Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical, and Discursive

Words of Indian origin have been insinuating themselves into English eversince the end of the reign of Elizabeth and the beginning of that of King James, when such terms as calico, chintz, and gingham had long passed into English language and literature. Such foreign words started being used quite frequently 185 years ago when, soon after the middle of the last century the number of English men in Indian services, civil and military expanded with the great acquisition of dominion then made by the East India Company. Hobson-Jobson in original compilation was intended to deal with all that class of words which, not in general pertaining to the technicalities of administration, recur in the daily intercourse of English in India, either as expressing ideas really not provided for by English language or supposed by speakers to express something not capable of just denotation by any English term. The work, in the long course of its compilation underwent some modification and enlargement of scope which has been presented to readers. Those who have studied the pages of Hobson-Jobson have agreed in classing it as unique among similar works of reference, a volume which combines interest and amusement with instruction, in a manner which few other dictionaries if any, have done.