from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
English \Eng"lish\, n.
1. Collectively, the people of England; English people or
persons.
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2. The language of England or of the English nation, and of
their descendants in America, India, and other countries.
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Note: The English language has been variously divided into
periods by different writers. In the division most
commonly recognized, the first period dates from about
450 to 1150. This is the period of full inflection, and
is called Anglo-Saxon, or, by many recent writers, Old
English. The second period dates from about 1150 to
1550 (or, if four periods be recognized, from about
1150 to 1350), and is called Early English, Middle
English, or more commonly (as in the usage of this
book), Old English. During this period most of the
inflections were dropped, and there was a great
addition of French words to the language. The third
period extends from about 1350 to 1550, and is Middle
English. During this period orthography became
comparatively fixed. The last period, from about 1550,
is called Modern English.
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3. A kind of printing type, in size between Pica and Great
Primer. See {Type}.
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Note: The type called English.
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4. (Billiards) A twist or spinning motion given to a ball in
striking it that influences the direction it will take
after touching a cushion or another ball.
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{The King's English} or {The Queen's English}. See under
{King}.
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