POPULAR AND COMPLETE ENGLISH DICTIONARY, ✓ EXHIBITING THE PRONUNCIATION, ETYMOLOGY, AND EXPLANATION OF EVERY WORD USUALLY EMPLOYED IN SCIENCE, LITERATURE, AND ART. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. L EDITED BY THE REV. JOHN BOAG.✓ PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM COLLINS, SOUTH FREDERICK ST., GLASGOW: 1848. PREFACE. In resolving to bring forward this Dictionary, which the Editor now lays before the public for their inspection, and in the hope that they will deem it worthy a share of their patronage, he begs leave to state that his object was not to produce a work entirely new. He rather had in view to embody the many excellencies of the various standard Dictionaries already in use. Though these are already numerous, and though the number nevertheless is still rapidly increasing, yet one of the description here proposed has been long felt, and extensively acknowledged to be a desideratum. To carry his purpose into effect, the Editor considered that the best method would be to select one of our standard Dictionaries to be the basis of his undertaking, and for that object a work more suitable than the highly approved Dictionary of Dr. WEBSTER, he presumes could not be found. It was accordingly fixed upon, and having been carefully revised for the purpose, constitutes the basis of the present work. Though WEBSTER's is so copious that it contains many thousands of words more than are to be found in the general part of Dictionaries, the Editor has by careful and persevering research introduced many thousands more from various standard authors. These he trusts will be found to furnish much interesting and valuable information in Zoology, Botany, and every department of science, literature, and art. But his efforts have been directed not merely to the supplying of new terms, and the giving of new and modified definitions to those which have been long in general use. The work is an etymological and pronouncing Dictionary as well as explanatory. With regard to pronunciation, the system of that eminent orthoepist WALKER, with some modification and he hopes improvements, has been adopted. In the department of Etymology, the etymons of words are from the various languages from which the most competent philologists deem them to have come. An explanation of the root is often given. This he trusts will be found eminently calculated to aid the reader in discovering the analogy between the etymons and the words derived from them. A Grammar is prefixed which is strictly practical, and the utility of which will obviously appear. It commences with a short history of the language, which, though very concise, he trusts will be found both interesting and profitable to many. It also embraces an outline of Composition. As the Editor's time was completely occupied otherwise, he is happy to acknowledge himself indebted for the composition of this department of the work to the valuable labours of a gentleman well qualified for the purpose, Mr. R. WHYTE. If this work prove instrumental in leading his countrymen into an extensive and accurate acquaintance with their native language, the Editor's object will be fully accomplished. MAY, 1847. |