kemp@noscvax.UUCP (Stephen P. Kemp) (09/04/85)
Here is a useful alias for interrogating the 4.2bsd wordlist stored in /usr/dict/words. It seems to run reasonably quickly, and it allows regular-expressions so you can do masking and use wildcard characters: alias words 'set noglob; egrep .*\!*.* /usr/dict/words; unset noglob' Some examples: To find words with 'func' imbedded (not starting in character position one): % words ..*func defunct eigenfunction malfunction perfunctory % To find words ending in 'q': % words q$ Iraq q % To find five-letter words with third letter 'e' and last letter 'r': % words ^..e.r$ cheer clear freer Greer queer shear sheer smear sneer spear steer swear their % To find five-letter words with capital first letter, with third letter 'e' and fifth letter 'r': % words ^[A-Z].e.r$ Greer %