Dictionary Question for Paperwhite Owners

twowheels · 10-04-2012, 09:09 PM

Since I don't have mine yet to test...

Does the Paperwhite allow you to look up a word within a definition?

I was just reading on my K3 and encountered a word I didn't know:

unshriven

So, I select it...

"Not shriven"

Uh, thanks... enter for full definition, select shriven

"Past participle of Shrive"

Gah!!... enter for full definition, select Shrive

Ah.... so that's what it means!

Back, Back, Back...

----

So... 1) does the paperwhite allow you to drill down like this? and 2) Is it easy to get back?

wynand32 · 10-04-2012, 09:28 PM

I just tried it, and when I selected "show full definition" I was taken to a full page of information where I could then highlight a word and get a definition of it. So, I think the answer is "yes."

jswinden · 10-04-2012, 09:31 PM

Yes and no.

When you select a word you get a small screen with the definition. You cannot select any words in that small screen. However if you select the "Show Full Definition" option you can select words in that screen, which ironically displays another small screen with definition.

twowheels · 10-04-2012, 09:50 PM

Good to know. :-) This hasn't been the first time I've had to drill down!

warlord · 10-12-2012, 02:23 PM

Hi guys, need some help here. I just bought a paper white and when i click on a word, it says, you need to buy a dictionary or have one in cloud service or something like that.

Did u guys have to buy a separate dictionary just for the kindle white? I thought it came with one. I had a dictionary with my old kobo reader. If i transfer it to paper white, does anybody know if it will work with it?

Thanks for the help

jswinden · 10-12-2012, 02:25 PM

The PW comes with several dictionaries, so I would call CS. It should have at least two loaded on the PW if you bought it in an English speaking country. Not sure about other countries. But your Cloud will also have several more alternate dictionaries which you can use.

No the Kobo dictionary won't work.

twowheels · 10-12-2012, 02:35 PM

I'm assuming that your book is in a language other than English. You need to download the dictionary from the cloud (assuming it's one of the supported languages).

On the home page, click on "cloud".
Swipe right to left to go to the "next" page.
Keep doing that until you get to the last page
Eventually, depending how many Amazon books you have, you'll see a folder called "dictionaries".
Open that folder and find the dictionary for the language that you're reading
Press and hold, choose to download to your device.

Instructions from memory from having done this a few days ago... I may have missed a minor step.

sirmaru · 10-12-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warlord

Hi guys, need some help here. I just bought a paper white and when i click on a word, it says, you need to buy a dictionary or have one in cloud service or something like that.

Did u guys have to buy a separate dictionary just for the kindle white? I thought it came with one. I had a dictionary with my old kobo reader. If i transfer it to paper white, does anybody know if it will work with it?

Thanks for the help

1. You must set up a Collection called "Dictionaries".

2. Go to the Cloud and download at least two dictionaries.

3. Move the two dictionaries to the "Dictionaries" Collection.

4. Go to Home \ Settings \ Device Options \ Language and Dictionaries \ Dictionaries \ English.

5. Select one dictionary. If you have the New Oxford American Dictionary there, you can select another one.

6. Then every word held with a long press will first go to your selected dictionary for the definition. If it is not there, it will go to the New Oxford American Dictionary.

vermontcathy · 10-12-2012, 03:11 PM

One funky bug I found regarding the dictionary on the PW. I had read a year or more ago of people highlighting definitions in the dictionary that they found interesting, so they could find them again later. I'm reading Cloud Atlas and I find myself looking up a lot of words. I tried highlighting the word & definition (after clicking on "full definition", of course) and it didn't work. I have to page forward in the dictionary, then page back before I can highlight the definition.

Barty · 10-12-2012, 03:16 PM

I don't know why they just don't let you type in a word in the dict to search.

Also, there's a wiki search but no google. I guess bc 3G is restricted,but I don't even have 3G.

But they give you twitter and facebook so you can annoy your friends about what you're reading.

Yes, I got through Ulysses. Who's your daddy now?

Edit: oops, I was wrong. You CAN search the dictionary. You need to select some word in the book, then select show full def then click on search button.

tomsem · 10-12-2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirmaru

1. You must set up a Collection called "Dictionaries".

2. Go to the Cloud and download at least two dictionaries.

3. Move the two dictionaries to the "Dictionaries" Collection.

4. Go to Home \ Settings \ Device Options \ Language and Dictionaries \ Dictionaries \ English.

5. Select one dictionary. If you have the New Oxford American Dictionary there, you can select another one.

6. Then every word held with a long press will first go to your selected dictionary for the definition. If it is not there, it will go to the New Oxford American Dictionary.

Kindle Touch and Paperwhite have a predefined 'collection' for dictionaries, you do not have to set up a collection yourself.

