New Google Command: Define

Google has moved one of its Google Labs projects into the mainstream. The Google Glossary function is now available directly from Google in two ways using "define." Enter a search that starts with "define" and the first Google glossary results shows at the top. For example, define environmental protection agency. To see all the definitions, use "define:" as in define:environmental protection agency. For phrases, it makes no difference whether quotations are used or not. This can work well for acronyms, too.

Note that the definitions found come from an automatic pattern recognition program that tries to identify definitions on Web pages. Many of these are inaccurate and some are just plain wrong. Use this for getting a sense of common definitions on the Web, not for a definitive answer, unless you trust the originating Web site.