position, are frequently also explained, thus saving (in such cases)
the trouble of a cross-reference, if the meaning of the word is alone
required.

An attempt is made in most cases to give the etymology, so far at
least as to shew the immediate source of the Middle-English word.
Especial pains have been taken with the words of French origin, which
form so large a portion of the vocabulary of the Middle-English
period. In many cases the AF (Anglo-French) forms are cited, from my
list of English Words found in Anglo-French, as published for the
Philological Society in 1882.

The student of English who wishes to trace back the history of a word
still in use can, in general, find the Middle-English form in Skeat's
Etymological Dictionary, and will then be able to consult the present
work in order to obtain further instances of its early use.

The relative share of the authors in the preparation of this work is
easily explained. The whole of it in its present form (with the
exception of the letter N) was compiled, prepared, and written out for
press by Mr. Mayhew. The original plan was, however, my own; and I
began by writing out the letter N (since augmented) by way of
experiment and model. It will thus be seen that Mr. Mayhew's share of
the work has been incomparably the larger, involving all that is most
laborious. On the other hand, I may claim that much of the labour was
mine also, at a much earlier stage, as having originally compiled or
revised the glossaries marked S2, S3, C2, C3, W, W2, P, and G, as well
as the very full glossarial indexes cited as B, PP, and WA, and the
dictionary cited as SkD. The important glossary marked S was, however,
originally the work of Dr. Morris (since re-written by Mr. Mayhew),