*About Webster's


[ Credits | Reliability | Chronology | Collection ]


Credits:   [ ]
The header part of the Project Gutenberg electric text version:
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
   Version published 1913
   by the C. & G. Merriam Co. [sic]
   Springfield, Mass.
   Under the direction of
   Noah Porter, D.D., LL.D.

This electronic version was prepared by MICRA, Inc. of Plainfield, NJ.
Last edit February 11, 1999.
MICRA, Inc. makes no proprietary claims on this version of the 1913 Webster dictionary.  If the original printed edition of the 1913 Webster is in the public domain, this version may also be considered as public domain.
_______________________________________


The title page(*1) of the original 1913 dictionary:
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language
   The dictionary proper being the authentic edition of Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language of one thousand eight hundred and ninety(*2) edited under the supervision of Noah Porter, D.D., LL.D. of Yale University
   To which is now added a department of new words(*3) together with many valuable special features
((W))®
Springfield, Mass., U. S. A.
Published by G. & C. Merriam Company
1913

[ Copyright, 1913,  By G. & C. MERRIAM CO.  All rights reserved. ]
[ lxx,  2,026 p.,  30x22x11cm. ]
_______________________________________

(*1) Title page, and an example of "Aard-vark." Title page

(*2)Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language (1890):
Being the authentic edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language (a.k.a. Webster's Unabridged) comprising the issues of 1864, 1879 and 1884
Now thoroughly revised and enlarged under the supervision of Noah Porter

(*3)About 4,841 New Words have been appended to the end of the main dictionary in this electric version.  (Also about 12 words have been brought in, from [WordNet 1.5] and/or by [PJC]-Patrick J. Cassidy, MICRA Inc., randomly.)



Reliability:   [ ]
It is important to keep in mind that the definitions and quotations in this dictionary are of those mostly more than 100 years old, and contain many obsolete, inaccurate and perhaps offensive statements.  It means this dictionary is a kind of archaic and classic one.  Additionally, there are unimaginable numerous typographical errors in the course of the conversion work to an electric version.

Text in this dictionary should not be relied upon as an accurate source of information from the today's point of view, as in many cases it represents the state of the knowledge of late 1800's.  Though it is, there are not a few interesting and valuable pieces of information in understanding those ages and tropologies as well.  A great legacy of thought.



Chronology:   [ ]

1758/Oct. 16
Noah Webster was born in West Hartford, Connecticut.
http://www.m-w.com/info/noah.htm
N. Webster
N. Webster by S. F. B. Morse

1783
Elementary Spelling Book (Blue-backed Speller)
The first part of A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, with the following Grammar (1784) and Reader (1785.)
(7,000-8,000 words.)
http://www.merrycoz.org/books/spelling/SPELLER.HTM

1806
A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language
(38,400 words.)

1828/Apr. 14
An American Dictionary of the English Language
2 vols. in quarto, 73,000 words, $20.00.
http://www.cbtministries.org/resources/webster1828.htm

1831
G. & C. Merriam Co. established for printing and bookselling in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1841
- id. -, (Corrected and Enlarged)
2nd ed., 2 vols. royal octavo, 78,000 words, $15.00.

1843/May 28
N.W. died in New Haven, Connecticut, at 84.
Buried at Grove Street cemetery next to Yale College.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1084
Subsequent acquisition of the whole right by the Merriams.

1847/Sept. 24
- id. -
5th ed., one vol., 93,300 words, $6.00.
Revised under the editorship of Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich, and published by G. & C. Merriam Co.

1859
- id. -, (Revised and Enlarged)
(93,300 words.)
+ Added pictorial illustrations.

1864
- id. -, Unabridged
Royal quarto ed., 118,000 words.
Edited by Dr. Noah Porter, et al.
(a.k.a. Webster's Unabridged.)

1879
- id. -
+ 4,500 new words and biographical directory.

1884
- id. -
+ 4,500 new words and place names directory.

1890
Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language
175,000 words, ed. President Noah Porter.

1900
- id. -
+ Supplement of 25,000 new words.

1909
Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language
400,000 words, 6,000 pictorials, ed. W. T. Harris.

1934
- id. -, Second Edition
604,000 words.

1961
Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged
460,000 words, 3,000 pictorials.

1966
- id. -
2nd printing.
+ Addenda (new words.)

1982
Company name changed to Merriam-Webster Inc.

1988
Copyright of 1913 Webster's dictionary expired, as 75 years elapsed.

1971 - 2001 (in every 5 years)
- id. -
+ Addenda (new words.)



Collection:   [ ]
From Webster's first Compendious Dictionary of 1806 edition, as well as American Dictionary of 1828, to the Third New International of 1943, totally 100 (108 volumes) dictionaries of various editions are all collected at the Gifu University Library from 1987.
http://www.gifu-u.ac.jp/~gulib/index.html Japanese English
http://www.gifu-u.ac.jp/~gulib/coll/ogata-coll.html#Webster Japanese
http://www.gifu-u.ac.jp/~gulib/Eng/shozo/Webster.html English inserted by FC2 system