This dictionary investigates the core question of how to represent the English language through empirical, corpus-based analysis rather than prescriptive tradition. John C. Sinclair, a pioneer in corpus linguistics, led the development of this work by utilizing the Bank of English to identify how words are actually used in contemporary communication. The framework prioritizes frequency, collocation, and authentic usage patterns to provide a descriptive account of the language as it functions in real-world contexts.

The work is regarded as a foundational text in the field of lexicography for its shift toward evidence-based, descriptive language documentation. Its methodology remains a standard reference for linguists and students interested in the practical application of corpus data to dictionary construction.