Google’s “Define:” function is not working anymore or just a glitch?

May 16, 2011

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I wonder why the define: function that I really love to use in Google.com is not working anymore. I tried to define several words since last week, and I thought it’s just a glitch or a bug, but it seems to be removed. I’ve read in the Google web forums that I’m not the only one who’s experiencing it.

There’s another thread here that says it’s just a glitch and it’s properly working. A Google employee even replied to that thread and confirms that the define: function is still working.

Have you tried to define a word and it’s not working? Then you’re also experiencing this weird bug that Google hasn’t completely fixed it.

I hope the define function will not be removed as it’s really useful. As of the moment, If you want to define a work, you can go to google.com/dictionary instead.

But… if you’re not experiencing this bug, then you’re probably lost and you shouldn’t be reading this post.

Google

Comments

9 responses to “Google’s “Define:” function is not working anymore or just a glitch?”

Marcos

May 23, 2011

I really miss this function too :/

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Bryan Veloso

May 26, 2011

Everybody loves this function. I wonder why Google removed it.

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Minodragon

May 29, 2011

I feel an empty hole in my heart. Google had betrayed us all!

Ok, to melodramatic?

But yeah, the dictionary can’t compeat with “define:”

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Digital Bunch

June 1, 2011

I was the fan of that function. But don’t know whats wrong with Google 🙁

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milsy

June 8, 2011

Everybody is using it. I also wonder why Google removed it! Maybe because they can’t earn from it. There are no ads in the pages after you defined a word.

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Goodbye Google Dictionary | Bryan Veloso

August 19, 2011

[…] few months ago, Google removed the most loved and useful “define” function. Then now, they also removed the Google Dictionary. There’s no official word from Google why […]

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Thomas Ahle

September 13, 2011

You need to use the “dictionary” option from the side-panel instead.
See http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/05/googles-define-operator-no-longer.html

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1. Bryan Veloso
  
  September 14, 2011
  
  Ooooh.. Thank you so much for sharing it Thomas! 🙂
Trevor Mcinsley

October 24, 2011

Just noticed this is not working… Google are driving me insane by removing every bloody feature I use. Recently it seemed the define: was giving me less results, until I clicked more (something which I cannot do on my phone) and now it is gone all together. As a writer I use this feature so often and frankly having to go to a dictionary site is just not as fast.

They have moved the ‘cached’ option to the pop out tab on the right so you can no longer see at a glance which sites have one available, it was a feature I used a lot.

They have hidden the arrange by date option for videos in the advanced search settings.

Trying to use a minus with quotes no longer works so you cannot specify particular phrases not to search for, not even through the advanced search option. This one is driving me especially insane, I’m having to use Yahoo instead when I need to search in this manner.

The constant changes to the graphics are also totally unnecessary and only ever make it worse. The new way of displaying an image for example where it shows the webpage in the background… why?

Starting to hope someone new comes along and releases a search engine identical to what Google used to be… then simply never changes it.

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