Why is this book going out of print? It is the most down-to-earth dictionary of English that I have ever seen, with numerous excellent examples to illustrate usage. It is perfect for English language learners. I teach college English and writing, and every student who has seen this has been excited by it. The entries include information necessary for ESL students, such as countable and uncountable nouns, subtle differences in meaning, and idiomatic expressions. I keep it near my desk at all times, and prefer it over the standard Webster's or Random House dictionaries when working with students.

I bought this dictionary in May 1990 in Singapore.

The way the content presented is the best I had ever seen. This dictionary is written in ordinary, everyday English that is easy to understand. It has an excellent Guide to the Use of the Dictionary. Every explanation comes with at least one example that is taken from actual texts wherever possible. The extra column in the dictionary, right beside the explanation of a word, creates a visual attraction to the reader. This extra column is used to give two different types of information: grammar notes and semantic relationships (similar or opposite) for the word that is being explained. I love it.

CoBuild is the appreviation of Collins Birmingham University International Language Database. This dictionary was developed and compiled in the English Department at the University of Birmingham as part of a language research project commissioned by Collins Publishers.

Currently, I am looking for its enriched and/or, if any, CD-ROM version. Unfortunately, it seems that the publisher stopped publishing this great dictionary.

Cobuild has been with me since my very first steps in English. It always helped me in all the stages of my learning. It won't matter how good your English get or if you're a seasoned English speaker, Cobuild will always have much to offer. Its down-to-earth explanations and rich examples give very precise definitions and understanding of the words and expressions. The pronunciation is easy to learn, and the differences between the major English variations are pointed out when necessary. It's so good to use this dictionary, that I get myself reading it for very long. Sometimes you just get it to take a look at one definition, and then you feel like exploring and reading on and on (which is great for who's learning; you learn even more!). Another important thing is that, once you get used to Cobuild's Dictionary, it'll be easier if you get other Cobuild publications, because their layout and structure are pretty the same. You won't be disappointed at all if you buy it. As another substitute for Cobuild I would also suggest the Longman Series for Learners. Both Longman and Cobuild, have unique features. Which one you're going to choose is up to you and it's a hard choice. To avoid having to choose do just like me and buy both.

This is an outstanding reference for both learners and anyone who deals with the English Language professionally. As a teacher of English and translator I constantly work with many different dictionaries. Collins Cobuild is surely among my favorites especially for its clear definitions and delailed explanation of the word usage.

COBUILD stands for Collins Birmingham University International Language Database, which is a huge repository of written text covering the last several decades. The criteria for a definition getting into the dictionary is that it must be somewhat well represented in the database. This means that the dictionary omits a lot of definitions which, while being less common, are still in use. For this reason, while the COBUILD is an excellent primary dictionary, it is important to have a second, more comprehensive dictionary, such as the Websters or Funk & Wagnalls, etc. The COBUILD dictionary uses a methodology similar to that used in the great granddaddy of them all, the Oxford English Dictionary, in that it includes numerous sentences to illustrate the definitions it provides, but it is not as scholarly, and therefore would be much easier for many to use. Also, since the COBUILD dictionary is compiled strictly from contemporary usages, it eliminates the need to evaluate the senses for currency of usage. All its definitions are currently in use. Also, it has a friendly feel to it and it is comfortable to use. It's a definite must-have.