list of words in apple dictionary

All the dictionaries are located in /Library/Dictionaries/ as packages. However, IIRC, all those just access the Internet to get terms. There's nothing on the computer with such a list.

I know exactly what you mean, MajorMenace Cam,

Relative newcomers to Apple, indeed the world of computers, often find everyday words do not mean what they expected. I broached the question months ago but while friendly posters here made useful suggestions, they never solved the problem.

I suspect it is insoluble, simply because of the dynamic nature of computing.

MajorMenace Cam wrote:

Is there a way I can access a list of the words in the Apple Dictionary

Yes. Run the script below in AppleScript Editor

--begin script

property myPath : "/Library/Dictionaries/Apple Dictionary.dictionary/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/AppleDictionary.xml"

property myApp : "Safari"

on run

POSIX filemyPath

tell applicationmyApp

openresult

activate

end tell

end run

--end script

Nice script! However, that'll give you Apple's definitions of words Apple uses with or in their products, but not the words associated with the other dictionaries used throughout the language, which is what I think the OP is looking for.

baltwo wrote:

Nice script!

Thank you very much.

not the words associated with the other dictionaries

I try to take people at their word. The OP said, "the Apple Dictionary"; well, that's the Apple Dictionary.

If the OP meant "a hardcopy" of another dictionary, that's something else. I can't speak to the Japanese dictionary and thesaurus, but the American dictionary is no problem. The NOAD, 2nd ed, can be ordered, eg, here

<http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Oxford-American-Dictionary/dp/0195170776/>

although the OP may prefer the newer 3rd ed

<http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-American-Dictionary-University-Press/dp/0195392884>

[OT: AFAIC, I have little regard for either. In terms of American English, I'm an unabashed and dyed-in-the-wool fan of the last ever American English dictionary worthy of that name, ie Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition.]

As for the thesaurus, that's here

<http://www.amazon.com/The-Oxford-American-Writers-Thesaurus/dp/0195170768>

while the later edition is to be found at

<http://www.amazon.com/American-Writers-Thesaurus-Christine-Lindberg/dp/019534284 4>