Effective dictionary use facilitates reading and subsequently, vocabulary knowledge development. Reading, especially extensive reading, has time and again been proven to be highly effective for both receptive and productive lexical development. Possessing control over a large vocabulary is essential for language competence--be it L1, L2, or L3. However, it is impractical to expect students to learn, and teachers to teach, all the vocabulary needed strictly within a classroom setting. There are simply too many words to learn. A certain level of autonomy and accountability on the student's part therefore becomes necessary. This paper discusses how learner autonomy can be facilitated, primarily within the context of reading and lexical development. The pertinence of learner autonomy and dictionary use as well as selection, and a review of past studies pertaining to the use of various types of dictionaries are discussed, followed by pedagogical suggestions. The authors also present a post-reading vocabulary worksheet designed for autonomous learners, which is best used with online dictionaries and thus relevant to the technologies available today. This paper is of significance to language educators and learners, course designers, and researchers engaged in language acquisition.