PREFACE. THIS Elementary Dictionary is, for substance, a reduced form of the author's "Comprehensive Pronouncing and Explanatory Dictionary," a work which contains not only a very full vocabulary of common English words, but also many words of rare occurrence, numerous technical terms in the various arts and sciences, and a considerable list of such words and phrases from foreign languages as are often found in English books. And with respect to words of various, doubtful, or disputed pronunciation, the modes in which they are pronounced by all the most eminent English orthoepists are given, with the respective authorities annexed. The "Comprehensive Dictionary" was designed for the use of schools, academies, families, and individuals; and it contains little or nothing that is deemed superfluous for the purposes for which it was intended. But a dictionary is employed in schools for some purposes for which a more select vocabulary is preferable; and the method adopted in the "Comprehensive Dictionary," in relation to words of various pronunciation, by giving the different modes with the respective authorities annexed, though it adds much to the value of the work for teachers and the more advanced scholars, yet it may tend rather to embarrass than assist pupils who are not somewhat accustomed to use a dictionary. This abstract has been brought to its present size by the omission of most of such words as are nearly obsolete or rarely used, of some technical terms, and of the authorities for the different modes of pronunciation; and by the occasional abbreviation of definitions. But, notwithstanding these omissions, it contains a very complete list of the most important words in the English language, which, together with the several vocabularies comprised in it, will, it is hoped, render it a very satisfactory dictionary for the use of common schools, The plural forms of the irregular nouns are exhibited, the active and neuter verbs are discriminated, and the irregular verbs are conjugated. Great care has been taken to give the pronunciation in accordance with |