How to create a dicitionary using hash map.

Question

Hi All,
I want to create a dictionary using hash map where in i can add new words and there meaning. I have written some code But I am not happy with this. Can you suggest me how to add the words and there meanings to the hash map.
I am not able to add the words and there meaning to the hash map.
for this i tried creating a dictionary class.
// Using hashmap
import java.util.*;
public class Dictionary
    public static void main(String[] args)
        // Create a hash map
        HashMap hm = new HashMap();
        // put elements to the map
        hm.put("Abode: ", "Home");
        hm.put("Balance: ", "An intrument to measure or weigh");
        hm.put("Car: ", "Automobile");
        hm.put("Dinner: ","Last meal of the day generally had after evening and before sleeping");
        hm.put("Embossed: ", "Engraved kind");
        Set set = hm.entrySet();
        Iterator i = set.iterator();
        while (i.hasNext())
            Map.Entry me = (Map.Entry) i.next();
            System.out.print(me.getKey() + ": ");
            System.out.println(me.getValue());
        System.out.println();
}This is the other Dictionary class which i created.
public class Main_Dictionary
    public static void main(String[] args)
        Content_Dictionary cd = new Content_Dictionary();
        cd.getContent_Dictionary("Abode", "Home");
        cd.displayValues();
class Content_Dictionary
    String word, meaning;
    Content_Dictionary()
        word = "a";
        meaning = "b";
    Content_Dictionary(String x, String y)
        word = x;
        meaning = y;
    void getContent_Dictionary(String w, String m)
        word = w;
        meaning = m;
    void displayValues()
        System.out.print(word + ": ");
        System.out.println(meaning);
}If i create an interface containing all the words and there meaning
public interface Words_Dictionary
    String Abode = "Home";
    String Dark = "Lacking brightness";
    String Balance = "An intrument to measure or weigh";
    String Car = "Type of Automobile";
    String Dinner = "Last meal of the day";
    String Embossed  = "Engraved kind";
    String Adroit = "SkillFul";
}and then create a another class which implements this interface, but how should i add these words and there meaning in the hashmap.

Answer 1

I tried creating word document but i was unable to
figure out how to do the operations on the word
document and its content,
So This is what i could come up with, i just created
one class Dictionary , now I am able to search for
the meaning of the word specified by me, and I am
able to print all the words and there meanings added
to the hashmap, but i am not able to figure out how
to add a new word and the meaning in the hashmap and
how to find is a word is there or not...May I suggest a slightly different approach?
Do not create a String ==> String mapping, but a String ==> List<String> mapping. And do NOT place everything inside your main method.
Here's a small demo:
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
public class Dictionary {
    private Map< String, List<String >> dictionary;
    public Dictionary() {
        dictionary = new HashMap< String, List<String >>();
    public void addWord(String base, String meaning) {
        List<String> allMeanings = dictionary.get(base);
        if(allMeanings == null) { // if null, there is no entry mapped to 'base' yet: create a new one
            List<String> newMeanings = new ArrayList<String>();
            newMeanings.add(meaning);
            dictionary.put(base, newMeanings);
        } else {
            allMeanings.add(meaning);
    public List<String> search(String base) {
        // your code here
        return null;
    // ... other methods ...
    public String toString() {
        StringBuilder strb = new StringBuilder();
        for(Map.Entry< String, List<String >> e : dictionary.entrySet()) {
            strb.append(e.getKey());
            strb.append(" : ");
            strb.append(e.getValue());
            strb.append('\n');
        return strb.toString();
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Dictionary dict = new Dictionary();
        dict.addWord("Abode", "Home");
        dict.addWord("Abode", "House");
        dict.addWord("Car", "Automobile");
        dict.addWord("Car", "Vehicle");
        System.out.println(dict);
}Good luck.