in its original acceptation, is the arranging all the words of a language according to the order of the alphabet, and annexing a definition or explanation to each word. When arts and sciences began to be improved and extended, the multiplicity of technical terms rendered it necessary to compile dictionaries, either of science in general, or of particular sciences, according to the views of the compiler.
Dictionary of the English Language. The design of every dictionary of language is to explain, in the most accurate manner, the meaning of every word; and to show the various ways in which it can be combined with others, in as far as this tends to alter its meaning. The dictionary which does this in the most accurate manner is the most complete. Therefore the principal study of a lexicographer ought to be, to discover a method which will be best adapted for that purpose. Dr Johnson, with great labour, has collected the various meanings of every word, and quoted the authorities: but, would it not have been an improvement if he had given an accurate definition of the precise meaning of every word; pointed out the way in which it ought to be employed with the greatest propriety; showed the various deviations from that original meaning, which custom had so far established as to render allowable; and fixed the precise limits beyond which it could not be employed without becoming a vicious expression? With this view, it would have been necessary to exhibit the nice distinctions that take place between words which are nearly synonymous. Without this, many words can
adv. of time.
1. Instantly, without delay. Always employed to denote future time, and never past. Thus, we may say, *I will come immediately;* but not *I am immediately come from such a place.* See PRESENTLY.
2. Without the intervention of any cause or event; as opposed to immediately.
PRESENTLY. adv. of time.
1. Instantly, without delay. Exactly synonymous with immediately; being never with propriety employed to denote any thing but future time.
2. Formerly it was employed to express present time. Thus, *The house presently possessed by such a one,* was often used; but this is now become a vicious expression; and we ought to say, *The house possessed at present.* It differs from immediately in this, that even in the most corrupt phrases it never can denote past time.
FORM. subst. The external appearance of any object, when considered only with respect to shape or figure. This term therefore, in the literal sense, can only be applied to the objects of the sight and touch; and is nearly synonymous with figure; but they differ in some respects. Form may be employed to denote more rude and unfinished shapes; figure, those which are more perfect and regular. Form can never be employed without denoting matter; whereas figure may be employed in the abstract; thus, we say a square or a triangular figure; but not a square or triangular form. And in the same manner we say, the figure of a house; but we must denote the substance which forms that figure, if we use the word form; as, a cloud of the form of a house, &c. See Figure.
2. In contrast to irregularity or confusion. As beauty cannot exist without order, it is by a figure of speech employed to denote beauty, order, &c.
3. As form respects only the external appearance of bodies, without regard to their internal qualities, it is, by a figure of speech, employed in contrast to these qualities, to denote empty show, without essential qualities. In this sense it is often taken when applied to religious ceremonies, &c.
4. As form is employed to denote the external appearance of bodies; so, in a figurative sense, it is applied to reasoning, denoting the particular mode or manner in which this is conducted; as, the form of a syllogism, &c.
5. In the same manner it is employed to denote the particular mode of procedure established in courts of law; as, the forms of law, religion, &c.
6. Form is sometimes, although improperly, used to denote the different circumstances of the same body; as, water in a fluid or a solid form. But as this phrase regards the internal qualities rather than the external figure, it is improper; and Dictionary ought to be; water in a fluid or a solid state.
7. But when bodies of different kinds are compared with one another, this term may be employed to denote other circumstances than shape or figure: for we may say, *a juice exuding from a tree in the form of wax or resin;* although, in this case, the consistence, colour, &c. and not the external arrangement of parts, constitutes the resemblance.
8. From the regular appearance of a number of persons arranged in one long seat, such persons so arranged are sometimes called a form; as, a form of students, &c. And,
9. By an easy transition, the seat itself has also acquired that name.
GREAT. adj. A relative word, denoting largeness of quantity, number, &c. serving to augment the value of those terms with which it is combined, and opposed to small or little. The principal circumstances in which this word can be employed are the following:
1. When merely inanimate objects are considered with regard to quantity, great is with propriety employed, to denote that the quantity is considerable; as, a great mountain, great house, &c. and it is here contrasted with small. When great is thus employed, we have no other word that is exactly synonymous.