It will generally show up as one of the last items on your Home list, as long as you don't have the filter set to Periodicals, Audible, Docs, or Active Content. To get to the last page, tap the 'm/n' label in lower right corner (KPW) or the 'm of n' label in upper right (KT), then type page '99' (or any number greater than or equal to number of pages) to jump to last page. You might need to back up a page as Dictionaries is displayed before 'Periodicals: Back Issues' and on KT, 'Archived Items.'

AFAICT you need to visit your Manage Your Kindle page to send the other dictionaries to your Kindle.

twowheels · 10-12-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

AFAICT you need to visit your Manage Your Kindle page to send the other dictionaries to your Kindle.

No, I managed to download mine from the cloud view.

twowheels · 10-12-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

To get to the last page, tap the 'm/n' label in lower right corner (KPW) or the 'm of n' label in upper right (KT), then type page '99' (or any number greater than or equal to number of pages) to jump to last page.

Nice tip! Didn't realize you could act on that!

Blossom · 10-13-2012, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Kindle Touch and Paperwhite have a predefined 'collection' for dictionaries, you do not have to set up a collection yourself.

The K4 also has this.

warlord · 10-13-2012, 01:23 AM

Thanks for the help guys! Downloaded it from cloud and now its working fine!! Thanks guys. I LOVE my new PW by the way.. Best reader i've ever had.

10-04-2012, 09:09 PM	#1
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,855 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	Dictionary Question for Paperwhite Owners Since I don't have mine yet to test... Does the Paperwhite allow you to look up a word within a definition? I was just reading on my K3 and encountered a word I didn't know: unshriven So, I select it... "Not shriven" Uh, thanks... enter for full definition, select shriven "Past participle of Shrive" Gah!!... enter for full definition, select Shrive Ah.... so that's what it means! Back, Back, Back... ---- So... 1) does the paperwhite allow you to drill down like this? and 2) Is it easy to get back?

10-12-2012, 02:25 PM	#6
jswinden Nameless Being	The PW comes with several dictionaries, so I would call CS. It should have at least two loaded on the PW if you bought it in an English speaking country. Not sure about other countries. But your Cloud will also have several more alternate dictionaries which you can use. No the Kobo dictionary won't work. Last edited by jswinden; 10-12-2012 at 02:27 PM.

10-12-2012, 02:35 PM	#7
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,855 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	I'm assuming that your book is in a language other than English. You need to download the dictionary from the cloud (assuming it's one of the supported languages). On the home page, click on "cloud". Swipe right to left to go to the "next" page. Keep doing that until you get to the last page Eventually, depending how many Amazon books you have, you'll see a folder called "dictionaries". Open that folder and find the dictionary for the language that you're reading Press and hold, choose to download to your device. Instructions from memory from having done this a few days ago... I may have missed a minor step. Last edited by twowheels; 10-12-2012 at 02:46 PM.

10-12-2012, 03:16 PM	#10
Barty doofus Posts: 2,555 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I don't know why they just don't let you type in a word in the dict to search. Also, there's a wiki search but no google. I guess bc 3G is restricted,but I don't even have 3G. But they give you twitter and facebook so you can annoy your friends about what you're reading. Yes, I got through Ulysses. Who's your daddy now? Edit: oops, I was wrong. You CAN search the dictionary. You need to select some word in the book, then select show full def then click on search button. Last edited by Barty; 10-12-2012 at 03:34 PM.

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10-04-2012, 09:28 PM	#2
wynand32 Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 497198 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader 505	I just tried it, and when I selected "show full definition" I was taken to a full page of information where I could then highlight a word and get a definition of it. So, I think the answer is "yes."

10-04-2012, 09:31 PM	#3
jswinden Nameless Being	Yes and no. When you select a word you get a small screen with the definition. You cannot select any words in that small screen. However if you select the "Show Full Definition" option you can select words in that screen, which ironically displays another small screen with definition.

10-04-2012, 09:50 PM	#4
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,855 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	Good to know. :-) This hasn't been the first time I've had to drill down!

10-12-2012, 02:23 PM	#5
warlord Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: sony reader	Hi guys, need some help here. I just bought a paper white and when i click on a word, it says, you need to buy a dictionary or have one in cloud service or something like that. Did u guys have to buy a separate dictionary just for the kindle white? I thought it came with one. I had a dictionary with my old kobo reader. If i transfer it to paper white, does anybody know if it will work with it? Thanks for the help

10-12-2012, 03:11 PM	#9
vermontcathy Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 536510 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: vermont Device: Colorsoft, K3, K4, Oasis	One funky bug I found regarding the dictionary on the PW. I had read a year or more ago of people highlighting definitions in the dictionary that they found interesting, so they could find them again later. I'm reading Cloud Atlas and I find myself looking up a lot of words. I tried highlighting the word & definition (after clicking on "full definition", of course) and it didn't work. I have to page forward in the dictionary, then page back before I can highlight the definition.

10-13-2012, 01:23 AM	#15
warlord Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: sony reader	Thanks for the help guys! Downloaded it from cloud and now its working fine!! Thanks guys. I LOVE my new PW by the way.. Best reader i've ever had.