Oxford English Dictionary

The online Oxford English Dictionary contains the complete A-to-Z sequence of the second edition, its three-volume Additions Series, and draft material produced in the progress toward the third edition. The OED is a historical dictionary of English, covering the language from the earliest times to the present day. It aims to show not only the current meanings of words, but also to trace their development through time. Entries contain detailed etymological analysis and are illustrated by quotations from a wide range of English-language sources from around the world, making the OED a unique historical record. The revised and new entries will be added to the online OED every quarter, and these will eventually cumulate to form the complete new edition. You may search the full text, definitions, etymologies, and quotations.