I have found the Abridged version to be a valuable tool when studying both the Septuagint translation of the Tenach/Old Testament as well as the Greek text of the New Testament. The Greek words are in the Greek alphabet so the reader will need to know it in order to use it effectively. One of the greatest assets to a lexicon such as this is that it is from a non-religious perspective and the definitions are not tainted by any theological bias.

This edition combines the text of the ninth edition of Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon with an extensively revised and expanded Supplement. The Supplement is the culmination of thirteen years of research and constitutes a full revision of the previous 1968 Supplement. Containing over 20,000 entries, the Supplement includes coverage of words and forms from papyri and inscriptions discovered up to the present day. Entries in the Supplement also incorporate Linear B forms for the first time, extending the Lexicon's time span back to 1200 BC.
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The world's most authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of ancient Greek, this is a major work of classical scholarship. It includes the early Greek of authors like Homer and Hesiod, Classical Greek, and the Greek old and new testaments. Each entry lists not only the definition of a word, but also its irregular inflections, and quotations from a full range of authors and sources to demonstrate usage.

Liddell & Scott's Greek-English Lexicon is the most comprehensive and up-to-date ancient Greek dictionary in the world. Used by every student of ancient Greek in the English-speaking world, the dictionary covers every surviving ancient Greek author and text discovered up to 1940, from the Pre-Classical Greek of Homer and Hesiod to Classical Greek to the Hellenistic Period, including the Greek Old and New Testaments. This monumental work is now available with a brand new Revised Supplement. Representing the culmination of thirteen years' work, the new Supplement is a complete replacement of the 1968 Supplement. Nearly twice the size of the 1968 edition, with over 20,000 entries, it adds to the dictionary words and forms from papyri and inscriptions discovered between 1940 and the 1990s as well as a host of other revisions, updatings, and corrections to the main dictionary. Linear B forms are shown within entries for the first time, and the Revised Supplement gives the dictionary a date-range from 1200 BC to 600 AD. It is fully cross-referenced to the main text but additions have been designed to be easily used without constant reference to the main text.

Logos
The world's most authorative dictionary of ancient Greek

Indispensable for Septuagint studies, the world's most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of ancient Greek is now available with the Revised Supplement integrated into the body of the text for the first time ever. The publication of the Revised Supplement in 1996 marked a major event in classical scholarship and was the culmination of 13 years' painstaking work overseen by a committee appointed by the British Academy, involving the cooperation of many experts from around the world.

The Main Dictionary: Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon (9th edition 1940), is the central reference work for all scholars of ancient Greek authors and texts discovered up to 1940, from the 11th century BC to the Byzantine Period. The early Greek of authors such as Homer and Hesiod, Classical Greek, and the Greek Old and New Testaments are included. Each entry lists not only the definition of a word, but also its irregular inflections, and quotations from a full range of authors and sources to demonstrate usage.

fushtar77 from Bellingham, WA United States
The Big Liddell is a very valuable resource, as a number of other reviewers here have observed. It truly is the premier work of its kind. But it has a few drawbacks.

1 - The sheer weight and bulk of this tome makes it a dedicated desk reference. In fact, you might consider building a special shelf or desk just to hold the book.

2 - The offset printing flaws mentioned by other reviewers is a significant problem. Portions of some entries are not even legible.

The Big Liddell is the kind of book that would be much more valuable in digital format than in print. There's been talk about an electronic version for some time, and it looks like we might finally get one soon ...

mantinea from Dalkeith, Western Australia
The "big" Liddell & Scott is the one to buy when you're about to do your doctorate. Until then you would be better off with the Intermediate, and not just because it's only about a third the price and much easier to carry about. The Intermediate has a much clearer typeface and many students find its material more easily accessible.

The ninth edition of the "big" Liddell & Scott has been offset so many times that the print is faint and verging on the illegible. My copy actually has pieces of print missing. The Clarendon Press ought really to have the whole thing revised and reset. But what a daunting task! (It will probably end up being republished on disk.)

David T. Bennett from Columbus, OH United States
This review is for the Abridged Liddell-Scott Lexicon...

