10.4: Use the Dictionary lookup feature globally

Jun 10, '05 09:17:00AM

Contributed by: Anonymous

Tiger only hintI've read that you can use the Dictionary resources directly in some apps -- but only some (Cocoa and some Carbon) applications.

But here's a way to use this feature globally:

Use the Spotlight box in the top-right corner (hit Command-Space to activate) to type in the word you're looking for, and then use the Control-Command-D combination covered in the linked hint. This way, you get the word's definition regardeless of the application you're using -- without having to launch the Dictionary app. Fast and effective.

[robg adds: While effective, on my machine this hint isn't necessarily fast -- but it seems to depend on what I type. Some words cause Spotlight to lock out my keyboard input for a second or two, meaning I need to wait for Spotlight results to show before hitting Control-Command-D. Other words, though, I can type completely and then hit the key sequence without a delay.]

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Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20050525132332381