The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section C — Themes and Context

Etymological Architecture

Webster's method in this section is to open each entry with a bracketed etymology, often listing cognates across Germanic and Romance languages. For 'come', the chain runs from Old English cuman to Old Saxon kuman, Dutch komen, Old High German queman, Gothic giman, and Latin venire, with a cross-reference to the root gam in Sanskrit. This comparative approach is not merely decorative; it grounds the English word in a broader linguistic history. The lexicographer also notes phonetic shifts, as in the remark that 'Am come' is used 'instead of have come, esp. in poetry,' showing an awareness of grammatical variation. Such details suggest a work designed for the serious student of language, not a casual user.

Illustrative Quotations as Evidence

Webster's choice of quotations is notably literary and biblical. The entry for 'combustion' cites John Milton's Paradise Lost ('There [were] great combustions and divisions among the heads of the university') and John Dryden's 'But say from whence this new combustion springs.' For 'come', the range is wider: Shakespeare's King John ('Look, who comes yonder?'), Tennyson's In Memoriam ('I did not come to curse thee'), and the King James Bible ('Thy kingdom come'). These are not random; they illustrate different senses—physical approach, arrival, metaphorical coming. The inclusion of a line from James Russell Lowell ('They were cried / In meeting, come next Sunday') shows an ear for colloquial American usage, a rare nod to contemporary speech in a dictionary of this era.

Grammatical and Usage Notes

Webster frequently inserts grammatical observations that go beyond simple definition. Under 'come', he notes that the verb 'is used with other verbs almost as an auxiliary, indicative of approach to the action or state expressed by the verb; as, how came you to do it?' He also remarks on the imperative use: 'Come, in the imperative, is used to excite attention, or to invite to motion or joint action.' A separate note explains that 'Come may properly be used (instead of go) in speaking of a movement hence, or away, when there is reference to an approach to the person addressed.' These asides reveal a lexicographer who sees his role as a guide to correct and effective usage, not merely a recorder of meanings. The entry for 'combustion' similarly includes a chemical subclassification ('Supporter of combustion') with a definition and example, blending scientific precision with linguistic description.

Voice and Lexicographical Persona

The dictionary's voice is authoritative yet occasionally personal. Webster uses first-person plural ('We do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition') only in the front matter, but within the entries, the tone is consistently declarative. The entry for 'come' includes a rare evaluative comment: 'The verb to be gives a clearer adjectival significance to the participle as expressing a state or condition of the subject, while the auxiliary have expresses simply the completion of the action.' This is not a neutral definition but a pedagogical judgment. Similarly, the note that 'Come is used colloquially, with reference to a definite future time approaching, without an auxiliary' marks a register distinction. Such choices shape the dictionary as a teaching text, one that assumes a reader curious about why words work as they do.

Readers approaching this section should attend to the interplay between etymology, definition, and quotation. Webster's dictionary is not a silent list; it argues for a particular view of language as historically grounded, grammatically precise, and literarily rich. The 'C' entries reward slow reading, especially the longer ones like 'come', where the lexicographer's craft is most visible. For those interested in the history of English lexicography, this text offers a direct view of a pivotal moment in American dictionary-making.

There’s an odd tenderness in how the old editors chose words for “C”—each entry a small room. It reminds me of sitting with definitions of “cavalry” and “cartridge,” then later finding that A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike — Text and Context beside it, war and words quietly sharing a shelf, like old neighbors who never quite spoke.