Synopses & Reviews
What is a ham-and-egger?
What are Anglo-Saxon attitudes?
Who or what is liable to jump the shark?
Who first tried to nail jelly to the wall?
The answers to these and many more questions are in this fascinating book. Here in one volume you can track down the stories behind the names and sayings you meet, whether in classic literature or today's news. This authoritative dictionary draws on Oxford's unrivalled bank of reference and language online resources to cover classical and other mythologies, history, religion, folk customs, superstitions, science and technology, philosophy, and popular culture. Extensive cross referencing makes it easy to trace specific information, while every page points to further paths to explore.
What is the fog of war?
Who first wanted to spend more time with one's family?
When was the Dreamtime?
How long since the first cry of Women and children first?
Where might you find dark matter?
Would you want the Midas touch?
Should you worry about grey goo?
Review
"A highly useful tool."--Booklist
Review
"The emphasis is on the allusion or reference, though origins of the phrase are also often explained.... The cross-referencing is extensive."--Reference and Research Book News
"The strength of Oxford's resource remains the etymology incorporated into the entries. Recommended."--Library Journal
"A highly useful tool."--Booklist
Synopsis
Who or what is liable to jump the shark? Who first tried to nail jelly to the wall? Who was the first to cry "Women and children first"? The answers to these and many more questions are in this fascinating book. Here in one volume you can track down the stories behind the names and sayings you come across, whether in classic literature or today's news. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled bank of reference and language online resources, this dictionary covers classical and other mythologies, history, religion, folk customs, superstitions, science and technology, philosophy, and popular culture. Extensive cross-referencing makes it easy to trace specific information, while every page points to further paths to explore. From "Barbie doll" to "bunny boiler," the dictionary gives reliable, up-to-date insights into the origin and history of words and phrases. It is a fascinating slice of cultural history and a browser's delight from start to finish.
About the Author
Elizabeth Knowles is Publishing Manager for Oxford Quotations Dictionaries and is a historical lexicographer, having previously worked on the fourth edition of the
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. She is editor of the sixth edition of the
Oxford Dictionary of Quotations..