Authors in the OED

Jefferson

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The OED database contains the entire text of the 22-volume Oxford English Dictionary, second edition. The Oxford English Dictionary is full of quotations illustrating the words and phrases that it defines. The searchable OED database allows one to limit a search in many ways, including to quotations by a particular author (about 1,200 for Jefferson). Results take only a few seconds to be delivered to the online user.

In addition to simple inquiries, one can ask much more involved questions, such as a search for "Jefferson" where he is the first known user of a word -- this will find many words for which Jefferson is according to the OED the first known user of a word.

In the list below, selected words are linked to their OED entry. Also provided are links to earlier known uses of some of the words.

amovability

1816 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 288 Let us retain amovability on the concurrence of the executive and legislative branches.

amphibologism

1813 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 223 Paring off the amphibologisms into which they have been led.

Angloman

1787 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 317 It will be of great consequence to France and England, to have America governed by a Galloman or Angloman.

Anglomania

1787 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 161 A little disposition to Anglomania.

Anglophobia

1793 Jefferson Writ. (1895) VI. 250 We are going on here in the same spirit still. The Anglophobia has seized violently on three members of our Council.

arrhal

1873 Jefferson Brides & Brid; I. i. 7 In the case of a wealthy bridegroom these arrhal gifts were several.

authentication

1788 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 543 So numerous are the writings..that their authentication..would occupy the greater part of his time.

Barbaresque

1804 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 21 Our interests against the Barbaresques.

belittle

1782 Jefferson Notes Virginia (1787) 107 So far the Count de Buffon has carried this new theory of the tendency of nature to belittle her productions on this side the Atlantic.

bibliograph

1815 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 263 Mr. Ticknor is..the best bibliograph I have met with.

bid

1788 T. Jefferson Corr. (1830) 342 He..thought to obtain a high bid by saying he was called for in America.

Bonapartism

1815 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 247 Disgraced by an association in opposition with the remains of Bonaparteism.

bonification

1789 T. Jefferson Corr. (1830) 460 He showed that this could be made up without a new tax, by economies and bonifications which he specified.

bountied

1788 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 524 The eighty-five ships..bountied as the English are, will require a sacrifice of twelve hundred and eighty-five thousand livres a year.

bread-stuff

1793 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) III. 509 France receives favorably our bread stuff, rice, wood, etc.

catenary

1788 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 546 Every part of a catenary is in perfect equilibrium.

circumambulator

1787 Jefferson Corr. (1829) II. 162 He was determined to obtain the palm of being the first circumambulator of the earth.

commerciable

1786 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) I. 597 Articles..more commerciable in her hands.

continuable

1787 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 317 Reason and experience prove to us that a chief magistrate, so continuable [i.e. capable of re-election], is an office for life.

countervailing

1793 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 15 It would not have been wonderful if we had taken countervailing measures.

creen

1798 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 234 [To] decide the future turn of things, which are at this moment on the creen.

cross-street

1825 T. Jefferson Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 89 Keeping great fires at all the cross-streets.

debarrass

1789 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) III. 97 So as to debarrass themselves of this.

deep-drawn (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1813 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 224 They can never suppress the deep-drawn sigh.

dischargeable (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1781 T. Jefferson Lett. Writ. 1893 II. 514 And we will give you moreover 150 lbs. of Tobacco a Day each dischargeable in current money at the rate affixed by the grand Jury.

discountable

1800 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 420 Within the discountable period.

disrupture (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1785 Jefferson Notes Virginia (1787) 27 The evident marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds by the most powerful agents of nature, corroborate the impression.

doll-baby

1807 Jefferson Writings (1898) IX. 83 The dresses of the annual doll-babies from Paris.

drayage

1791 T. Jefferson in Harper's Mag. Mar. (1885) 535/2 Pd. Wm. Forbes freight, storage, drayage of 13 hhds. tobo.

dutied

1771 T. Jefferson Let. Writ. 1892 I. 394 Everything but the dutied articles.

electioneer (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1789 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 580 All the world here is occupied in electioneering, in choosing or being chosen.

enregistry

1825 T. Jefferson Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 70 The determined opposition of the Parliament to their [`the taxes'] enregistry.

exequatur

1788 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 498 There shall be delivered to them..the Exequatur necessary for the exercise of their functions.

federo-

1786 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 12, I had applied that [appellation] of Federo Americans to our citizens.

graffage

1798 J. Jefferson Let. to J. Boucher 19 Mar. (MS.), [Hampshire words] Graffage..a wooden frame somewhat like a Stile, placed in a bank, where there is a water-course.

inappreciable

1787 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 153 His knowledge and integrity render his value inappreciable.

indecipherable

1802 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) III. 491 A cipher..which..is the most indecipherable..of any I have ever known.

