Chambers Dictionary vs Idioms and Slang Dictionary
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chambers Dictionary
This comprehensive English dictionary offers extensive coverage of words, including new terms from science and culture. It features intelligent search with spelling suggestions, pattern matching, and filtering, plus standard tools like bookmarks and anagrams. An offline reference for word enthusiasts and crossword solvers.
- Extensive word coverage
- Latest new words
- Intelligent spelling suggestions
- Advanced search with pattern matching
- Filter search results by word type
- Offline functionality
- Anagrams
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Chambers is the single-volume international English dictionary with the widest coverage of all the riches of the English language. Clear, accurate and occasionally witty definitions, with the latest new words from science, technology and contemporary culture. This 13th Edition reflects the changes in our language, with special attention paid to new words that have emerged, new uses of old words and the most up-to-date pronunciation. The 13th Edition includes over 260,000 distinct words, compounds, phrases and derived forms. The intelligent word entry suggests possible correct spellings as you type, as well as listing words that sound the same or are often confused. Search features include: - Alphabetical listing - Spelling suggestions - Sounds-like and often-confused - Fast pattern-matching search (*, ?, vowel and consonant) - Filter search results by noun, verb, adjective, adverbs - Customize search options (case, derived forms, etc) - Full text search - Anagrams There are also standard bookmark, recent word and random word features. No Internet connection is required, and it supports Split View and Slide over for use with other apps on iPad. The Chambers Dictionary is treasured by word-lovers and crossword enthusiasts for its majestic coverage of English and its tradition of sneaking in a sprinkling of light-hearted definitions. Alone among the single-volume dictionaries, it preserves a rich stock of words from our literary heritage as well as covering all the latest developments in contemporary English. Chambers Thesaurus is also available as a separate app, and can easily be cross-referenced from the dictionary. Our WordWeb, Chambers, Collins and Oxford dictionaries are also available separately for Windows and Mac desktop.
Idioms and Slang Dictionary
Explore the meanings and origins of over 61,000 idioms, slang terms, proverbs, and expressions. Understand conversational English like a native speaker with definitions, historical context, and example sentences.
- Definitions from top sources
- History and origin of phrases
- Example sentences
- Voice search
- Audio pronunciations
- Bookmark favorite phrases
- Advanced search options
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Idioms and Slang Dictionary by Farlex gives you definitions and examples from top sources like McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin for more than 61,000 terms, including: Idioms Slang terms Verbal phrases Abbreviations Proverbs Clichés Regionalisms Colloquialisms Expressions Sayings and more! Get clear, in-depth definitions of tens of thousands of idioms used in the US and throughout English-speaking world. You say them every day, but do you know where they come from? Get the history behind the phrase. FEATURES * Search by keyword or full phrase and always find what you're looking for. * View multiple example sentences to see how an idiom is used in everyday speech. * Get the history behind the phrase. Find out when and where an idiom originated. * Use native voice search to look up a word or phrase just by saying it. (With supported devices) * Play 13,000+ audio pronunciations of keywords for both American and British speakers in online mode. * Learning English? To sound like a native speaker, you need to know idioms! Master conversational English with this free resource. * Add unlimited bookmarks and build your vocabulary. * View your recent searches. * See search suggestions as you type. * Perform advanced searches, including "Starts with," "Ends with," "Contains," and "Wildcard." * Share your favorite phrases via social networks, email, and text. (With supported devices) * This is NOT a preview or a trial version, and there is no "locked" content. Open the app and immediately access all content, no subscriptions required! * User-friendly, comprehensive, and authoritative: the perfect free Idioms and Slang Dictionary for new English speakers or anyone curious about the English language! Here's a sneak-peak of what you'll find inside: let the cat out of the bag Give away a secret, as in "Mom let the cat out of the bag and told us Karen was engaged." This expression alludes to the dishonest practice of a merchant substituting a worthless cat for a valuable pig, which is discovered only when the buyer gets home and opens the bag. [Mid-1700s] silver lining An element of hope or a redeeming quality in an otherwise bad situation, as in "The rally had a disappointing turnout, but the silver lining was that those who came pledged a great deal of money." This metaphoric term is a shortening of "Every cloud has a silver lining," in turn derived from John Milton's Comus (1634): "A sable cloud turns forth its silver lining on the night." a picture is worth a thousand words A graphic illustration conveys a stronger message than words, as in "The book jacket is a big selling point—one picture is worth a thousand words." This saying was invented by an advertising executive, Fred R. Barnard. To promote his agency's ads he took out an ad in Printer's Ink in 1921 with the headline "One Look Is Worth a Thousand Words" and attributed it to an ancient Japanese philosopher. Six years later he changed it to "Chinese Proverb: One Picture Is Worth Ten Thousand Words," illustrated with some Chinese characters. The attribution in both was invented; Barnard simply believed an Asian origin would give it more credibility. Download now for free and get instant access to content you won't find anywhere else! How do we do it? TheFreeDictionary.com - Farlex apps have been downloaded tens of millions times across multiple platforms, with top ratings after hundreds of thousands of reviews. We work with the best publishers to bring together trusted content in the most comprehensive, authoritative dictionary apps on the market. Our flagship app is The Free Dictionary (TFD), powered by TheFreeDictionary.com. Find our other apps by searching "Dictionary by Farlex" in the App Store.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Idioms and Slang Dictionary at Free against Chambers Dictionary's $9.99. Idioms and Slang Dictionary also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 18). Chambers Dictionary's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Idioms and Slang Dictionary is free to download; Chambers Dictionary costs $9.99 up front. Idioms and Slang Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chambers Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chambers Dictionary against 4.7 for Idioms and Slang Dictionary. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idioms and Slang Dictionary has 1.1K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Chambers Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 83% of Idioms and Slang Dictionary's.
Chambers Dictionary ships an update every 4 months, Idioms and Slang Dictionary every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chambers Dictionary | Idioms and Slang Dictionary |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (18 ratings) | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews | 82.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 18 | 1.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 17 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 96 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Antony Lewis | Farlex, Inc. |
Customer experience
Chambers Dictionary
Idioms and Slang Dictionary
Bugs and requests
Chambers Dictionary
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Idioms and Slang Dictionary
Reported bugs
2 issues- Offline mode issues causing the app to go offline frequently
- Bookmarks/favorites not saving properly across device resets
Requested features
5 requests- Provide translations of idiom definitions in other languages
- Add audio functionality to help with pronunciation
- Improve navigation and browsing experience
- Sync favorites across devices
- Categorize and list commonly used idioms and slang
In-app purchases
Chambers Dictionary
No in-app purchases
Idioms and Slang Dictionary
- Ad-free upgrade$4.99
Questions
Is Chambers Dictionary free?
Is Idioms and Slang Dictionary free?
Which has better reviews, Chambers Dictionary or Idioms and Slang Dictionary?
Do Chambers Dictionary or Idioms and Slang Dictionary have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chambers Dictionary or Idioms and Slang Dictionary?
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