i've noticed a couple of recent questions recently that could be easily answered with the help of an etymological dictionary (for instance "when did the word fa***t become a curse word). I think it would be useful to add such a work to answer questions before they are asked.
Thoughts? also which ones should be recommended or should the oed be recommended instead of an online one?
The best free one that I know of is etymonline. Actually, it just one of the best, period, free of not. Douglas Harper has done a wonderful thing there.
Also Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, for that matter.
So much chat about how much everyone loves etymonline and the OED, but back to the question: does a dictionary have a place on the book list?
Also, off topic, but given the number of straight-up dictionary questions we get here (what does x mean, when did x start to mean y, where does x come from, even how is x pronounced...), do students not use dictionaries any more? In þe olde days when I was a student, a dictionary was standard equipment from ~age 10, but I gather that 'kids these days' aren't familiar with the kind of information one can find in these reference books.