The making of the Oxford English Dictionary was a monumental 50 year task requiring thousands of volunteers. One of the keenest volunteers was a W C Minor who astonished everyone by refusing to come to Oxford to receive his congratulations. In the end, James Murray, the OED's editor, went to Crowthorne in Berkshire to meet him.

A sharp-tongued, quick-witted dictionary with a difference from the much-loved, insolent and corageous Ambrose Bierce. An American classic.

An accepted authority on the evolution of the English language. This work traces the usage of words through 2.4 million quotations from a range of international English language sources. Accompanying each definition is a chronologically arranged group of quotations that trace the usage of words, and show the contexts in which they can be used.

This revised edition of the world-famous Concise Oxford English Dictionary presents the most accurate picture of English today. It has been updated with hundreds of new words, and contains a brand-new browsable centre section featuring fascinating vocabulary as well as an 'English Uncovered' supplement.

Includes words and phrases (Al-Qaeda, 9/11), characters, places (and monsters) from fantasy literature (including The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter ), political and sporting nicknames. This dictionary includes 'list entries' like misattributed quotations, first lines of novels, and the 'etymologies' of rock group names.

This new edition contains over 60,000 entries - covering business, computer, and scientific terms; colloquial, idiomatic, and current slang expressions; and much more. The updated information includes a revised biographical and geographical database with more than 2000 new entries.

The Collins Gem Latin Dictionary offers the learner of Latin extensive coverage of Latin and English in a compact, portable format.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this latest edition of Collins' multimillion-selling dictionary comes with a newly updated Phrasefinder supplement making it the perfect choice for anyone needing a portable, up-to-the-minute French dictionary.

Comprehensive and authoritative, and ideal for advanced learners of German, Collins German Dictionary is now available in colour and with all the new German spellings.

A reference work for those looking for help in order to write a letter, prepare a speech, solve a crossword, or write any manner of prose or poem. It includes various buzzwords and phrases, information about signs of the zodiac and the origins of familiar quotations.

In print. Online. On your mobile. Pioneers in dictionary making for over 175 years, Collins are now proud to offer a world first: a dictionary accessible through all major media channels. The new edition of Collins English Dictionary gives you the power of Collins online and on your mobile phone -- at no extra cost.

Completely revised and updated edition.

A fourth edition of the dictionary which includes abbreviations, foreign words and phrases, biographical and geographical entries, and over 200 photographs.

A major new edition of Oxford's largest and most comprehensive dictionary of quotations brings you the wisdom of the ages and the sound bites of today. Find that half-remembered quote in a browser's paradise of over 20,000 fully indexed quotations.

The Meaning of Everything is the story behind the making of the first Oxford English Dictionary. In this account of the OED's creation, Winchester introduces a host of characters, from the murderer who contributed from his prison cell to the self-taught draper's son who guided the project towards fruition.

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is an abridgement of the twenty-volume Oxford English Dictionary into just two volumes, providing a comprehensive description of the historical development of English together with superb coverage of the contemporary language.