Samuel Johnson begins work on A Dictionary of the English Language
- When
- 1746–1747
- Where
- London
- Episodes
- 2
In June 1746, London booksellers contracted Samuel Johnson to compile a dictionary. By 1747, he had written his Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language, outlining his proposed methodology.
Episodes
- Contracting Johnson
London booksellers contracted Johnson in June 1746 to write a dictionary for 1,500 guineas.
- Drafting the Plan
By 1747, Johnson had written his Plan of a Dictionary, detailing his methodology.
Background and detail
Background. Dissatisfaction with existing dictionaries prompted a consortium of London printers, including Robert Dodsley and Thomas Longman, to seek a comprehensive reference. They contracted Johnson in June 1746 for 1,500 guineas to address the needs of the growing reading public.
Commencement. Johnson prepared the dictionary at 17 Gough Square, London, between 1746 and 1755. By 1747, he had written his Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language, which spelled out his intentions and proposed methodology for the project.
People involved
- Samuel Johnson · Author and compiler
- Thomas Longman · Bookseller and contractor
Sources
- A Dictionary of the English Language Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-02
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.