Common Phrases: And Where They Come From

by John B. Mordock

Provides the history behind more than 150 well-known English phrases, including bury the hatchet, face the music, kick the bucket, lame duck, lion's share, and nest egg.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered where an expression like: crocodile tears, apple of my eye, even Steve, mad money, three sheets to the wind, or piping hot came from? Well this book explains lots of common expressions and their history. My husband and I got this for Christmas last year. Each morning at breakfast we would read 2 or 3 of them, and it is has been delightful hearing the stories behind these expressions. This would be a great gift for a grandparent!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting! I loved learning where these phrases came from (and learning a few new phrases along the way).

[Andrew Hazlewood · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a terrible book. It seems like the author did no research but just made stuff up. The very first idiom, crocodile tears, has an explanation that is patently false about the noises crocodiles make and makes no mention of the actual lacrymal glands of crocodiles which produce tears. I read a little further but gave up when I repeatedly found entries to be equally lacking. On top of this the style of writing is tediously dull and drawn out.

[Ángeles · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.8*

[Cheryl]

Started, then I realized that there are no references, and I despise pop etymology. Too bad, but I guess I can, myself, look up individual idioms that I find interesting.

Dec. 2023

[Skylar Richter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Myron Korach has collected many tales on how the common phrases we use today came to be. Some are wacky, funny, silly, weird, bloody, and even just historical. There are many common phrases that most do know, and many that most do not know. After reading this book, you will always remember the meaning behind these ludicrous sounding phrases when saying them.

Over the years, many common phrases have been created from many different stories or occurrences. Common phrases not only help us create conversation, but have an important relationship between the past and the present. Historical circumstances have shaped these phrases good and well. They convey powerful meanings that we can take into consideration. They also show how our current language has been shaped by history. These phrases come from not only historical events, but from the everyday likes of regular people like you or me.

I honestly didn't enjoy this type of book, but that’s because it isn't a kind of book I would really want to read. If I were somebody that, for example, was intrigued by common phrases, I would have loved this book. Even people that are just slightly interested in literature or history would have enjoyed this. I’m just a fiction kind of gal, and find vampires, demons, and witches more fascinating. However, I really liked the tone of this book. The author seemed like he was having a conversation with you, not lecturing you. Overall, this book is very informative, interesting, and a good book to read when curiosity about literature or the past has overtaken you.

[Bryan]

Common Phrases: And Where They Come From : I found this book interesting but believe that in some cases the given derivation of, especially phrases, is either incomplete - there could be another one or two derivations - or inaccurate. A case in point is the phrase "Mind your Ps and Qs". Many a historian of handset print have said that it also refers to not confusing the lower case letters P and Q when setting type as they are backwards when viewed front on. I find the book "What We Say" by Webb Garrison to be more accurate in my opinion.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light, but interesting book. I picked it up because I thought my husband would be interested in it, but read it before I gave it to him. It is about the history and origins of common phrases.

[D.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so inconsistent. Could have been a fun read, but was instead very frustrating.

[Brian McNamee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love you Alicia!