2. When inanimate objects are considered with regard to their extent, this term is sometimes employed, although with less propriety; as, a great plain, a great field, &c. And in this sense it is nearly synonymous with large; and they were often used indiscriminately, but with some difference of meaning: for, as large is a term chiefly employed to denote extent of superficies, and as great more particularly regards the quantity of matter; therefore, when large is applied to any object which is not merely superficial, it denotes that it is the extent of surface that is there meant to be considered, without regard to the other dimensions: whereas when the term great is employed, it has reference to the whole contents. If, therefore, we say, a large house, or a large river, we express that the house, the river, have a surface of great extent, without having any necessary connexion with the size in other respects. But if we say, a great house, or a great river, it at once denotes that they have not only a large surface, but are also of great size in every respect.
3. Great, when applied to the human species, never denotes the size or largeness of body, but is applied solely to the qualities of the mind. Thus, when we say that Socrates was a great man, we do not mean that he was a man of great size, but that he was a man who excelled in the endowments of the mind. The terms which denote largeness of size in the human body, are big, bulky, huge, &c.
4. Great is sometimes applied to the human species, as denoting high rank. In this case it is oftener used in the plural number than otherwise. Thus, we say simply the great, meaning the whole body of of men in high station, as opposed to mean. It should seldom be employed in this sense, as it tends to confound dignity of rank with elevation of mind.
5. As this is a general term of augmentation, it may be joined with all nouns which denote quantity, quality, number, excellence, or defects; or such as imply praise, blame, anger, contempt, or any other affection of the mind.
6. It is employed to denote every step of ascending or descending consanguinity; as great-grandfather, great-grandson, &c.
HIGH. adj. Exalted in a perpendicular direction at a distance from the surface of the earth. Opposed to low.
1. High is a term altogether indefinite, and is employed to express the degree of elevation of any inanimate body. Thus, we say a high mountain, a high house, steeple, tower, pillar, &c. Nor is there any other word that can here be considered as synonymous; lofty being employed only to denote a very eminent degree of elevation.
2. To express the perpendicular elevation of vegetables either high or tall may be employed, as being in this case nearly synonymous. We may therefore say, a high or tall tree, a high or tall mast, &c. but with this difference between these two expressions, that tall can be more properly applied to those that are much elevated and of small dimensions; and high, to such as are more bulky, and of greater size.
3. The perpendicular height of man can never be expressed by the word high; tall being here the proper expression. And although high is sometimes used to express the height of other animals, yet it seems to be an improper expression. See TALL.
4. High, when applied to the human species, always refers to the mind; and denotes haughtiness, stateliness, pride, &c. and, when combined with the expressions of any energy of the mind, it denotes that in a higher degree. In this sense, it is opposed to meanness, abjectness, and humility.
5. As this is an indefinite term, tending to denote any thing that is elevated above us, it may be combined with almost every noun which admits of this elevation. And as objects high above us are always out of our reach, it is in a metaphorical sense used to denote any thing that seems to be above the ordinary condition of mankind; or those qualities or endowments of mind that are not easily acquired; as, dignity or elevation of sentiment; dignity of rank; acuteness in reasoning on difficult subjects; pride, haughtiness, or any other quality which seems beyond the ordinary level of mankind; clearness of price, &c.
6. In the same manner we apply this term to time; which having a metaphorical resemblance to a river flowing on with an unceasing current through all successive ages, any thing of remote antiquity is denoted by the term high.
7. Likewise those degrees of latitudes far removed from the line, where the pole becomes more elevated.
8. And to some particular crimes, as being attended with peculiar degrees of guilt; as, high treason.
TALL. adj. Something elevated to a considerable degree in a perpendicular direction. Opposed to low.
