Old Vs New: Definition Theatre August 25, 2009

To me the best part about researching these old words and comparing them to modern day is not the definition itself, but the verbiage of the definitions. The spelling hasn't changed much over the years, but some words, like Basket, are almost identical except for the main part of the definition. What I mean to say is compare 'domestic vessel' to 'container'. In the end, the really both mean the same, but it is fascinating to me to see how the definitions have changed over the 120 years between the books.

* (1883) pg 29 Basket: n. a domestic vessel made of twigs, etc., interwoven; v.t. to put in a basket.

**(2003) pg 54 Basket: n. 1.a container made of interwoven cane, wood strips 2. its contents.

(There was another part of this definition regarding the game of basketball that I omitted.)

* (1883) pg 104 Esophagus: n. the gullet

**(2003) pg 222 Esophagus: n. the tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach

* (1883) pg 148 Incubate: v.t. to sit on, as eggs.

**(2003) pg 328 Incubate: v.t. 1. to sit on and hatch (eggs). 2. to heat, etc. so as to hatch or grow, as in an incubator. 3. to develop, as by planning.

* (1883) pg 196 Ozone: n. a peculiar principal in the atmosphere

**(2003) pg 461 Ozone: n. 1. an unstable, pale-blue form of oxygen with a strong odor, formed by the electrical discharge in air and used and used as a bleaching agent, water purifier, etc. 2. pure, fresh air.

To make this one more comparable to the 1883 version, here is the next word in the dictionary to better match:

**(2003) pg 461 Ozone Layer: the layer of ozone within the stratosphere that absorbs much ultraviolet radiation.

* (1883) pg 198 Parachute: n. an apparatus like an umbrella for descending safely from a balloon

**(2003) pg 466 Parachute: n. a cloth contrivance usually shaped like an umbrella when expanded, and used to retard the speed of one dropping from an airplane, etc.

* "American People's Dictionary of the English Language and Peoples Manual" , copyright 1879 & 1883, by John Marshall Wood. Pgs. 29. 104, 148, 196, and 198.

** "Webster's New World Dictionary", copyright 2003 by Wiley Publishing, Inc.Pgs. 54, 222, 328, 461, and 466.