What is External Aid to interpretation? Explain how the Dictionary definitions are the External Aids to Interpretations?

External aids are the factors that help in interpreting/ construing an Act and have been given the convenient nomenclature of ‘External Aids to Interpretation'. Apart from the statute itself there are many matters which may be taken into account when the statute is ambiguous. These matters are called external aids. Dictionary Definitions: Dictionary Definitions is one of the External Aids to interpretation. First we have to refer to the Act in question to find out if any particular word or expression is defined in it. Where we find that a word is not defined in the Act itself, we may refer to dictionaries to find out the general sense in which that word is commonly understood. However, in selecting one out of the several meanings of a word, we must always take into consideration the context in which it is used in the Act. It is the fundamental rule that the meanings of words and expressions used in an Act must take their colour from the context in which they appear. Further, judicial decisions laying down the meaning of words in construing statutes in ‘pari materia' will have greater weight than the meaning furnished by dictionaries. However, for technical terms reference may be made to technical dictionaries.