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Thomas Blount (lexicographer)

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World, and sell; a Bookseller, not interested in the Copy, instantly employs some Mercenary to jumble up another like Book out of this, with some Alterations and Additions, and give it a new Title; and the first Author's out-done, and his Publisher half undone...." Phillips retorted by publishing a list of words from Blount that he contended were "barbarous and illegally compounded." The dispute was not settled prior to Blount's death, thus granting a default victory to Phillips. Regardless,
380: 83:, his religion interfered considerably with the practice of that profession at a time when Catholics were excluded from almost all areas of public life in England. Retiring to his estate at Orleton, he devoted himself to the study of the law as an amateur, and also read widely in other branches of knowledge. 163:
wherein he sought to demonstrate that where Phillips was correct, he was not often original, and that where he was original, he was not often correct. He wrote, indignantly, "Must this then be suffered? A Gentleman for his divertissement writes a Book, and this Book happens to be acceptable to the
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when it was published. His was the last, largest, and greatest of the English "hard-word" dictionaries, which aimed not to present a complete listing of English words, but to define and explain unusual terms that might be encountered in literature or the professions, thus aiding the burgeoning
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A Law Dictionary, interpreting such difficult and obscure Words and Terms as are found either in our Common or Statute, antient or modern Laws. London, 1671, fol. There again in 1691, with some Corrections, and the addition of above 600 Words. (This is the
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enraged Blount, who began to denounce his rival vitriolically in print. Blount and Phillips engaged for many years in a publishing war, undertaking constant revisions of their works accompanied by denunciations of the other. In 1673, Blount published
245:, 3d September, 1651. London, 1660, in 8vo.; there again 1680, in 8vo. third edition, translated into French and Portuguese; the last of which was done by Peter Gifford, of White Ladies, in Staffordshire, a Roman Catholic. Vide No. 11. 154:. While Phillips' dictionary was much larger than Blount's (ca. 20,000 words) and included some common words in addition to unusual ones, it is now widely acknowledged that Phillips copied many definitions from Blount. This act of 129:, and the first that cited sources for definitions. It contained many unusual words that had not previously been included in dictionaries, and others not included in any later dictionary. While some of these were 108:(1656), which went through several editions and remains amusing and instructive reading. It defined around 11,000 hard or unusual words, and was the largest English 196:(1670; third edition, with additions by W. Nelson, 1717), to aid the profession that he was unable to practice. He was also an antiquarian of some note, and his 231:
Glossographia; or, a Dictionary interpreting such hard Words, whether Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, &c, that are now used in our refined English Tongue
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Nomolexicon: a law dictionary interpreting such difficult and obscure words and terms as are found either in our common or statute, ancient or modern lawes
257:, &c. London, 1665, quarto, in one sheet, which made much sport among people, having had the assistance therein of Jo. Sargeant and Jo. Austen. 192:; the book was edited with a bibliography by C. G. Thomas (1894). Blount remained an amateur scholar of law throughout his life, and published 133:, Blount did not coin any words himself, but rather reported on the rather inventive culture of classically inspired coinages of the period. 314: 239:, London, 1653, in 8vo. written in imitation of J. Birkenhead's Paul's Church-yard, and published under the name of Grass and Hay Withers. 340: 404: 237:
The Lamps of the Law, and Lights of the Gospel; or, the Titles of some late Spiritual, Polemical, and Metaphysical new Books
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Glossographia; or, a dictionary interpreting the hard words of whatsoever language, now used in our refined English tongue
200:(1679; enlarged by J. Beckwith and republished, with additions by H. M. Beckwith, in 1815; again revised and enlarged by 357: 409: 363: 90:(1617–1697) in 1661 and they had one daughter, Elizabeth (1662–1724). He died on 26 December 1679, at 399: 255:
Booker rebuked; or, Animadversions on Booker's Teiescopium Uranicum or Ephemeris, 1665, which is very erroneous
251:, for 1661, 62, 63, &c. which selling not so well' as Joh. Booker's Almanack did, he therefore wrote, 113:
non-academic middle class, which was ascendant in England at the time and of which Blount was a member.
68: 356: 142: 334: 201: 181: 80: 419: 414: 233:, &c. London, 1656, octavo, published several times after with additions and amendments 21: 8: 185: 168:
went through many editions and even more reprintings, the latest of which was in 1969.
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The following bibliography is reproduced from the foreword of Beckwith's edition of
