Although the site provides for searches of the paperback version of the Oxford dictionary, the answers are extremely brief and not enlightening. Word look-up however, is not the purpose here. Just visit the “World of Words” section for a bit of the good stuff. There you’ll find that the term “private eye… is first recorded in a story (1938) by Raymond Chandler, `We don't use any private eyes in here.' It has been suggested that the origin of the expression was the American detective agency founded by Allan Pinkerton; their motto (c.1855) was `We never sleep', and the agency was informally known as `The Eye'.

Look around further and find out about word-history of “gardening”, and gardening implements such as the rake, spade, hoe and trowel. You will see just how interrelated the roots of European languages really are. If you are passionate about word games, you’ll find them here including puzzlers such as the “Fiendishly Difficult Word Game”.

“Better Writing” is aimed at improving your skills. I love this tidbit explaining what “plain English is …“ the writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding the document at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.” This section has a letter writing guide outlining classic errors and helpful hints. Too, if you are so inclined, you can wrestle with the essentials of “successful job application”.

If you don’t find what you are seeking on Ask Oxford then “Ask the Experts”. Evidently, if you have been through the site’s contents, reviewed the Frequently Asked Questions and still can’t find what you are after, you may shoot off a query to their staff. I didn’t try it and would bet they will ignore foolishness, but an intriguing question might get you a passionate response.