A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles : Founded Mainly on the Materials Collected by the Philological Society: Volume 3

A New English Dictionary On Historical Principles : Founded Mainly On The Materials Collected By The Philological Society — James Augustus Henry Murray A scholarly lexicographic snapshot from the New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (the OED), Volume III, covering letters D and E, published in 1897. The excerpt outlines the dictionary’s historical-principles method, presenting main and subordinate word-forms, etymologies, quotations, pronunciation guides, and cross-references. It emphasizes dis- prefix derivatives across legal, religious, medical, literary, and everyday registers, with themes such as disputation, disqualification, disquiet, disquisition, dissemination, dissent, disregard, disrespect, disrepair, dissection, disseisin, disrobe, discredit, and related word-forms. Notable features include etymological notes across Latin, French, and Greek sources, extensive historical quotations from medieval to 19th century, and a mix of concrete and abstract uses. The chunks illustrate the OED’s scope: multi-part speech, variant spellings, and cross-language borrowings; emphasis on word-history, sense development, and quotation-backed evidence. The entry also situates the scholarly apparatus, editorial roles, and the volume’s plan to cover D and E with Greek, Romance, and Germanic roots.