Contains approximately 950 old and new proverbs and clichés in use in English, each clearly defined and illustrated by two or more realistic examples. Allusions to American, British or European cultural elements are explained, and idioms derived from proverbs are defined as well. Includes a Phrase-Finder Index that allows the user to find an expression by looking up any major word in it.--From publisher description.
Willie Donaldson has turned his finely tuned satirical ear to these verbal inanities to create a unique, offbeat and entirely hilarious dictionary of cringemaking Islingtonian phrasemaking.
This book includes many of the most used English language expressions and explains their origins.
Praise for the previous edition: "...an excellent resource for word lovers...inherently fascinating and an excellent place to look for old chestnuts galore..."—Library Journal "...[thorough].
This updated and expanded edition explains the meanings and origins of almost 4,000 cliches and common expressions.
Word-searchable dictionary with ca. 14,000 definitions of phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, and other collocations in American English.
Citing the disturbing overuse of buzzwords and clichés in the business world and political arena, an analysis of the consequences of ineffective terminology invites readers to resist rhetoric and desensitizing verbiage while returning to ...
A dictionary of everyday expressions shares the stories and origins behind such phrases as "ants in the pants" and "the whole nine yards."
Challenging Transformation's Clichés
It explains what they mean, details their origins and gives illustrated examples. Nigel Rees is the author of the Graffiti books.
Presents well-known cliches under the headings: sentiments, situations, sources, and sounds.