Between 1604, when Cawdrey published his Table Alphabeticall, and 1755, the year of Johnson's monumental work, there appeared no less than twenty English dictionaries. In this book the authors provide a complete history, as far as possible, of each of these and thus give a systematic historical account of the evolution of the English dictionary during the first 150 years of its existence. Originally published in 1946. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.