Oxford

Oxford city (1991 pop. 113,847) and district, county seat of Oxfordshire , S central England. In addition to its importance as the site of the Univ. of Oxford , the city has significant industries, including the manufacture of automobiles and steel products. Tourism is especially popular. A trading town and frontier fort, it was raided by Danes in the 10th and 11th cent. By the 12th cent., Oxford was the site of a castle, an abbey, and the university. It had foundations of several orders, including the Dominicans and the Gray Friars. During the 13th cent., frequent conflicts arose between the town and the university in which the university, with the support of the church and the king, was usually victorious. During the civil wars, Oxford was the royalist headquarters; it was besieged but not damaged by the parliamentarians. Among its famous historic buildings (apart from the colleges) are the Radcliffe Camera (1737), the Observatory (1772), and Sheldonian Theatre (designed by Christopher Wren ); the churches of St. Mary the Virgin (13th cent.) and St. Michael (11th cent.); and several old inns. The chapel (12th cent.) of Christ Church College is also the cathedral church of the city. The Ashmolean Museum (see under Ashmole, Elias ) and the Bodleian Library are notable. Besides the university, Ruskin College (1899) and the Magdalen College School (c.1480) are in Oxford.

Oxford a city in central England on the River Thames; site of Oxford University, the oldest English university, comprising a federation of thirty-nine colleges, the first of which, University College, was formally founded in 1249. The university was established at Oxford soon after 1167, perhaps as a result of a migration of students from Paris. The first women's college, Lady Margaret Hall, was founded in 1878.
Oxford comma a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items; the name comes from the preferred use of such a comma to avoid ambiguity, in the house style of Oxford University Press.
Oxford English a name for spoken English marked by affected utterance, popularly supposed to be characteristic of members of Oxford University.
Oxford English Dictionary the largest dictionary of the English language, prepared in Oxford and originally issued in instalments (originally as the New English Dictionary) between 1884 and 1928. A second edition was published in 1989, and a third edition is being prepared.
Oxford Group a Christian movement popularized in Oxford in the late 1920s, advocating discussion of personal problems by groups. It was later known as Moral Rearmament.
Oxford Movement a Christian movement started in Oxford in 1833, seeking to restore traditional Catholic teachings and ceremonial within the Church of England. Its leaders were John Keble, Edward Pusey, and (until he became a Roman Catholic) John Henry Newman. It formed the basis of the present Anglo-Catholic (or High Church) tradition.