1. This term is chiefly employed to express the height of man and other animals; and is applied to denote the height of the body only, without having any reference to the mind. When applied to man, no other word can be substituted in its stead; when applied to other animals, high is sometimes considered as nearly synonymous. See HIGH.
2. It is likewise employed to denote the perpendicular height of vegetables; and in this case, it is nearly synonymous with high. See HIGH.
3. It can in no case be employed to express the height of merely inanimate objects; as we can never say a tall steeple, tower, or pillar, but a high steeple, &c. For the distinctions in these cases, see HIGH.
LONG. adj. A relative term, denoting the distance between the extremes of any body, which is extended more in one of its geometrical dimensions than another. Opposed to short.
1. This term may be applied to all inanimate objects, of whatever kind, whose dimensions in one way exceed the other, and when not in an erect posture, whatever be the other circumstances attending them; whether it relates to superficies alone, or to solid bodies; whether these be bounded or open, straight or crooked, flexible or rigid, or in any other circumstances whatever; thus we say, a long or short line, a long or short ridge, street, ditch, rope, chain, staff, &c. But it is to be observed, that although long is in the strict sense only opposed to short; yet as it expresses the extension of matter in one of its geometrical proportions, it is often contrasted by those words which express the other proportions when we mean only to describe the several proportions; as, a table long and broad. And as these several dimensions are expressed by different words, according to the various forms, modifications, and circumstances, in which bodies are found, therefore it is in this sense contrasted by a great diversity of terms: as, a long and broad or wide, narrow or strait, street or lane; a long and thick, or small rope, chain, staff. For the distinctions in these cases, see BROAD, WIDE, &c.
2. Objects necessarily fixed in an erect position can never have this term applied to them; and therefore we cannot say a long, but a high, tower or steeple. And for the same reason, while trees are growing and fixed in an erect position, we cannot apply this term to them; but when they are felled and laid upon the ground, it is quite proper and necessary. Thus, we do not say a long, but a tall or high tree, while it is growing; but we say a long, not a tall log of wood; and in the same manner we say a tall mast, when it is fixed in the ship; but a long mast, while it lies upon the beach. See TALL and HIGH.
3. Those vegetables which are of a tender pliant nature, ture, or so weak as not to be able to retain a fixt position, being considered as of a middle nature between erect and prostrate bodies, admit of either the terms long, tall, or high; as a long or tall rush or willow wand, or a long, tall, or high stalk of corn. See HIGH and TALL.
4. The parts of vegetables, when considered as distinct from the whole, even when growing and erect, assume the term long: for we do not say a tall, but a long shoot of a tree; and a tree with a long stem, in preference to a tree with a high stem.
5. For the same reason, a staff, and pole, even when fixed in a perpendicular direction, assume the word long, in preference to tall or high.
6. With regard to animals, the general rule is applied, without any exceptions: tall, and not long, being employed to denote the height of the human body, when in an erect posture; and long, and not tall, to denote its length when in an incumbent situation. Long applied to all other animals which do not walk erect, always denotes their greatest length in a horizontal position from head to tail.
7. In a figurative sense, it denotes, with regard to time, any thing at a great distance from us.
8. As also, any thing that takes up much time before it is finished; as a long discourse, a protracted note in music, &c.
BROAD. adj. The distance between the two nearest sides of any body, whose geometrical dimensions are larger in one direction than in another; and has a reference to superficies only, and never to the solid contents. Opposed to narrow.
1. Broad, in the strictest acceptation, is applied to denote those bodies only whose sides are altogether open and unconfined; as a broad table, a broad wheel, &c., and in these cases it is invariably contrasted by the word narrow; nor is there any other word which in these cases can be considered as synonymous with it, or used in its stead.
