牛津高阶学习词典：简称《牛津高阶》
《牛津高阶》是历史悠久的字典，许多字典的标准是由它所建立，可以称为字典的大哥大。针对读者学习需求，不收古语、罕语，也不收字源。以国际音［IPA］为准，兼收英国音和美国英；英文定义简明；例句丰富；动词分及物和不及物，名词分可数和不可数。
●特色一：语法强。《牛津高阶》有充沛的研究资源，语法研究很深入。
●特色二：取材自丰富的语料库。《牛津高阶》的资料来自英国国家语料库、牛津美式英语语料库，还有《牛津英语词典［OED］》研究计划。
◎问题：中规中矩，没有太多创新。
《牛津高阶学习词典》已经出到第7版了。
作为ESL词典的开山鼻祖，OALD确立了很多词典编写的标准，这些标准广泛的被其他出版社采用。OALD也一直把发行量第一作为广告来宣传自己。OALD的很多传统其他年轻的字典根本无法超越，比如传统意义上的语法，（不说syntax和collocation这些细小的地方），OALD用了很多插页来说明诸如如何写信之类的问题。
OALD坚持自己BrE特色!
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 在非英语系国家的身分与地位非常崇高，历史更是悠久。从一九四八年第一版上市以来，迄今已接近一甲子。早期陪伴台湾英文学习者一路走来的，除了梁实秋辞典之外，就是OALD了。
学习型辞典(Learner’s Dictionary)的起源有著比较不一样的发展轨迹。回溯到一九三○、四○年代，几位英国学者如Harold E. Palmer, Michael West, A. S. Hornby等人在日本教授著英文。他们分别做了一些研究，尝试整理出一份基础字汇，或从字义上著手，或从功能上切入。意欲让这样一份字汇表就足够当基础，并据以定义描述大多数的英文字词。这有点像数学里的公设(axiom)，也有点像是化学里的周期表(periodic table)。都有当作基础的目的，从而扩充延伸并推演出完整的体系。
对学习英文的人而言，只要学会了这一群字汇，自然可以自己使用单语辞典(也就是英英辞典)，衔接上自学的道路，然後一路顺利前进。基於这样的思维与用心，他们的努力付出产生了许多影响深远的研究成果。如一九三六年出现的 The Interim Report on Vocabulary Selection，以及Michael West在一九五三年整理出来的A General Service List of English Words。後者这份 General Service List 至今还有人持续研究更新。
就在这样的研究氛围里，Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary於焉诞生。数十年来，OALD享有极高的地位，Hornby在学习辞典里的声望几乎与母语人士辞典当中的Webster齐名。
直到一九七八年， 《朗文当代英语词典》Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English的出现，条理井然的编辑方式，以及以二千个字为基础定义整本辞典的收录词汇。这才对逐渐发展得冗芜庞杂的OALD产生威胁。
OALD现在想要藉由第七版重建过去的声望，除了LDOCE之外，环伺的强敌还有 《麦克米兰英语词典》Macmillan English Dictionary(以下简称MED)、 《剑桥高阶学习词典》Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (以下简称 CALD)，以及《柯林斯高级英语学习词典》Collins Cobuild等等。
Features
The new COMPASS CD-ROM is only available with the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 7th edition.
Compass is available with hardback and paperback editions.
The COMPASS CD-ROM gives instant access to everything that is in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 7th edition plus:
- Everything in the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture which contains over 10,000 entries on every aspect of British and American culture: from Co-op to K-mart, and Savile Row to Madison Avenue.
- British and American pronunciations for every headword.
- 20,000 word origins taken from the world-famous Oxford English Dictionary.
- This new edition is faster and more flexible, with many new features. As well as links to word processing packages, it now has links to web browsers and e-mail, so that you can use it to check unknown words and phrases on the Internet.
- All the headwords are spoken, providing a model for correct pronunciation. American voices have been added to the new edition.
- A new pronunciation practice module allows students to listen to the correct pronunciation, then record their own for comparison.
- There are over 680 interactive photos and illustrations, and thousands of images to illustrate entries and reinforce students' vocabulary.
- High-quality video sequences now illustrate over 80 verbs such as, shrug and sneer.
- There is now a spellcheck facility. Hundreds of new grammar and vocabulary activities challenge advanced learners.
- The popular language learning games have been retained, providing hours of fun through countless permutations.
An these special features:
Wordfinder: organizes words into groups according to meaning. Look up newspaper and you'll find all the words related to newspapers: editor, journalist, tabloid, broadsheet, copy, headline, etc.
Great for homework assignments or projects on unfamiliar topics!
Oxford Genie: click on a word in a Word document, email, or web page, and the Genie will give you an instant definition.
