Launching Dictionary in Other Applications

D

Daena

Registered
Can the Dictionary application be launched to look up words while viewing PDFs in the Preview application, just as with TextEdit and Safari?

Currently, if I need to look up words while surfing, I select the word, hold down the Control key as I click my mouse, and choose "Look Up in Dictionary" from the shortcut menu.

I wonder if I can do the same while reading PDF documents in the Preview application?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.
 
If you're using Tiger (OS 10.4), then the solution is built into the OS. Works in any program that uses text. Simply place the mouse over the word and hit Apple+Cntrl+D. It will bring up a small popup over the word with the definition in it.
 
Thanks for your help, ra3ndy.

Sadly, this doesn't work for my Preview. I really don't know why. When I select a word and right-click (or perform the keyboard equivalent of a right-click), the shortcut menu that appears only contains options pertaining to viewing, such as "Auto Size", "Facing Pages", "Continuous", etc. But not the "Look Up in Dictionary", or even "Copy" options.

Other applications such as Safari and Mail are fine. I don't know what I did to cause this. What should I do now? Can anything be done to rectify this problem? I've tried thrasing the Preview plist, and even the Dictionary one. However, it didn't work.
 
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