Is there a reference site for proper use terms?

…like a dictionary?

Any online dictionary should provide you with that. Merriam-Webster is a good go-to.

As @Aethelflaed said, http://www.merriam-webster.com/netdict.htm is a good starting place.

Also there’s http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml

@Brian1946 Oh my, I have never seen this onelook reverse dictionary site before. That is amazing. I think you have just made my thesis 10 times easier to write. Thankyou.