The quotations illustrate the use of the word in a given sense, and are normally arranged in chronological order, starting with the earliest available printed example of the sense:
A quotation in square brackets, usually preceding the first example, indicates a use which helps to illustrate the development of the sense, while not strictly exemplifying it:
Where many combinations are treated together, the quotations illustrating each are grouped chronologically and the groups are arranged in the alphabetical order of the combinations. Asterisks are sometimes used to mark the first quotation for each combination:
For an explanation of the typographical conventions used in quotations, see here.
Superior Numbers are used to distinguish homonyms (see alphabetical order above) and after the labels Obs. and rare to indicate words or senses for which only one (-1) or no (-0) contextual example from a printed source was available to the editors.
Variant forms of a word are printed in light bold type, and are introduced by ‘Also’ or ‘Forms’:
Numerals are used before variant forms to indicate the century during which a particular form is recorded: see here.
 Key to the pronunciationBack to contents |
 |