Indianian

1784 T. Jefferson Writings (1894) III. 401 Should..the Indianians and Kentuckians take themselves off.

inexactitude (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1786 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 48 Further enquiry..has satisfied me of the inexactitude of this information.

inheritability

1784 Jefferson Corr. Wks. 1859 I. 337 Such it would be to part with its inheritability, its organization, and its assemblies.

intercolonnation

1782 Jefferson Notes Virginia (1787) 254 A portico..tolerably just in its proportions..save only that the intercolonnations are too large.

lengthily

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 334, I have written some-what lengthily to Mr. Madison.

longful

1798 J. Jefferson Let. to Rev. J. Boucher 19 Mar. (MS.), A longful time, is a curious kind of Hampshire Paragoge-for a long time.

lunarium

: 1786 Jefferson Writ. (1859) I. 507 What is become of the Lunarium for the King?

Marsala

: 1806 Jefferson in Harper's Mag. (1885) Mar. 541 Two Pipes Marsalla wine.

megalonyx

: 1797 Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 195 The Megalonyx, as we [? sc. the American Philosophical Society] have named him.

millionary

: 1816 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 284 All this to feed the avidity of a few millionary merchants.

non-exportation

: 1774 Jefferson Wks. (1853) I. 144 The heavy injury that would arise to this country from an earlier adoption of the non-exportation plan.

non-intercourse

: 1809 Jefferson Writ. (1829) IV. 131 This view is derived from the former non-intercourse law only.

odometer

: 1791 Jefferson in Harper's Mag. (1885) Mar. 536/1 Pd. Leslie for an odometer 10 D[ollars].

palinodial

: 1813 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 188 Their Prince issued a palinodial proclamation, suspending the orders on certain conditions.

patricidal (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1821 Jefferson Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 73 The States General, indignant at this patricidal conduct, applied to France for aid.

plexi-chronometer

1786 Jefferson Writ. (1859) I. 504 They have ordered all music which shall be printed here, in future, to have the movements numbered in correspondence with the plexichronometer.

post-note

1791 Jefferson in Harper's Mag. (1885) Mar. 534/2 Recd from bank a post note..for 11623 D.

pre-ordinate

1801 Jefferson Writ. (1830) III. 473 In other cases..the general executive is certainly pre-ordinate.

projet

1808 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 108 It [the form of treaty] should be considered but as a projet.

public relations

1807 T. Jefferson Writings (1854) III. 89 Questions calling for the notice of Congress, unless indeed they shall be superseded by a change in our public relations now awaiting the determination of others.

ralliance

1826 T. Jefferson Writings (1854) IX. xlviii. 510 The good Old Dominion..will then..become a centre of ralliance to the States whose youth she has instructed.

Reaumur

1782 Jefferson Notes on Virginia (1787) 132 In rooms heated to 140deg. of Reaumur, equal to 347deg. of Farenheit.

retard

1788 Jefferson Writ. 1859 II. 353 A single day's retard.

reticulate

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 136 Spurs or ramifications of high mountains,..as it were, reticulating these provinces.

revend

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 186 The residue to be re-vended to other nations.

rick

1798 J. Jefferson Let. to J. Boucher 23 Feb., To rick, that is, to twist a joint, and thereby hurt it.

sanction

1778 Jefferson Autobiog. App., Wks. 1859 I. 146 Preserving..the very words of the established law, wherever their meaning had been sanctioned by judicial decisions.

self-elect

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 228 The violent Aristocrats would have wished..that these [the Regents] should remain self-elective.

snowberry

1813 T. Jefferson Let. 8 Dec. in Orig. Jrnls. Lewis & Clark Exped; (1905) VII. 393 We call it the snow-berry bush, no botanical name being yet given to it.

spathic

1788 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 432 The property of the spathic acid, to corrode flinty substances, has been lately applied by M. Puymaurin to engrave on glass.

sulla

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 202 The sulla of Malta, or Spanish St. Foin.

tamanoir

1785 T. Jefferson Notes on Virginia vi. 85 Aboriginals of..America..Tamanoir.

tolerablish

1798 [Given as a `Hampshirism' in a letter from J. Jefferson to J. Boucher 23 Feb. (MS.)].

uncommerciable

1787 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 189 By prohibiting all his Majesty's subjects from dealing in tobacco, one third of the exports of the United States are rendered uncommerciable here.

unconciliatory

1789 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 572 Ternant will see that his predecessor is recalled for unconciliatory conduct.

unempt

1798 J. Jefferson Let. to J. Boucher 19 Mar. (MS.).

unlocated (earlier use than recorded in OED 2nd ed.)

1776 Jefferson Writ. (ed. Ford) II. 80 The idea of Congress selling out unlocated lands has been sometimes dropped.

vomit-grass

1808 Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 119 Your presence will be to them what the vomit-grass is to a sick dog.

A search for "Jefferson" within First known usage and "Jefferson" within Last known usage provides us with four words for which Jefferson is both the first and last user -- words that he has coined but that have never been used by anyone else.

There are also words to which he has leant his name:

jeffersonite: A greenish-black variety of pyroxene, containing some zinc and manganese.

Jeffersonian / Jeffersonianism: Pertaining to President Jefferson, or holding the political doctrines held by or attributed to him (now called democratic, q.v.).

Monocrat: A partisan of monocracy or monarchy; a political nickname given circa 1790 by Jefferson to members of the Federalist party, because they sided with England as against France.

Twin leaf: a name for the N. American herb Jeffersonia diphylla, the leaves being divided each into two leaflets