2. When any object is in some sort bounded on the sides, although not quite closed up, as a road, street, ditch, &c., either broad or wide may be employed, but with some difference of signification; broad being most properly used for those that are more open, and wide for those which are more confined: nor can this term be ever applied to such objects as are close bounded all around, as a house, a church, &c., wide being here employed. For the more accurate distinctions in these cases, see the article WIDE.
WIDE. adj. A term employed to denote relative extent in certain circumstances. Opposed to narrow and strait.
1. This term is in its proper sense applied only to denote the space contained within any body closed all round on every side; as a house, gate, &c.; and differs from broad in this, that it never relates to the superficies of solid objects, but is employed to express the capaciousness of any body which containeth vacant space; nor can capaciousness in this sense be expressed by any other word but wide.
2. As many bodies may be considered either with respect to the capaciousness or superficial extent; in all these cases, either the term broad or wide may be used; as a broad or wide street or ditch, &c., but with a greater or less degree of propriety, according to the circumstances of the object, or the idea we wish to convey. In a street where the houses are low and the boundaries open, or in a ditch of small depth and large superficies, as this largeness of superficies bears the principal proportion, broad would be more proper; but if the houses are of great height, or the ditch of great depth, and capaciousness is the principal property that affects the mind, we would naturally say a wide street or ditch; and the same may be said of all similar cases. But there are some cases in which both these terms are applied, with a greater difference of meaning; thus we say a broad or a wide gate: But as the gate is employed to denote either the aperture in the wall, or the matter which closes that aperture, these terms are each of them used to denote that particular quality to which they are generally applied: and as the opening itself can never be considered as a superficies, the term wide, in this case, denotes the distance between the sides of the aperture; while on the contrary, broad denotes the extent of matter fitted to close that aperture; nor can these two terms in any case be substituted for one another.
3. As a figurative expression, it is used as a cant phrase for a mistake: as, you are wide of the mark; that is, not near the truth.
NARROW. adj. A relative term, denoting a proportional smallness of distance between the sides of the superficies of plain bodies. Opposed to broad.
1. As this is only applied to superficies, it is exactly contrasted by broad, and is applied in all cases where the term broad can be used, (see BROAD); and in no other case but as a contrast to it, except the following.
2. It sometimes is employed to describe the smallness of space circumscribed between certain boundaries, as opposed to wide, and nearly synonymous with straight; as we say a wide or a narrow house, church, &c. For the necessary distinctions here, see the article STRAIT.
3. In a figurative sense it denotes parsimony, poverty, confined sentiments, &c.
STRAIT. adj. A relative term, denoting the extent of space in certain circumstances. Opposed to wide; see WIDE.
1. This term is employed, in its proper sense, to denote only space, as contained between surrounding bodies in such circumstances as to denote some degree of confinement; and is exactly opposed to wide; as a wide or a strait gate, &c. See WIDE.
2. So necessary is it that the idea of confinement should be connected with this word, that in all those cases where the space contained is large, as in a church, or house, we cannot express a smaller proportional width by this term. And as we have no other word to express space in these circumstances, cumstances; we have been obliged to force the word narrow from its natural signification, and make it express this. See NARROW.
3. In some particular cases, narrow or strait may be applied to the same object; as, a narrow or a strait line; but here strait is never employed but where an idea of confinement is suggested, and where it is exactly contrasted to wide; nor can narrow be employed but in such circumstances where broad would be a perfect contrast to it. Therefore these two terms may be always used in the same circumstances as those which contrast them may be. For an account of which see WIDE.
4. The term strait is likewise in a peculiar manner used to denote the smallness of the internal diameter of those small bodies which are fitted to receive or contain others, as any kind of bag, tube, body clothes, mortoises, and others of the same kind; and in all these cases this term may be employed to denote the smallness of their lesser diameter, and never the term narrow. But in certain circumstances the word tight may be substituted for it. See TIGHT.
5. Strait, in a figurative sense, denotes any sort of confinement of sentiment or disposition.
TIGHT, adj. A term employed in certain circumstances to denote the internal capacity of particular bodies. Nearly synonymous with strait.
