Entries illustrate how meaning, pronunciation, and use change over the years.
A good portion of each entry consists of examples of use over the centuries and includes references to the actual publications. A great source explaining the various nuances of the OED . As in the OED, entries include examples of use and note sources and dates. Citations to sources are often abbreviated - check the list of abbreviations among the front material. Produced by the Modern Language Association, the MLA provides access to scholarly research in over 3000 journals and series.