The 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary is the accepted authority on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. It traces the usage of words through 2.4 million quotations from a wide range of international English language sources.

The OED has a unique historical focus. 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. The quotations are drawn from a huge variety of sources worldwide - literary, scholarly, technical, and popular - and represent authors as disparate as Geoffrey Chaucer and Erica Jong, William Shakespeare, Charles Darwin and Isabella Beeton.

Other features distinguishing the entries in the Dictionary are authoritative definitions; detailed information on pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet; listings of variant spellings used throughout each word's history; extensive treatment of etymology; and details of area of usage and of any regional characteristics.

Alongside the print edition is the Oxford English Dictionary Online (www.oed.com). Updated quarterly, this award-winning online resource allows the Dictionary to evolve with the English language while the print edition remains as a historical record. Subscriptions are available to OED online on an individual or institutional basis. Visit www.oup.com/online/oed/ for details.

Vol.1: A-Bazouki, Vol.2: Chalypsography, Vol.3: Cham-Creeky, Vol.4: Creel-Duzepere, Vol.5: Deandva- Follis, Vol.6: Follow-Haswed, Vol.7: Hat-Inter, Vol.8: Interval-Looe, Vol.9: Look-Mouke, Vol.10: Moul-Ovu, Vol.11: Ow-Pois, Vol.12: Poise-Quelt, Vol.13: Que-Roa, Vol.14: Rob-Seq, Vol.15: Ser-Soos, Vol.16: Soot-Sty, Vol.17: Su-Thri, Vol.18: Thro-Unel, Vol.19: Unem-Wau, Vol.20: Wave-Zyxt. Bibliography