Online construction dictionary?

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Author Message David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 197 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2003 - 07:18 pm:    Does anyone know where there is an online dictionary of construction and architectural terms? Thanks John McGrann Junior Member Username: jmcgrann Post Number: 9 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 07:45 am:    The one I know of is: http://www.dreamghar.com/dictionary.html Robert E. Woodburn, RA, CCS, CCCA,CSI Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 28 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 10:17 am:    Thanks for the link. In a quick glance (10-15 seconds) at that dictionary, I noticed two typos (at "pitched roof" and one other, above that, in the P's), and at least one significant omission ("Portland cement"). It seems to slight the more technical construction terms, in favor of the more general and historical. But hey, it's a start... Stephan Reppert CSI, CDT New member Username: steprepp Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 10:27 am:    In 1824 Joseph Aspdin (pronounced aspdin)patented an artificial cement which he aptly (pronounced aptly) named portland cement, after the grey colered English limestone. I hope this fills the void. (no pun intended) Stephan Reppert CSI, CDT Junior Member Username: steprepp Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:05 am:    Sorry, I ment to spell "colored"....my mistake... Stephan Reppert CSI, CDT Member Username: steprepp Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:06 am:    Sorry, I ment to spell "meant" William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 243 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:20 am:    There are a number of online dictionaries, some better than others, but none as good as some of the ones available in print. Most are not really dictionaries, but rather glossaries. Some of the ones that I have seen are... http://ah.bfn.org/a/DCTNRY/vocab.html http://www.theresponsibleorder.com/150glossary.htm http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/aat/index.html I have not actually found an online dictionary for construction/architectural terms that I really like. I have found that going to dictionary.com provides relevant definitions for many tems. Sometimes not, but most of the times I have needed something I have found it there. William Colin Gilboy Senior Member Username: colin Post Number: 98 Registered: 05-2000 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:22 am:    That dictionary is based in India, thus the British spelling. Many of you know I am on the SpecText board. At a meeting we discussed taking every word in the SpecText specs and defining the word. With their permission, I could take a list of the words and post them in an editable area on 4specs and have specifiers start to define the words - say 2-3,000 of them. If there is interest, this could be taken on as a community project and when roughed out be available for 4specs users. I would put the work in the public domain so copying could be done by others, including SpecText. We could make it available for CSI and AIA to use. I have some ideas on how to implement this in an easy way. Send me an email directly rather than posting "me too" on the discussion. The only concern is that copyrighted materials could not be used to generate the descriptions. colin@4specs.com David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 198 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:40 pm:    Thanks! What started this thread was an intern architect asking me about the term "holiday" in the roofing section. I told her that is when the contractor gets half the job completed then goes on a 3 week cruise. I will check the links you guys gave me and see how they define holiday. I typically use www.dictionary.com, but of course it defined it as a vacation. For those of you that don't know a "holiday" is when there is a skip in material such as not evenly spreading paint, adhesive or asphalt. Ralph Liebing Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 42 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 01:35 pm:    David, why don't you throw "spud" back at your intern-- you will get strange looks, weird grunts,and academic silence! John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 133 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 01:49 pm:    David: I ran across an art dictionary that had many architectural terms: www.artlex.com See "rib" for example in this dictionary. Several images of a ribbed vaults in a Gothic cathedral will display. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 134 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 01:52 pm:    A civil engineer had a note on a grading plan that said "grade to daylight". As I recall, the slope of a new berm was noted in rate of slope rather than giving a plan dimension. This meant, create a berm with the top at a certain elevation and then grade away from the top at the stated rate of slope until the grade "daylights", that is, intersects with the existing grade. I believe it is a term that is more appropriately used for the end of a drainage pipe where it exits the ground. The contractor wanted to know if this meant he had to work all night. Lynn Javoroski Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 39 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 04:25 pm:    I use OneLookDictionarySearch for all words, construction terms or "regular" language. The only word that didn't get at least 4 responses was "premiating". It got none. