Answers.com

Maybe this is old news and I just realized it but there is a nifty service called Answers.com which is great for quick definitions. For example, try one of my favorite words, “transubstantiation” It provides definitions from various dictionaries, available translations, and also the Wikipedia entry (I wonder if this is dynamic swipe from wikipedia, or they update it regularly?). You may notice that Google, which used to give a “definition” link for its results linking to dictionary.com is now linking to answers.com instead. More on this at SearchEngineWatch.

I created a little Javascript bookmarklet you can search it directly from your bookmark toolbar, save this “address” into your favorite:

javascript:x=escape
(prompt(‘Enter%20a%20term%20to%20look%20up:’,”));
window.location=’http://answers.com/main/ntquery?s=’+x+’&gwp=8′;

Note: This should all be one line. When you click it, it will ask you what to search for and open up the appropriate page on answers.com.

UPDATE: Answers.com considerably simplified its URL construction, ignore the code above. The correct Javascript should now be:

javascript:x=escape
(prompt(‘Enter%20a%20term%20to%20look%20up:’,”));
window.location=’http://answers.com/main/’+x;