Dictionary of Idioms and Their Origins

by Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell

The English language contains a vast store of idioms that can be used in creative and forceful ways. This totally revised and greatly expanded edition of Dictionary of Idioms examines over 500 such phrases, tracing each one's source and history through a rich supply of examples. New entries include 'playing fast and loose' (from a 16th-century fairground game), 'head over heels' (a totally illogical variation on the more sensible 'heels over head') and 'knee-high to a grasshopper' (which won out over knee-high to a mosquito and knee-high to a toad). Mini-essays scattered through the book enable the authors to expand on such broader themes What is an Idiom?, National Rivalries, and the Old Curiosity Shop of Linguistics. While maintaining scholarly accuracy, Linda and Roger Flavell convey their great love of the curious in language in a way that will be irresistible to anyone who delights in words.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Language, Linguistics, Writing, History, Dictionaries

343 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 1992

Reviews

[ash ˚✧ ₊˚]

despite an exam tomorrow, i opt to delve into the book i picked for course reading of a totally different subject. cheers to procrastination!

[Boni Aditya]

The book does a very good job of capturing the evolution of each of the idioms, a very good history is provided for each of the idioms. But, most of the idioms are outdated and the amount of stress upon each of the idioms is quite low i.e. apart from the etymology and two examples sentences there is nothing more added for the idiom. This isn't enough for a person to understand how the word must be used. Many example sentences that were quoted in the book aren't apt i.e. they were included only because they have the idiom in them but not because they were memorable or that the idiom occupies a greater role in that sentence. This is my complaint. The books is more of a reference book rather a guide to teach you how to use idoms. I wish the author could have put in more effort to find the apt examples. But, I would not blame the authors too, they existed in a time where there was no internet or the advent of huge searchable databases. Thus it would be unfair to call them out, the effort is a noble one but it is half-heart. They could have included more!

[Leon Kock]

I enjoyed this, learned a lot about the English language.

[Cait]

An interesting look at where these sayings come from.

As predicted, a bit of overlap between this book and the proverbs one.

Lots of entries which didn't actually tell you where the phrase came from.

The alphabetical organisation worked better in this one than in the last one.

A little out-dated, some modern sayings didn't get included and other older idioms I've never heard of did get a mention.

Will keep these books for reference.

[Kelly]

Fun!

[Sahir D'souza.]

Ohh, this book is fanta-stick! Brilliantly superb! Wonderfully readable! Great!