Samuel Johnson's Dictionary took nine years ... which was published in 1755. Johnson came from Lichfield in Staffordshire and moved to London in his twenties to find work as a writer.

After his dictionary was published in 1755, Samuel, according to Judith Hawley “was approached by a group of respectable ladies who praised him and said ‘We were so glad, Mr. Johnson ...

On 15 April 1755, Dr Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language became available for the first time, containing a list of definitions across two volumes that was around 14 times greater ...