A Handy Dictionary Of The English Language

First published in 1914, this handy dictionary has been a staple of English language learners and word enthusiasts for over a century. This new edition includes updated definitions and a new introduction by a lexicography expert. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"When I pick up a book the first thing I look for is the pictures. And so it was when I acquired an 1877 Webster's Handy Dictionary. The tiny engraved illustrations of Abacus and Accordian, etc. were quite nice, especially considering their tiny size allotment. I wondered if I could make a book out of just those illustrations. The project evolved into a combination of abcdiary and altered dictionary. It has also become a sort of guessing game, challenging the viewer to guess the image using mid-Victorian English. For example the two gears on the 'E' page are for 'escapement' part of the vast watchmaker's nomenclature, which was, in 1877, the very cutting edge of mechanical technology. Naming all the varieties of wood-masted ships may be a bit tricky, but the book ends with an easy one 'Z' and our old fried the Zebra."--Artist's Statement from accompanying sheet.