Oxford Dictionary of Idioms 2ND Edition

Did you know that 'flavor of the month' originated in a marketing campaign in American ice-cream parlors in the 1940s, when a particular flavor would be specially promoted for a month at a time? And did you know that 'off the cuff' refers to the rather messy practice of writing impromptu notes on one's shirt cuff before speaking in public? These and many more idioms are explained and put into context in this second edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms.

The volume takes a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich and intriguing language that it is. This major new edition contains entries for over 5000 idioms, including 350 entirely new entries and over 500 new quotations.

The text has been updated to include many new idioms using the findings of the Oxford English Reading Program, the biggest language research program in the world. The entries are supported by a wealth of illustrative quotations from a wide range of sources and periods and the text has been entirely redesigned so that it is both elegant and easy to use. Anyone interested in the colorful side of the English language will get hours of fun browsing this fascinating and informative volume.

This dictionary not only provides definitions of popular phrases and sayings, it also explains their origins and offers examples of their usage. The second edition adds 350 new idioms and many contemporary illustrative quotations. A new index groups together idioms with a common theme or subject, such as danger ("close shave," for example), futility ("cry over spilt milk") and self-interest ("curry favor").
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Anyone interested in the colorful side of the English language will enjoy this fascinating and informative volume.