This term is confined entirely to denote the smallness of the internal dimensions of such objects, as are formed to cover or to receive or contain other solid bodies, and can be employed in no other case. And although it agrees with strait, in always denoting confinement, and by being applicable to the same species of objects, yet it differs in the following respects: 1. If there be any difference of the diameter of the objects to which the term strait can be applied, it always has reference to the smaller; yet tight may be applied to any sort of confinement, whether it regards the length or breadth. 2. Strait can be applied to all bodies of capacity when of small diameter, without any sort of reference to the nature of the substance which it may be capable of containing. For we can say a strait bag, a strait sleeve, a strait mortoise, a strait gate, &c., whereas tight can only be applied to any body when it is considered as having reference to another body which is intended to be contained in it, and is pinched from want of room. Thus we say, the sleeve of a coat is too tight for the arm, the mortoise is too tight for the tenon, &c.; but we cannot say the bag or the gate is too tight, because they are fitted to receive any sort of objects. And hence it happens that in many cases the dimensions of the same body may be expressed by tight or strait when considered in different circumstances. Thus we may say, this sleeve is too strait, when we look at a coat when lying on the table and consider its proportions; but it is not till we have tried it up on the arm that it is intended to cover, that we call it tight. And we may say, a gate is too strait or too tight; but in this first case we consider it as being too confined for admitting objects to pass through it; and in the last, as being too confined with respect to the leaves that are to shut the aperture, not allowing them space to move with freedom.
These examples may serve to give some idea of the plan of an English Dictionary composed upon philosophical principles: But, besides the circumstances above enumerated, there are many others which would require particular attention in the execution of a work of this kind. In the English language, a great variety of terms occur, which denote matter under certain general forms or circumstances, without regarding the minute diversities that may take place; as the word cloth, which denotes matter as manufactured into a particular form, including under it all the variety of stuffs manufactured in that particular way, of whatever materials, colour, texture or fineness, they may be. The same may be said of wood, iron, yarn, and a great variety of terms of the same nature, some of which cannot assume any plural; while others admit of it in all cases, and others admit or refuse it according to the different circumstances in which they are considered.
In a dictionary, therefore, all this variety of cases ought to be clearly and distinctly pointed out under each particular article: this is the more necessary, as some of these words have others formed from them which might be readily mistaken for their plurals, although they have a very different signification; as clothes, which does not denote any number of pieces of different kinds of cloth, but wearing apparel. The following example will illustrate this head.
WOOD, subst. A solid substance of which the trunks and branches of trees consist.
1. This term is employed to denote the solid parts of vegetables of all kinds, in whatever form or circumstances they are found. Nor does this term admit of plural with propriety, unless in the circumstances after mentioned: for we say, many different kinds of wood, in preference to many kinds of woods; or we say, oak, ash, or elm wood, not woods.
2. But where we want to contrast wood of one quality or country with that of another, it admits of a plural: for we say, white woods are in general softer than red; or West Indian woods are in general of greater specific gravity than the European woods: But unless where the colour, or some quality which distinguishes it from growing wood, is mentioned, this plural ought as much as possible to be avoided, as it always suggests an idea of growing wood.
3. Wood likewise denotes a number of trees growing near one another; being nearly synonymous with forest: See FOREST. In this sense it always admits of a plural; as, Ye woods and wilds whose solitary gloom, &c.
A dictionary cannot be reckoned complete without explaining obsolete words; and if the terms of the several provincial dialects were likewise given, it would be of great utility: nor would this take much time; because a number of these words needs no other explanation than to mark along with them the words which had come in their place, when there happened to be one perfectly synonymous; and in those cases where the same idea could not be expressed in modern language without a periphrasis, it would be of use to explain them distinctly; so that, when a writer found himself at a loss for a term, and obliged to search for one beyond the bounds of our own language, he might take one of these, when he found that it was expressive and energetic, in preference to another drawn from a foreign language. This would at least have one good effect: it would make our language more fixed and stable; not to say more accurate and precise, than by borrowing from foreign languages. The following examples may serve to give some idea of the manner of treating this part of the work.
