Announcement: double-click dictionary lookup added to PLAG.
[UPDATE! OK, so double clicking probably isn't such a good idea. My guess is that far more readers will double click to select a word to copy rather than to look it up, and will wonder WTF is going on when the dictionary popup opens. Last thing I want to do here is implement a feature that turns out to be a bug. So here is an option that will still give those who want it a dictionary function. It's for Firefox users only, unfortunately. Just download and install this Dictionary Search extension. The settings below will give you right-click context menu options to look up the words you select in Merriam Webster's Dictionary, Merriam Webster's Thesaurus, and the Cambridge Advanced Learner's dictionary.
You should be able to copy and paste the text from here:
Dictionary 1
Search MW dictionary for "$"
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=$
Dictionary 2
Search MW thesaurus for "$"
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/thesaurus?book=Thesaurus&va=$
Dictionary 3
Search CALD for "$"
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?&dict=CALD&searchword=$
I hope this is a solution that will be good for everyone. End UPDATE]
Many of you Play Like a Girl readers have first languages other than English, so to help you get the most from my site I’ve added a dictionary lookup function. Now you can double click any word on the site and see its entry in the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. A couple of caveats:
- Your browser must have Javascript enabled.
- The dictionary opens in a popup window, so if you’re using a popup blocker you may need to adjust the permissions. (I solemnly swear that I will NEVER have annoying popup ads on my site!)
- The dictionary function only works for unlinked text, not for hyperlinks.
- The dictionary function only works on my actual website; it’s not part of the feed. But you’re stopping by the website to comment anyway, right?
Hope you find it useful! 
Popularity: 3% [?]
Okay, that explains what happened to me earlier when I double clicked a word to select it so I could copy and paste it elsewhere. This dictionary popped up and I thought I was lost in the Miriam-Webster Zone.
–=MR.JOE=–
Hmmm, I didn’t think of that. *slaps forehead* I’ll see if there’s a better way to trigger the look-up function. If it’s too annoying, this feature will be short lived!
Hmm, nifty … Not very Web 2.0, but nifty nonetheless….
Is that Web 2.0 as in “You make the content, they make the money?” á la Youtube?
Hehe, no, not very Web 2.0 as in when you double-click a word, the meaning pops up in a small box without pop-ups or leaving the site
Getting the Evil Grin from you is … rather scary. So here’s a bunny instead
Whoa, that sounds cool. If there’s a site that does this, do tell! I wanna see…
OK, I’ve found what hope will be a better way. As nifty as the double click thingie is, I think this is a better solution. Thanks Mr. Joe for showing me the error of my ways!
Good thing! Actually, the double-clicking also worked in input boxes and you have no idea how good Cambridge is at guessing my passwords … Everytime I double clicked a password, Cambridge opened up … Where? B@E of course, where I entered two non-identical passwords and had some trouble with Cambridge Unabridged …
But the new way is phanthasthic! FF FTW!
Oh yeah, this way is better. More trouble for users to set up, but less likely to annoy.
Loriiiiiiiiii, highly useful tool!! Thanks!!
I didn’t knew that extension for Firefox. Thanks!
Greetings from Argentina
Neo
Not to cause trouble, but you can also use CleverKeys (http://www.cleverkeys.com/ck.html?p=home) for this type of thing. It works with most any browser or Windows app; just select a word, hit Ctrl-L and off you go to Dictionary.com for the lookup (which is configurable in various different ways)
-djh
Suggestions are never trouble, CapnZ! I will have to give cleverkeys a try. I’ve been looking for a good macro program to reduce the tedium of repetitive tasks!
Dictionary.com seems a bit “spammy” to me, but perhaps I’ve not given it a fair chance. Will check it out!
hmm, i’m concentrating on guitar-playing and won’t use a dictionary. you have to live with my mistakes
Küsu, it’s not about mistakes, actually. The idea is to make it easy for you to look up words used here if you don’t know them.
You never know when I might throw some sesquipedalian, multi-syllabic BS at ya…
I’ve got the FF thingy, and I love it muchly! it comes in handy when you have an american girlfriend
I like seeing all these entries Lori, good to see you back!