Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) is based on the world's largest collection of information about the way the English language is written and spoken in our time—a citation file of over 16 million examples of English words drawn from actual use, more than 1 million collected since the last edition. The volume also includes: well-drafted Definitions and Pronunciations, Extensive cross-referencing, Stories behind the words, Guidance on Synonyms and Usage, Examples of Contemporary Use, Clear and Informative Illustrations and Tables, Extensive Supplementary Back Matter, and Help in using the Dictionary.

This is the dictionary I've had near me most of my life, since my mother gave me my first copy (maybe 5th edition) in about 1952. Unless a word is brand new, or technical jargon, if it isn't in this collegiate dictionary I hesitate to use it.
No one dictionary is perfect, but this one comes closer than any of the others I've tried.
Of course I mostly use the online Merriam-Webster's dictionary, but there are some times when only the paper version is satisfying.
And, seeing my library, which I limit to about 100 works, was lacking, I found this tenth edition, copyright 1999, for just a few dollars, looking brand new, and making me feel good. ( )

A good, solid dictionary.

A necessary tool for anyone whose work employs the English language. Now superceded by the 11th Edition; this edition is better because the 11th includes slang, jargon, and coloquialisms that are not acceptable in scholarly work. ( )

With CD-ROM v. 3.1 (c2004) ( )