The Oxford English Dictionary<span> (</span>OED<span>) is a descriptive </span>dictionary<span> of the </span>English<span> language, .... On 7 January</span>1858<span>, the Society formally adopted the idea of a comprehensive ... The </span>first dictionary<span> fascicle was</span>published<span> on </span>1<span> February 1884</span><span>—twenty-three years after .... The </span>Oxford English Dictionary 2<span> was </span>printed<span>in 20 volumes.</span>