Sense section

While the headword section of an entry defines the form of a headword, the sense section explains the headword's meaning. The sense section consists of one or more definitions, each with its paragraph of illustrative quotations, arranged chronologically. Some words, especially those that have existed for centuries, have acquired many meanings. Because of this, the sense section for some entries is quite extensive.

Features of the sense section

1. Status symbol

Status symbols are visual guides that alert the Dictionary user to particular characteristics of a word, meaning, or usage. For example, the status symbol tells whether a term is obsolete, used in an irregular manner, etc. These symbols appear before the sense number (or before a part of the meaning). The status symbols used in the sense section are a dagger, which indicates obsolete meanings, a catachrestic symbol, which indicates irregular or confused usage, and parallels, which indicate alien or partially naturalized words (though it is not usually necessary to indicate non-naturalization of individual senses). The New Edition only uses the dagger; irregular and non-naturalized usages are indicated in the definition text or in an etymological note.

2. Sense number

Senses, or meanings, are ordered according to a structure resembling a family tree, so that the development of one meaning from another can be plotted. The individual meanings are numbered within this structure for ease of reference.

3. Label

A label is a term, usually displayed in italics, which gives brief information, usually in abbreviated form, on the context in which that term is used. For instance, a label will give a term's regional origin (e.g. U.S., Australia), the subject area from which it derives (e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Music), the status or level of language to which it belongs (e.g. slang, dialect), its grammatical function (e.g. plural, collective), and the type of meaning assigned to a word in a particular context (figurative, specific).

4. Definition and definition note

The definition shows the meaning of the word. Definitions can be explanatory (explaining the meaning of a word), structural (explaining a word's structure in a grammatical or syntactic sense), or can consist solely of a cross-reference to another related item within the Dictionary. Some words have many different meanings, which are ordered systematically to illustrate the word's development over time.

5. Quotation paragraph

The quotation paragraph contains a selection of authentic examples of usage illustrating a definition. The quotations document the history of a term from its earliest recorded usage, and are extremely helpful tools for clarifying grammatical and syntactic aspects of a definition. This feature contains a number of subsections.

a. Date of publication

The date of publication for each quotation is given in bold type. For older texts, especially for those dating from before the invention of printing, this date may be a manuscript date or the date at which the text is thought to have been composed.

b. Author

The author of a quotation is displayed in capitals. Further information may be found in the Dictionary's bibliography or select list of sources.

c. Title

The title of the quoted text cited is displayed in italic type. The title is often presented in an abbreviated style. Further information may be found in the Dictionary's bibliography or select list of sources.

d. Text of quotation

The text of a quotation is the quotation as it appears in the source cited, and is normally preceded by its location in the source (chapter, page, etc.). Unless otherwise stated, the reference is typically to the source's first edition. Information on other editions used may be found in the Dictionary's bibliography.

6. Compounds

A compound occurs when simple words are joined and function as a single grammatical unit (e.g. sea chest, sea-gull, seafood). Compounds are frequently collected together in a section or group of sections at or near the end of an entry. They are followed by a quotation paragraph in which examples of each compound are presented in alphabetical order of the compound. Some major compounds are entered as headwords in their own right.

7. Derivatives

Derivatives are words formed from the headword by the addition of a suffix (for example, enshrined at the entry for enshrine). These are typically entered as the final section of an entry. Many derivatives are included as headwords in their own right. They are followed by a quotation paragraph illustrating examples of usage.