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 41 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 04:49 pm:    Perhaps "permeating" would work. ;-) Helaine K. Robinson CCS Senior Member Username: hollyrob Post Number: 32 Registered: 07-2003 Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 03:19 pm:    US Government Contracting Glossary http://www.armcor.com/contractor_glossary.html David Reed (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 11:57 am:    Best construction related dictionary I've come across is at RS Means http://www.rsmeans.com/dictionary/index.asp Lynn Javoroski Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 65 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 12:19 pm:    While reading an article in Building, a UK publication, I came across the word "drylining". Is this what we here in the colonies call "drywall" or is it something more? Ralph Liebing Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 54 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 01:20 pm:    You're close apparently, Lynn-- go this off the net; DPP Drylining The Homepage of DPP Drylining Design & build partition walls and suspended ceilings for everyone. specialist in curved walls and ceilings. Made from galvinised metal and plasterboard. As strong as timber,but timber warps. No job to small. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home | Company Info | Contacts | Services | Projects | Contact Us | Links -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPP Drylining 382 Central Park Road - London - England - E6 3AB - UK Phone: 0208 471 8239 Fax: 0208 471 8239 Ralph Liebing Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 55 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 03:19 pm:    Also, Lynn, I must warn you about the "noggin's", and "secret fixin's"! 'Course, those are really Irish terms. Lynn Javoroski Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 66 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 04:14 pm:    Hmmm...I'm Irish (part, anyway) and don't know anything about "noggin's" and "secret fixin's", unless you count the secret ingredients in Colonel Sanders chicken! Thanks for the info on drylining. From what I was able to find on the 'net, which wasn't quite as specific as what you found, I was still unsure, but leaning toward the idea that it's more that just drywall gypsum board. Hence my question. It seems as though it's more of a system: studs plus drywall equal drylining. Wish I could get an answer from someone in the UK! Margaret G. Chewning CSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 18 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 07:16 am:    This thread has really peaked my curiosity! I went to Dogpile.com and found the following website: http://www.cpsupplies.co.uk/dry-lining.htm . Drylining does appear to be a system as opposed to a specific product. This site was quite interesting. Ralph Liebing Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 56 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 08:12 am:    Oh, Lynn, come on! Surely it is obvious that noggin's are blocking: and secret fixin's are concealed fastners!!! Tracy Van Niel Senior Member Username: tracy_van_niel Post Number: 67 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Friday, February 20, 2004 - 08:21 am:    Hi Lynn: I asked your question on a dog list that I belong too because there are many people from the UK and Europe who participate on it. Your assumption is correct. I was told that it was a "system" of both gypsum board AND studs together that made it drylining. Lynn Javoroski Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 67 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 02:18 pm:    Thanks to all of you. What a great learning experience...and I've got other places to seek answers to boot! You guys are wonderful; and Colin, thanks yet again for this site. I don't know what I would do without it. It's so nice to get answers from people who I can trust! Edd Soenke (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 10:31 pm:    For those of you looking for a great "collection" of definitions, defined terms and a glossary, please head north to Wayne Watson (Canadian member of the MasterFormat04 Task Team). In 1995/1996 Wayne copyrighted this document for Canucks to clarify terms in the "Front End" and Division 1. (w2@digicon.ab.ca). Another source (unfortunately, also not online) is the BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION DICTIONARY (English-Russian) by Moscow International Publishers and L&H Publishing Co., Copenhagen, Siljangade 6, DK-2300, Denmark (Phone 45 32 96 49 49; Fax 45 32 96 98 49) L&H utilizes an enormous construction-related database and defines terms in sufficient detail that they can be translated into languages that may not have direct translation (I call this interpretation). Either way, it is one of my best references because a precise understanding of the term/definition must be delineated in order for it to be translated. There are literally millioins of terms and expressions from a large number of construction sectors for direct application to tenders (it is British based), contracts, specifications, standards, patent documents, regulations and laws of a myriad of countries, operating manuals, user instructions, product information, technical descriptions and service manuals. This fat little book teaches an architect how to accurately describe what he or she is trying to specify.