The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section I, J, K, and L

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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section I, J, K, and L

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By Betty Young Posted on Jan 5, 2026

In Category - Online Safety

Authors: Webster, Noah, 1758-1843 Published By : Webster, Noah, 1758-1843

Book Language: English

Okay, hear me out. I know what you're thinking: 'A dictionary review? Seriously?' But this isn't just any dictionary. This is a specific slice of Webster's original 19th-century masterpiece. Reading it is like finding a time capsule. It's not about looking up words you don't know; it's about discovering how our language used to think. The definitions are little stories, full of opinions and outdated science. You get a front-row seat to the messy, opinionated, and fascinating process of how America decided what words meant. It's surprisingly personal and weirdly gripping.

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I is most closely related to e, y, j, g; as in dint, dent, beverage, L. bibere; E. kin, AS. cynn; E. thin, AS. þynne; E. dominion, donjon, dungeon. In English I has two principal vowel sounds: the long sound, as in pne, ce; and the short sound, as in pn. It has also three other sounds: (a) That of e in term, as in thirst. (b) That of e in mete (in words of foreign origin), as in machine, pique, regime. (c) That of consonant y (in many words in which it precedes another vowel), as in bunion, million, filial, Christian, etc. It enters into several digraphs, as in fail, field, seize, feign. friend; and with o often forms a proper diphtong, as in oil, join, coin. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 98-106. The dot which we place over the small or lower case i dates only from the 14th century. The sounds of I and J were originally represented by the same character, and even after the introduction of the form J into English dictionaries, words containing these letters were, till a comparatively recent time, classed together. 2. In our old authors, I was often used for ay (or aye), yes, which is pronounced nearly like it. 3. As a numeral, I stands for 1, II for 2, etc. I- (?), prefix. See Y- . I (), pron. [poss. My (m) or Mine (mn); object. Me (m). pl. nom. We (w); poss. Our (our) or Ours (ourz); object. Us (s).] [OE. i, ich, ic, AS. ic; akin to OS. & D. ik, OHG. ih, G. ich, Icel. ek, Dan. jeg, Sw. jag, Goth. ik, OSlav. az', Russ. ia, W. i, L. ego, Gr. 'egw`, 'egw`n, Skr. aham. √179. Cf. Egoism.] The nominative case of the pronoun of the first person; the word with which a speaker or writer denotes himself. I*am`a*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, medicine + -logy.] (Med.) Materia Medica; that branch of therapeutics which treats of remedies. I"amb (?), n. [Cf. F. iambe. See Lambus.] An iambus or iambic. [R.] I*am"bic (?), a. [L. iambicus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. iambique.] 1. (Pros.) Consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented; as, an iambic foot. 2. Pertaining to, or composed of, iambics; as, an iambic verse; iambic meter. See Lambus. I*am"bic, n. 1. (Pros.) (a) An iambic foot; an iambus. (b) A verse composed of iambic feet. The following couplet consists of iambic verses. Thy gen- | ius calls | thee not | to pur- | chase fame In keen | iam- | bics, but | mild an- | agram. Dryden. 2. A satirical poem (such poems having been anciently written in iambic verse); a satire; a lampoon. I*am"bic*al (?), a. Iambic. [Obs. or R.] I*am"bic*al*ly, adv. In a iambic manner; after the manner of iambics. I*am"bize (?), v. t. [Gr. &?;.] To satirize in iambics; to lampoon. [R.] I*am"bus (?), n.; pl. L. Iambi (#), E. Iambuses (#). [L. iambus, Gr. &?;; prob. akin to &?; to throw, assail (the iambus being first used in satiric poetry), and to L. jacere to throw. Cf. Jet a shooting forth.] (Pros.) A foot consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, as in mns, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one, as invent; an iambic. See the Couplet under Iambic, n. ||I*an"thi*na (?), n.; pl. L. Ianthinæ (#), E. Ianthinas (#). [NL., fr. ||L. ianthinus violet-blue, Gr. &?;; &?; violet + &?; flower.] (Zoöl.) ||Any gastropod of the genus Ianthina, of...

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Continue Reading Full Book

Let's be clear: there's no traditional plot. This book is a curated section (letters I, J, K, and L) from Noah Webster's landmark 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. You open it and find definitions. But these aren't the dry, clinical entries we're used to. Webster was a man on a mission to define American English, separate from Britain, and his personality bleeds onto every page.

The Story

There is no narrative arc. The 'story' is the unfolding of Webster's mind. You follow him from 'Iambic' to 'Lynx.' Along the way, you see how he wove his beliefs about religion, morality, science, and national identity into the very fabric of the language. A definition for 'knowledge' might include a philosophical aside. An entry for 'jeopardy' reveals how legal terms were settling into American use. It's the story of a language being built, one opinionated entry at a time.

Why You Should Read It

I picked this up as a curiosity and couldn't put it down. It's humbling and hilarious. You realize how fluid language is. Words have changed meaning, fallen out of use, or were defined by the limited science of the day. Webster's confidence in his own worldview is astonishing. Reading it feels like having a conversation with a brilliant, stubborn, and utterly convinced 19th-century scholar. It makes you think about every word you use today.

Final Verdict

This is perfect for word nerds, history lovers, and anyone with a deep curiosity about how things came to be. It's not a page-turner in the classic sense, but it's a captivating dip into the past. Don't read it cover-to-cover; keep it on your desk and open it at random. You'll be rewarded with a glimpse into the mind of America's first lexicographer and a fresh appreciation for the living, breathing thing we call English.

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