Lists and defines euphemisms and includes many examples of usage.

A compilation of linguistic fig leaves and verbal flourishes for artful users of the English language.

We all use euphemisms every day. We speak of "full-figured" women. We "fudge" on our income tax. We step lively to avoid "horse apples"--and step even livelier in the grip of the "Aztec Two-step." We say that the dead have "bit the dust" or have been "promoted to glory." Now, in A Dictionary of Euphemisms, Revised Edition, R. W. Holder gives us an engaging volume that celebrates this human tendency to use mild, vague or roundabout expressions rather than those which are blunt, precise, and disagreeably true. Here are thousands of entertaining and informative entries that range from long-established circumlocutions such as "everlasting life," "the Grim Reaper," "powder room," and "house of ill repute," to recent coinages such as "odorously challenged" (smelly), "corporate entertainment" (bribery), "AMW - actress, model, whatever" (prostitute), "downsizing" (laying off workers), and "white-knuckler" (a commercial flight on a small aircraft). Arranged in alphabetical order, the Dictionary gives definitions, examples from real authors, and historical explanations where appropriate. Holder also includes an extensive bibliography and, equally important, a Thematic Index, so that readers can look up euphemistic words and expressions for Death, Mental Illness, Narcotics, Obesity, Poverty, and other topics. A Dictionary of Euphemisms is a browser's delight and an essential reference book for all lovers of language. Readers will find in it a captivating guide to the art of not saying what we mean.

This is the perennially popular, witty and entertaining guidebook to thousands of linguistic fig leaves and intentionally vague terms that we all say, write and read every day to cushion the real meaning of what is intended--from Victorian examples like "delicate condition" to relatively recent inventions like "massage parlor" and "covert operation".

With more than 1,200 terms, this A to Z dictionary is a hard-hitting, politically savvy translation of all those evasions, put-on-holds, distortions, circumventions, obfuscations, and misleading terms used by government, businesses, and the media.

regulation n. An official rule written by a monkey with a Master's Degree, and therefore carrying the force of law." preemptive strike n. A blow or punch delivered by military aircraft to a target who is suspected of being adverse to one's plot for world domination." terrorism n. Violence for political purposes or the politically motivated threat of violence which, either intentionally or unintentionally, challenges the state's monopoly on political violence. The Doublespeak Dictionary satirizes the marked difference between the ideal of "We the People" and the reality of "We the Elite," while offering an insightful glimpse into the clockworks of the totalitarian mind. Ever irreverent but never irrelevant, Leslie Starr O'Hara's first book serves as a subversive and humorous but timely reminder that the Emperor has no clothes. The Doublespeak Dictionary won the 1st Annual LAVA Awards Lysander Spooner (Book of the Year) Award

There's one thing that can provide comfort in a world of chaos and confusion: overly specific lists. Ever wondered what the Mandarin word for platypus translates to? Probably not, but it's "duck mouth beast." And there's more where that came from, thanks to Adam Sharp's Euphemisms That Get on My You-Know-Whats, a collection of fascinating, hilarious, and brilliantly odd lists. This book covers just about everything you never knew you didn't know, from the noises that animals make around the world to titles of movies that sound dirty but aren't--and much more. Whether you revel in trivia, desire more creative ways to curse your foes, or simply enjoy the structure of a good list, you'll love the weird genius of Euphemisms That Get on My You-Know-Whats.