When big, troublesome words cause you pericombobulations then having a dictionary to hand can be the best solution for getting to the bottom of the matter.

If you want one which offers you a wide range of functions, is simple to operate and costs nothing then WordWeb is a great choice.

You can look up definitions of course, but it also includes handy features such as the ability to find synonyms and antonyms. The program can either be used as a standalone dictionary or if you open it while you are hooked up to the internet you will get the option of using extra functions.

Its ease of use is largely down to the fact that the interface it presents to the world is not dissimilar to the kind of dictionary application you will be used to seeing on your word processor. The program is extremely easy to use and getting started will not be any problem at all, even for inexperienced computer users.

To look up a word you need to type it into the Lookup section and then look for the definition appearing at the top of the application. From this point you can click on the word to explore the different options open to you.

Down at the bottom of the screen you will see where to look for synonyms, antonyms etc. The program includes an impressive 150,000 words and 120,000 synonym pairings, which should be enough to satisfy most people's needs.

Your chosen hotkey combination lets you bring up the pane whenever you come across a word you want to look up, and the details of the word you are pointing to you will automatically appear. This means that you can keep the program out of sight while you are doing other things and then just bring it up when it is needed.

The various tools included let you choose the database you want to use from the different dialects on offer, change the size of the text display and barring potentially offensive words from being recognised.

The latest release of the WordWeb free version comes with features such as over 5,000 audio pronunciations and 65,000 text pronunciations. There is also a paid version with extra functionality but the free one should be more than enough for most users' needs.