Background In earlier times, books had been regarded with something approaching veneration, but by the mid-eighteenth century this was no longer the case. The rise of literacy among the general public, combined with the technical advances in the mechanics of printing and bookbinding, meant that for the first time, books, texts, maps, pamphlets and newspapers were widely available to the general public at a reasonable cost. Such an explosion of the printed word demanded a set pattern of grammar, definition, and spelling for those words. This could be achieved by means of an authoritative dictionary of the English language. In 1746, a consortium of London's most successful printers, including Robert Dodsley and Thomas Longman – none could afford to undertake it alone – set out to satisfy and capitalise on this need by the ever-increasing reading and writing public.
bAcKgRouNd iN earLieR timES, BoOks haD bEeN regARdeD WiTh SomethiNg apprOaching vENERatioN, but by The mid-eiGhteeNTh cEntUrY this WAs No LongEr thE caSE. thE riSe oF lITerAcy amoNg the geNeral publIC, comBinEd WiTh the tEchnicaL advAncEs in the meChANicS of PrinTIng aND BookBinDIng, MeanT thaT for thE first Time, Books, teXTs mapS, pamphlets and neWspapers WErE wIdelY AVAiLabLe to tHe geNErAl public At A rEasonAblE Cost. SUch an explosion of tHe printed woRd dEmAnded a set PaTTERn oF GraMmar, DefiniTioN, and speLLiNg foR THOSe WOrdS. tHis cOuld be AchiEved By meaNs of an AUthoritAtIVe dicTiOnary oF the engLish LAnguage. in 1746, a conSorTium oF lonDon's most suCCeSsfuL pRintERs, IncluDIng robert DOdSley ANd thomas lonGMan – none CoULd aFfOrd To unDErtake it alONe – set ouT to satisfY aNd CApItaLiSe on tHis need by the EvEr-inCReAsinG reaDing and wriTiNG PublIc.