History of the OED. The Oxford English Dictionary has been the last word on words for over a century.
But, as with a respected professor or admired parent, we count on its wisdom and authority without thinking much about how it was acquired. What is the history of the Oxford English Dictionary? Exploring its origins and development will give new insight into this extraordinary, living document. Erin McKean: The joy of lexicography.
Free Rice! A Word A Day. WORD OF THE DAY - The Learning Network Blog. Vocabulary.com - Learn Words - English Dictionary. Online Etymology Dictionary. Bias (n.) 1520s, from French biais "slant, slope, oblique," also figuratively, "expedient, means" (13c., originally in Old French a past participle adjective, "sideways, askance, against the grain"), of unknown origin, probably from Old Provençal biais, with cognates in Old Catalan and Sardinian; possibly from Vulgar Latin *(e)bigassius, from Greek epikarsios "athwart, crosswise, at an angle," from epi- "upon" + karsios "oblique," from PIE *krs-yo-, from root *(s)ker- (1) "to cut" (see shear (v.)).
It became a noun in Old French. "[A] technical term in the game of bowls, whence come all the later uses of the word" [OED]. Etymology / Root Words.