I own the Intermediate sized Liddell as well, and I must say I actually prefer the smaller one. When I took a class where we read "The Apology of Socrates" by Plato, my professor recommended avoiding the Intermediate edition. At first I thought perhaps he was wrong, and I used it to translate some passages. After spending a lot of time sorting through it, I found that I agreed with him. The Intermediate Liddell does have locations of word use in original sources, and has slightly more vocabulary, but for the beginning and intermediate Greek reader, the Abridged Liddell is preferable. Navigating through the abridged edition is far easier and it often assumes a lesser knowledge of Greek, thus it includes some conjugated forms, which then point you to the correct verb. So as you can see, the abridged edition should suit the needs of most classical Greek students. Also, the editors took care to make sure that virtually every New Testament word is included.

Are there drawbacks to the Liddell-Scott? The Victorian English often gets frustrating. We rarely use words like hither and thither anymore. Also, when more morally explicit Greek words are defined, their definition is in Latin. Also, the original printing abnormalities, such as certain parts of letters being cut off from words, remain.

Learning Greek is a rewarding, but daunting task. The task is often made more difficult by grammars and lexicons that assume the reader knows more than he or she does. The abridged Liddell is perfect for the average student. When you want to dive in deeper, learn word origins, search sources, or just want to say you own the most complete Lexicon out there, you should buy the full size Liddell-Scott. Until then, the abridged edition works!

fratantuono -- murray.fordham.edu from NYC
In 1996 a supplement appeared to this lexicon and was offered as a separate volume. The full lexicon was also offered with the supplement included ............ That discount is no longer offered but this dictionary is still the cheapest major, standard lexicon of any language available...there is no bigger English-Greek lexicon. Eventually, any Greek student who wants to read beyond the elementary authors in the curriculum will need at least to consult this volume. It is unwieldy...like all major dictionaries...and can be annoying to use on the eyes. Sadly, there are no other choices at present...though we yearn for the day when computer technology will replace the printed codex and allow for (a much needed, but immensely difficult) a thorough revision of the lexicon. Its etymological notes are obviously valueless today. Beginning students will better appreciate the intermediate version of this book which lists irregular principal parts of verbs separately. Note that the intermediate version is based on the Eighth, not the Ninth, edition of the lexicon...as if any intermediate student notices or cares.

meriadoc from Auburn, Alabama
There is not to much to add to this gentleman's estimation of the Great Scott. Though I will point out that it is invaluable to anyone who has completed the fundamentals and finds themselves reading multiple dialects. The gentleman is right again in saying that a little Liddell, or Middle Liddell is more appropriate for the beginning Greek reader; there is absolutely no reason to spring for the full Lexicon at that point. A reader who has, however, stuck out two or three years and moved beyond the fundamentals should make all efforts to aquire this Lexicon. The 3 rules of Greek reading [1. know your Principle parts they will save your sanity 2. the Lexicon is your friend and 3. above all else, the first thing to do when encountering any Greek is to supress panic] don't change whether you've read two years or twenty, but you can outgrow your lexicon, and any serious readers (if you've stuck it out for three years or more, your serious) should invest in this lexicon. It is the standard and a necessity.

Jack L Schermerhorn from Cambridge, Massachusetts
For the student of classical and koine Greek, this edition of the "Liddell," as it is affectionately known, ought to be the reward one receives for the successful completion of an intermediate or advanced level of study (or--I say this longingly--presented as a gift for such a successful student), which is to say that it is not for the beginner. The "little Liddell" is the best version for the beginner since it contains, e.g., irregular forms of verbs whose aorist and/or perfect principal parts cannot be predicted from the present principal part. The "middle Liddell" contains fewer entries but provides more room for etymological information, thus making the little Liddell best for use during Greek exams and the middle Liddell best for those whose interest includes a knowledge of the history of a word's usage. The big Liddell (the book for which this review is written) is an excellent reference on account of its completeness and the coherent way in which the entries are written. Although the Liddell and Scott Lexicon is a work of scholarship located in the tradition of late 19th century classics scholarship, that is, the editors regularly give the Latin translation of the Greek before the English (since until recently it was assumed that a study of Latin would accompany a study of Greek), the work has enduring value to both scholars and those for whom an interest in Greek is merely an enjoyment. The big Liddell will not disappoint if you're willing to make the financial investment.

hpmey -- aol.com from Lebanon, TN
Liddell and Scott is a comprehensive lexicon of the classical Greek. It will aid students of the New Testament in word studies of the Koine Greek. It includes references to ancient documents for many areas of the definition of a word. It also comes in the less expensive intermediate version.