varieties of rhyme (vowel rhyme, hudibrastic, wrenched rhyme, spelling rhyme, etc., etc) the positions of rhyme, and examples of rhyme. And demonstrations of how rhymes work. And examples and a highly useful how to use this book section, as well as a good interspersing of examples of the use of rhyme by the likes of T.S. Eliot, Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison. Nothing if not eclectic…

The main section of the book is broken up into many different sections, each one subdivided. Let's take Section 31 as an example. Section 31 covers -st. 31.2 deals with aghast, avast, Belfast, blast, cast, caste, contrast, etc., whilst section 31.4 begins with barefaced, then goes on to baste, boldfaced, chaste, haste, lambaste, paste, etc., etc.

After the main rhyme portion of the book comes a very comprehensive index, which covers every word in the rhyming dictionary from Aachen (section 25.43) all the way through to Zymurgy (section 4.17).

Incidentally Aachen rhymes with -amongst others- bracken, slacken and Incan, whilst Zymurgy rhymes with bhaji, budgie and geology.

I have used other rhyming dictionaries in the past. But none as simple to follow and as easy to use as this one. It costs £8.99 in paperback and is worth every penny, if you need -or even just want!- a rhyming dictionary.