--------------------
- tom.luo@gmail.com
- 2010/03/04
--------------------
1. sudo apt-get install dict dictd
1.1 dictionaries you can install
    sudo apt-get install dict-gcide

dict-wn # world net
dict-elementsi # Chemical elements
dict-foldoc  # Free Online Dictionary of Computer
dict-gcide  # A comprehensive English dictionary. This package contains the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
dictionaries-common
dict-jargon
dict-moby-thesaurus  # I personally don't like this dictionary because it shows too much information in my terminal.
dict-gazetteer #

You can search by 'dict' in Synaptic Package Manager to install the dictionaries you like.


2. Now you should be able to lookup a word from the dictionaries offline.
Examples:
dict -h localhost -d wn oracle
dict -h localhost -d gaz Texas
dict -h localhost -d elements Iron


Optional steps

2. Download the dictionaries from ftp.dict.org/dict/pre/
   and unzip the dictionary files. You may download and save all dictionary into /usr/share/dictd/ 

3. $/usr/sbin/dictdconfig -w
to add the dictionaries in the /usr/share/dictd/ folder into /usr/lib/dictd/db.list file.

4. sudo vi /etc/dictd/dictd.conf

global {
listen_to 127.0.0.1
# bind to local interfacea only
}

# Access section here:

access {
allow localhost
allow 127.0.0.1
# this allows access only from local host
allow inetd
# this allows access from inetd server
}

# Database section here:

include /var/lib/dictd/db.list


5. Note: make sure the dictionary files are readable. 
   $chmod 644 *.*


6. sudo vi /etc/dict/dict.conf
  server localhost 
  server dict.org
  server dict0.us.dict.org
  server alt0.dict.org

7. start up the dictd service
   sudo service dictd start

8. lookup a word
   $dict oracle

9. lookup a word from localhost 
   $dict -hlocalhost oracle

10. lookup a word from your favorite dictionary
   $dict -d foldoc terabyte
   foldoc: free online dictionary of computer

Enjoy your dictionary

- Tom Luo

default dictd.conf: http://www.oracleabc.com/ubuntu/dictd.conf
default dict.conf: http://www.oracleabc.com/ubuntu/dict.conf