A Christmas-box. n.s. [from christmas and box.] A box in which little presents are collected at Christmas. When time comes round, a Christmas-box they bear, And one day makes them rich for all the year. Gay’s Trivia. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/christm...

Cu'tter. n.s. [from cut.] 1. An agent or instrument that cuts any thing. 2. A nimble boat that cuts the water. 3. [Incifores.] The teeth that cut the meat. 4. An officer in the Exchequer that provides wood for the tallies, and cuts the sum paid... johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/cutter_ns

Hemina. n.s. An ancient measure: now used in medicine to signify about ten ounces in measure. Quincy. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/hemina_ns

Froglettuce. n.s. [frog and lettuce.] A plant. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/froglet...

Skep. n.s. [scephen, lower Saxon, to draw.] 1. Skep is a sort of basket, narrow at the bottom, and wide at the top to fetch corn in. 2. In Scotland, the repositories where the bees lay their honey is still called skep. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/skep_ns

GRAY. adj. [græg, Saxon; grau, Danish; graau, Dutch.] 1. White with a mixture of black. 2. White or hoary with old age. 3. Dark like the opening or close of day; of the colour of ashes. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/gray_adj

Bro'ken Meat. Fragments; meat that has been cut. Get three or four chairwomen to attend you constantly in the kitchen, whom you pay at small charges; only with the broken meat, a few coals, and all the cinders. Swift. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/broken_...

An extraordinary gift indeed! web.library.uq.edu.au/stories/land...

REQUIEM. n.s. [Latin.] 1. A hymn in which they implore for the dead requiem or rest. 2. Rest; quiet; peace. Not in use. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/requiem...

Samuel Johnson died in his home at 7:00 p.m. on December 13, 1784. In his final illness, he refused opium and other painkillers, saying he wanted to meet his Maker with an unclouded mind. justus.anglican.org/resources/bi...

Adminicular. adj. [from adminiculum, Lat.] That which gives help. Dict. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/adminic...

A'liquot. adj. [aliquot, Lat.] Aliquot parts of any number or quantity, such as will exactly measure it without any remainder: as, 3 is an alquot part of 12, because, being taken four times, it will just measure it. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/aliquot...

Asperifolious. adj. [from asper, rough, and folium, a leaf, Lat.] One of the divisions of plants, so called from the roughness of their leaves. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/asperif...

Empo'retick adj. [ἐμϖοϱήτιϰος.] That which is used at markets, or in merchandize. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/emporet...

Bait. n.s. [from the verb.] 1. Meat set to allure fish, or other animals, to a snare. 2. A temptation; an enticement; allurement. 3. A refreshment on a journey. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/bait_ns

Ground-bait. n.s. [from ground and bait.] A bait made of barley or malt boiled; which, being thrown into the place where you design to angle, sinks to the bottom, and draws the fish to it. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/ground-...

Spa'ttling Poppy. n.s. [papaver spumeum.] White behen. A plant which is a species of campion. Miller. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/spattli...

Fo'pdoodle. n.s. [fop and doodle.] A fool; an insignificant wretch. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/fopdood...

To Forethi'nk. v.a. [fore and think.] To anticipate in the mind; to have prescience of. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/forethi...

Undisma'yed. adj. Not discouraged; not depressed with fear. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/undisma...

Lu'skish. adj. [from lusk.] Somewhat inclinable to laziness or indolence. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/luskish...

Gra'titude. n.s. [gratitudo, low Latin.] 1. Duty to benefactors. 2. Desire to return benefits. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/gratitu...

Ani'leness. Ani'lity. n.s. [anilitas, Lat.] The state of being an old woman; the old age of women. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/anility...

Lead. n.s. [læd, Saxon.] Guidance; first place: a low despicable word. Yorkshire takes the lead of the other countries. Herring. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/lead_ns...

Yesterday's (2025-11-20) was: I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read. — Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) Dr Johnson's 1755 dictionary was the pre-eminent English dictionary until the completion of the OED in 1928 Today is Friday Book Club ▶️ gridogram.com #IndieGame

Pre'gnantly. adv. [from pregnant.] 1. Fruitfully. 2. Fully; plainly; clearly. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/pregnan...

Enumera'tion. n.s. [enumeratio, Latin.] The act of numbering or counting over; number told out. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/enumera...

Slop. n.s. [from the verb.] Mean and vile liquor of any kind. Generally some nauseous or useless medicinal liquor. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/slop_ns...

Co'ckpit. n.s. [cock and pit.] 1. The area where cocks fight. 2. A place on the lower deck of a man of war, where are subdivisions for the purser, the surgeon, and his mates. Harris. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/cockpit...

A'sinine. adj. [from asinus, Lat.] Belonging to an ass. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/asinine...

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

Fi'reship. n.s. [fire and ship.] A ship filled with combustible matter to fire the vessels of the enemy. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/fireshi...

Fra'udulence. Fra'udulency. n.s. [fraudulentia, Latin.] Deceitfulness; trickishness; proneness to artifice. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/fraudul...

"Call it the paradox of the modern dictionary. We’re in a golden age for the study and appreciation of words ... But these advances are also strangling the business of the dictionary. " www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

Ha'ndvice. n.s. [hand and vice.] A vice to hold small work in. Moxon’s Mech. Exer. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/handvic...

Ru'bricated. adj. [from rubrica, Lat.] Smeared with red. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/rubrica...

Pi'cklock. n.s. [pick and lock.] 1. An instrument by which locks are opened without the key. 2. The person who picks locks. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/pickloc...

This conversation...looks at Samuel Johnson as the cathartic figure whose lexicographic work shaped modern English dictionaries. lithub.com/how-to-build...

To Gargari'ze. v.a. [γαϱγαϱίζω; gargariser, French.] To wash the mouth with medicated liquors. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/gargari...

Ma'nnikin. n.s. [man and klein, German.] A little man; a dwarf. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/manniki...

GHOST. n.s. [gast, Saxon.] 1. The soul of man. 2. A spirit appearing after death. In 1762, the Cock Lane Ghost supposedly haunted a young girl in London. Even Dr Johnson investigated—but was it a restless spirit or something more mysterious?👻 www.drjohnsonshouse.org/post/the-coc...

The historic Dr Johnson’s House in the City, home to the famous dictionary writer, is to start opening on Sundays for a few months to make it easier to visit at weekends. www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/sun...

Jack with a Lantern. An ignis fatuus. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/jack_wi...

Seafa'rer. n.s. [sea and fare.] A traveller by sea; a mariner. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/seafare...

Newfa'ngledness. Newfan'gleness. n.s. [from newfangled.] Vain and foolish love of novelty. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/newfang...

Unco'nquerable. adj. Not to be subdued; insuperable; not to be overcome; invincible. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1755/unconqu...

Check out the September 2025 issue of the Johnsonian News Letter, featuring a guide to searching the Johnson’s Dictionary Online website, an article on Johnson’s interactions with fair sex during his 1773 tour of Scotland, and more. johnsoniannewsletter.org/archive/

Today in words you might not expect to find in an 18th century dictionary: "Jogger, n.s. [from jog.] One who moves heavily and dully. They, with their fellow joggers of the plough. - Dryden." johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/jogger_ns

lard, n.s. 1. The grease of swine. 2. Bacon; the flesh of swine. johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/lard_ns

Died #otd Samuel Johnson, English poet and lexicographer, 240 years ago today #SamuelJohnson https://www.outlived.org/person/samuel-johnson-47333