I agree, I am always recommending dictionaries here:)

Truly, a good dictionary is of great help to everyone especially to students who are learning a language. It is also helpful in enriching our vocabulary. Dictionaries develop learner autonomy. They are a handy resource for researching different meanings, collocations, examples of use and standard pronunciation. If students know how to use them effectively, there are hundreds of hours of self-guided study to be had with a good dictionary.

You're right that guessing the meaning from the context is good practice, but if you aren't sure of the meaning, it's best to look it up. Depending on how important it is to understand completely, you can stop and use the dictionary or add it to your vocabulary list to look up later and hopefully include a sample sentence or two in your vocabulary notebook. If you are an IT professional for instance, you can't afford to guess the meaning of terminology essential to your field. If you are reading a novel for entertainment, it's a different story. My comment was in response to questions on this website that are better explained in the dictionary. Also, as an English Instructor, I have found that a lot of my new students tell me they have been using a translation dictionary only. I explain the benefits of using a dictionary like the Cambridge Advanced Learners' Dictionary. If I am reading or even watching TV and hear a word that I'm not sure I understand correctly, I jump on the computer and check a dictionary or search the word on the internet. It's not a hassle for me. When I was younger, I found it bothersome to stop what I was doing to look up a word. Now, I enjoy knowing for sure the meaning and usage of vocabulary in my own language and other languages. I'm nearly sixty and still occasionally hear a new word in English, or more typically, a word that I'm just not one hundred percent sure I understand. Ha ha....maybe because I didn't use the dictionary enough in my youth!

Actually, dictionary is obviously helpful. But often if you are trying to inprove your language through reading a particular text, it helps not to pause and break the flow. The words that appear often can be marked and can be looked up later rather than pausing in between to consult the dictionary. Learning a language is also about learning to guess the meaning of the words from context. Also, the importance of using a dictionary should be told to students at a young age to inculcate this good habit in them.