look up a/ the dictionary

[joham]

I think we can use the phrase "look up a/ the dictionary", but in many of China's examination papers, it is regarded as a wrong choice. Could you tell me if at all we can use it? Thank you.

[Anglika]

I would normally expect to say "Look it up in a/the dictionary!" OR "Check the dictionary".

[David L.]

I think we'd all be interested to hear what the examination papers say is the 'correct' choice! Would you be kind enough to add it to this post?
Thanks.

[MrPedantic]

Originally Posted by joham

I think we can use the phrase "look up a/ the dictionary", but in many of China's examination papers, it is regarded as a wrong choice. Could you tell me if at all we can use it? Thank you.

I can't think of a context in which you could use it. I would agree with Anglika. (You could also say e.g. "consult a dictionary".)

MrP

[joham]

This is one of the questions with "look up":
If you don't understand some words in the book, you can ____ a dictionary.
A. refer to B. read C. look up D. check (The given answer is A.)

The following is taken from one of the Chinese-published dictionaries--A DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS(1982):

look up5: consult (a reference work, etc) in order to find out information): If you wish to have further information about the matter, look up this book.

I thought we ccould say 'look up a dictionary' just according to this expanation and sample sentence. And this dictionary is compiled by one of China's most famous professors of English.

[peter123]

Hi there,

In Cambridge Dictionary, there is an explanation on 'look something up'

look sth up (INFORMATION) phrasal verb [M]
to try to find a piece of information by looking in a book or on a computer:
If you don't know what the word means, look it up in a dictionary.

So the object of 'look up' should be the 'word' or 'information', but not the dictionary.

pete

[Anglika]

The following is taken from one of the Chinese-published dictionaries--A DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS(1982):

look up5: consult (a reference work, etc) in order to find out information): If you wish to have further information about the matter, look up this book.




Interesting. It is a highly colloquial usage. To me that means "look this book up in the catalogue".

I would still prefer "look them/it up in ..." for instructing you to consult a reference work for a meaning or explanation.