**MOE**, or **mo.** adj. An obsolete term still employed in the Scotch dialect, and by them pronounced *mae*; denoting a greater number, and nearly synonymous with *more*: but it differs in this respect, that in the Scotch dialect, *mae* and *mair* (English *more*), are each employed in their distinct sphere, without encroaching upon one another; *mae* being employed to denote number, but never quantity or quality; and *mair*, to denote quantity and quality, but never number: thus they say *mae*, not *mair*, apples, men, &c. and they say *mair*, not *mae*, cloth, earth, courage, &c. See **MAIR**. Both of these terms are supplied by the word *more*; which in the English language is applied indiscriminately to denote quantity, quality, and number. See **MORE**.
**THIR**, pron. Obsolete; still employed in the Scotch dialect: the plural of *this*; and contrasted to *these*, in the same manner as *that* is to *this*.
As there is no word in the English language equivalent to this, we thus show the manner in which it is employed. In the English language we say, that stone or house, pointing at one at a distance, is larger or more commodious than this stone or this house, which is supposed to be at hand. In the same manner, in the Scotch dialect, they say, these (or, as it is pronounced, *thae*) stones are whiter than thir stones; denoting, that the former are at a distance, and the latter at hand. And, in the same manner, it is invariably applied to denote any present object in the plural manner, as opposed to *these*: as these or thir apples, as at hand, or at a distance; these, or thir trees, &c.; but never in the singular number, as it is always *this* or *that* tree, house, &c.
As the English language is so exceedingly irregular in the pronunciation, the same letter in the same situation often assuming sounds totally different in different words, it is impossible to establish any general rules, on this subject, which do not admit of many exceptions: therefore, a dictionary is the best means of ascertaining and pointing out the proper pronunciations of words. For, if the writer first pointed out all the different sounds that the same letter could ever be made to express, and assigned to every particular sound which each letter could be made to assume, a particular mark, which was appropriated to denote that particular sound of the letter whenever it occurred; by placing these particular marks above the letters in the dictionary, the sound of each letter would be pointed out in all cases with the utmost certainty. It would be impossible for us to illustrate this by examples, without first Dictionary ascertaining all the sounds of each letter; which would lead us into a discussion too long for this place.
We shall only further observe, That, besides having the accented syllable of every word properly distinguished in a dictionary to assist in the pronunciation, the English language requires another essential improvement, viz. the use of accents to distinguish the meaning of words and phrases: which, although, it is not so properly confined to a lexicographer, yet it is not quite without his sphere. Thus the word *as* admits of two very different sounds, as well as different significations; as in this example, "Cicero was nearly as eloquent as Demosthenes:" in which the first *as* is pronounced *ass*, and the last is pronounced *ex*. Now, it often happens, that, in reading, the particular way in which it ought to be understood is not pointed out by the context, till after the word itself is pronounced, which has an equal chance at least of being pronounced wrong; whereas, if it were always accented when employed in the one sense, and not in the other, it would free the reader from this perplexity. There are other cases in which the use of proper accents in writing would be of great consequence; as at the beginning of a sentence, when it was put as a question, or used ironically, &c. the want of which every one must have observed. But as this does not so properly belong to the lexicographer as the grammarian, we shall here take no further notice of it.
The above examples, we hope, will be sufficient to give the reader some idea of the plan that we would propose; and enable him to determine, whether or not a dictionary, executed upon this plan, would convey to his mind a more perfect knowledge of the English language, than those dictionaries that have been hitherto published. These examples were given rather with a view to show the manner in which a work of this kind might be conducted, than as perfect and unexceptionable explanations of the several articles there enumerated; and therefore we did not think it necessary to produce any authorities, although we are sensible that they would be requisite in such a work.