What are dictionaries good for?

I'll tell you, kid, because I can only guess that you, like everyone else in the world, thinks dictionaries are for spelling.

That's not it.

Dictionaries are for meaning. Not so much meanings you have no idea about, but meanings you think you know.

If you're constantly stretching for words that are slightly beyond the scope of common conversation—and who isn't?—then dictionaries are extremely helpful.

If you catch yourself every time you stretch—every time aren't quite sure of a word's meaning—and look it up, I promise you you'll find that you know less of even more common words' meanings than you realise.

This is what dictionaries are good for: learning how to express things accurately.