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Fragmenta Antiquitatis: Ancient Tenures of land, and jocular customs of some manners
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Fragmenta Antiquitatis, antient Tenures of Land, and Jocular Customs of some Manors
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Claustrum regale reseratum; or, the King's Concealment at Trent, in Somersetshire
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Boscobel; or, the History of his Majesty's Escape after the Battle of Worcester
275:, &c. London, 1673, fol, written against Edw. Philips his book, entitled, 176:
In addition to his dictionary, Blount published widely on other subjects. His
393: 329: 87: 52: 204:, 1874) is a sort of encyclopaedia of folk-customs and manorial traditions. 189: 121:. It was the first dictionary that included illustrations (two woodcuts of 118: 76: 151: 48: 227:
Printed at London in the time of the rebellion; and several times after.
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Animadversions upon Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle and its Continuation
333: 126: 122: 33: 291:, &c, the second part, London, 1681, 8vo, to which is added, 91: 64: 225:
The Academy of Eloquence, containing a complete English Rhetoric
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was surpassed in popularity with the publication in 1658 of
188:, with the addition of the king's own account dictated to 295:, published by Mrs. Anne Windham, of Trent. (See No. 4.) 161:
A World of Errors Discovered in the New World of Words,
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A World of Errors discovered in the New World of Words
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where it is part of a short biography reproduced from
75:, Worcestershire. He was called to the bar at the 391: 352:, the latter with the permission of the author 344:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 367:. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 94:, Herefordshire, at the age of sixty-one. 328: 32: 20: 392: 86:Thomas Blount married Anne Church of 16:English antiquarian and lexicographer 150:(1630–1696), whose uncle was 117:marked several "firsts" in English 13: 358:"Blount, Thomas (1618-1679)"  63:He was the son of Myles Blount of 14: 431: 322: 67:in Herefordshire and was born at 47:(1618–1679) was an English 364:Dictionary of National Biography 97: 405:People from Bromsgrove District 381:Works by or about Thomas Blount 37:Detail of a page from Blount's 308: 171: 136:Unfortunately for Blount, his 1: 315:Beckwith edition of Fragmenta 302: 58: 285:, &c. London, 1679, 8vo. 277:A New World of English Words 104:His principal works include 39:Glossographia Anglicana Nova 7: 10: 436: 269:, &c. Oxon, 1672, 8vo. 180:(1651) was an account of 348:The copyright-protected 410:English Roman Catholics 341:Encyclopædia Britannica 79:, but, being a zealous 400:English lexicographers 372:Works by Thomas Blount 335:"Blount, Thomas"  298: 184:'s preservation after 143:The New World of Words 41: 30: 249:The Catholic Almanack 221: 36: 25:A page from Blount's 24: 217:Athenae Oxonienses 42: 31: 376:Project Gutenberg 427: 385:Internet Archive 368: 360: 350:The Phrontistery 345: 337: 317: 312: 123:heraldic devices 435: 434: 430: 429: 428: 426: 425: 424: 390: 389: 355: 325: 320: 313: 309: 305: 174: 148:Edward Phillips 102: 61: 17: 12: 11: 5: 433: 423: 422: 417: 412: 407: 402: 388: 387: 378: 369: 353: 346: 332:, ed. (1911). 330:Chisholm, Hugh 324: 323:External links 321: 319: 318: 306: 304: 301: 297: 296: 286: 280: 270: 264: 258: 252: 246: 240: 234: 228: 213:Anthony á Wood 173: 170: 101: 96: 81:Roman Catholic 60: 57: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 432: 421: 418: 416: 413: 411: 408: 406: 403: 401: 398: 397: 395: 386: 382: 379: 377: 373: 370: 366: 365: 359: 354: 351: 347: 343: 342: 336: 331: 327: 326: 316: 311: 307: 300: 294: 290: 287: 284: 281: 278: 274: 271: 268: 265: 263: 259: 256: 253: 250: 247: 244: 241: 238: 235: 232: 229: 226: 223: 222: 220: 218: 214: 210: 205: 203: 202:W. C. Hazlitt 199: 195: 191: 187: 183: 179: 169: 167: 166:Glossographia 162: 157: 153: 149: 145: 144: 139: 138:Glossographia 134: 132: 128: 124: 120: 116: 115:Glossographia 111: 107: 100: 99:Glossographia 95: 93: 89: 88:Maldon, Essex 84: 82: 78: 74: 70: 66: 56: 54: 53:lexicographer 50: 46: 45:Thomas Blount 40: 35: 28: 27:Glossographia 23: 19: 362: 339: 310: 299: 292: 288: 282: 276: 272: 266: 262:Νομολεζιχν.) 260: 254: 248: 242: 236: 230: 224: 216: 208: 206: 197: 193: 177: 175: 165: 160: 141: 137: 135: 119:lexicography 114: 105: 103: 98: 85: 77:Inner Temple 62: 44: 43: 38: 29:(publ. 1661) 26: 18: 420:1679 deaths 415:1618 births 172:Other works 152:John Milton 127:etymologies 49:antiquarian 394:Categories 303:References 182:Charles II 156:plagiarism 131:neologisms 110:dictionary 73:Tardebigge 59:Background 209:Fragmenta 186:Worcester 69:Bordesley 289:Boscobel 178:Boscobel 383:at the 92:Orleton 65:Orleton 125:) and 190:Pepys 51:and 374:at 215:'s 146:by 396:: 361:. 338:. 219:. 71:, 55:. 279:.

Index



antiquarian
lexicographer
Orleton
Bordesley
Tardebigge
Inner Temple
Roman Catholic
Maldon, Essex
Orleton
dictionary
lexicography
heraldic devices
etymologies
neologisms
The New World of Words
Edward Phillips
John Milton
plagiarism
Charles II
Worcester
Pepys
W. C. Hazlitt
Anthony á Wood
Beckwith edition of Fragmenta
Chisholm, Hugh
"Blount, Thomas" 
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Phrontistery

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