--- product_id: 202238576 title: "The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary" price: "23140CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/202238576-the-meaning-of-everything-the-story-of-the-oxford-english store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # 15,490 pages of linguistic mastery Nearly 2 million quotations catalogued 50+ years of dedicated compilation The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary **Price:** 23140CFA **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Unlock the story behind the world’s greatest dictionary – because words matter. ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary - **How much does it cost?** 23140CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/202238576-the-meaning-of-everything-the-story-of-the-oxford-english) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Quotations Galore:** Explore nearly 2 million curated quotations shaping English today. - β€’ **Bestselling Insight:** From Simon Winchester, the acclaimed author who makes history thrilling. - β€’ **Epic Linguistic Legacy:** Dive into the monumental 15,490-page Oxford English Dictionary journey. - β€’ **Behind-the-Scenes Stories:** Meet the fascinating characters who brought the OED to life. - β€’ **Half a Century of Passion:** Experience 50+ years of relentless dedication by visionary editors. ## Overview The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester chronicles the epic creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, a 15,490-page masterpiece compiled over 50 years with nearly two million quotations. This bestselling, richly detailed narrative reveals the extraordinary people and passion behind the definitive record of the English language. ## Description 'The greatest enterprise of its kind in history,' was the verdict of British prime minister Stanley Baldwin in June 1928 when The Oxford English Dictionary was finally published. With its 15,490 pages and nearly two million quotations, it was indeed a monumental achievement, gleaned from the efforts of hundreds of ordinary and extraordinary people who made it their mission to catalogue the English language in its entirety. In The Meaning of Everything , Simon Winchester celebrates this remarkable feat, and the fascinating characters who played such a vital part in its execution, from the colourful Frederick Furnivall, cheerful promoter of an all-female sculling crew, to James Murray, self-educated son of a draper, who spent half a century guiding the project towards fruition. Along the way we learn which dictionary editor became the inspiration for Kenneth Grahame's Ratty in The Wind in the Willows , and why Tolkien found it so hard to define 'walrus'. Written by the bestselling author of The Surgeon of Crowthorne and The Map That Changed the World , The Meaning of Everything is an enthralling account of the creation of the world's greatest dictionary. Review: PLEASURABLE READ - IT IS INDEED A PLEASURABLE READ CONSIDERING THE STYLE ADOPTED BY WINCHESTER IN WEAVING THE PLOT OF HOW THE OXFORD DICTIONARY WAS BUILT BRICK BY BRICK WITH THE HELP OF SO MANY READERS AND TO SAY THE LEAST TO SOME EXTENT HELPED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A LUNATIC MURDERER. THE BOOK INTERSPERSED WITH OLD PHOTOGRAPHS IS A VERITABLE STOREHOUSE OF INFORMATION AND THE CULMINATION OF LONG AND ASSIDUOUS RESEARCH INTO THE ARCHIVES OF OXFORD AND OTHER ENGLISH INSTITUTIONS BY THE AUTHOR. WINCHESTER WHO HAS EARLIER WRITTEN A FOREWORD TO MODERN ENGLISH USASGE BY FOWLER IS INDEED THE SUITABLE AUTHOR FOR THIS MINI-HISTORY OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY. FOWLER FOR WHOSE BOOK WINCHESTER HAS WRITTEN A FOREWORD RAISED EYEBROWS ON THE USAGE OF DASHES IN HIS SECTION DEALING WITH PUNCTUATIONS. FOWLER USED TO ASSOCIATE DASH MARK WITH AFTERTHOUGHTS OF THE AUTHOR WHILE COMMUNICATING HIS IDEAS TO THE READERS. HE EXHORTED HIS COUNTRY MEN TO AVOID USING DASHES BY CITING THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF THE SAME BY LAURANCE STERNE IN HIS TRISTAM SHANDY. I AM BRINGING THIS FACTOR ONLY BECAUSE WINCHESTER ALSO REVELLED IN USING DASHES TO A MAXIMUM EXTENT IN HIS PRESENT WORK. NOTWITHSTANDING THE USAGE OF DASHES THE SENTENCES WERE FULLY BALANCED AND CONVEYED CLEAR SENSE TO THE READER WHEN COMPARED TO THE CLUMSY RENDITION OF LAURANCE STERNE IN TRISTAM SHANDY WHICH FOWLER FROWNED ON THE WHOLE A GOOD READ C.L.MURALIDHARAN Review: Informative and entertaining: a surprising history - As a big fan, and big user, of the Oxford English Dictionary, I found this a very helpful and informative book. It was also very readable, and held my interest throughout, with its cast of seemingly unbelievable characters! It has really helped my understanding of the OED and what's in it. ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 300,382 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 60 in English Dictionaries 1,755 in Words, Language & Grammar (Books) 2,651 in Social & Cultural History | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 325 Reviews | ## Images ![The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81HrgzuSL1S.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ PLEASURABLE READ *by C***N on 3 April 2011* IT IS INDEED A PLEASURABLE READ CONSIDERING THE STYLE ADOPTED BY WINCHESTER IN WEAVING THE PLOT OF HOW THE OXFORD DICTIONARY WAS BUILT BRICK BY BRICK WITH THE HELP OF SO MANY READERS AND TO SAY THE LEAST TO SOME EXTENT HELPED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A LUNATIC MURDERER. THE BOOK INTERSPERSED WITH OLD PHOTOGRAPHS IS A VERITABLE STOREHOUSE OF INFORMATION AND THE CULMINATION OF LONG AND ASSIDUOUS RESEARCH INTO THE ARCHIVES OF OXFORD AND OTHER ENGLISH INSTITUTIONS BY THE AUTHOR. WINCHESTER WHO HAS EARLIER WRITTEN A FOREWORD TO MODERN ENGLISH USASGE BY FOWLER IS INDEED THE SUITABLE AUTHOR FOR THIS MINI-HISTORY OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY. FOWLER FOR WHOSE BOOK WINCHESTER HAS WRITTEN A FOREWORD RAISED EYEBROWS ON THE USAGE OF DASHES IN HIS SECTION DEALING WITH PUNCTUATIONS. FOWLER USED TO ASSOCIATE DASH MARK WITH AFTERTHOUGHTS OF THE AUTHOR WHILE COMMUNICATING HIS IDEAS TO THE READERS. HE EXHORTED HIS COUNTRY MEN TO AVOID USING DASHES BY CITING THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF THE SAME BY LAURANCE STERNE IN HIS TRISTAM SHANDY. I AM BRINGING THIS FACTOR ONLY BECAUSE WINCHESTER ALSO REVELLED IN USING DASHES TO A MAXIMUM EXTENT IN HIS PRESENT WORK. NOTWITHSTANDING THE USAGE OF DASHES THE SENTENCES WERE FULLY BALANCED AND CONVEYED CLEAR SENSE TO THE READER WHEN COMPARED TO THE CLUMSY RENDITION OF LAURANCE STERNE IN TRISTAM SHANDY WHICH FOWLER FROWNED ON THE WHOLE A GOOD READ C.L.MURALIDHARAN ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Informative and entertaining: a surprising history *by I***T on 5 May 2023* As a big fan, and big user, of the Oxford English Dictionary, I found this a very helpful and informative book. It was also very readable, and held my interest throughout, with its cast of seemingly unbelievable characters! It has really helped my understanding of the OED and what's in it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ For word lovers eveywhere *by U***O on 25 November 2011* There are very few authors who would have attempted this task and made such a success as Simon Winchester.He has the knack of talking through words to the man in the street of which I am one and a very grateful one at that. He appreciates his assistants and always goes to great lenghths to acknowledge them in his work(s). The book is a thriller and weaves it's way through the tortuous by-ways of what nearly didn't happen because of eltism , small mindedness and snobbery and a total preoccupation with the cost of production.Thank goodness for common sense and dogged perseverance. I will never be able to afford the full dictionary but so what? I couldn't afford a ride on Concorde but it too was magnificent. Thank you SW for revealing a very interesting history of how we ended up with the greatest dictionary of all time - well done you. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary - The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary - The Map That Changed the World: A Tale of Rocks, Ruin and Redemption --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/202238576-the-meaning-of-everything-the-story-of-the-oxford-english](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/202238576-the-meaning-of-everything-the-story-of-the-oxford-english) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-10-06*