This dictionary investigates the wide range of cliches throughout the history of the English language. With over 1500 sourced cliches listed, both ancient an modern, this work looks at the more informal side of the English language.

This dictionary investigates the wide range of cliches throughout the history of the English language. With over 1500 sourced cliches listed, both ancient an modern, this work looks at the more informal side of the English language.

The largest, most comprehensive, and most entertaining reference of its kind, The Dictionary of Clichés features more than four thousand unique clichés and common expressions. Author Christine Ammer explores the phrases and terms that enliven our language and uncovers expressions that have long been considered dead. With each entry, she includes a thorough definition, origin of the term, and an insightful example. Some of the clichés brought into the limelight include: • Blood is thicker than water • Monkey see, monkey do • Brass tacks • Burn the midnight oil • Change of heart • Moral fiber • By the book Whether clichés get under your skin or make you happy as a clam, The Dictionary of Clichés goes the extra mile to provide an essential resource for students, teachers, writers, and anyone with a keen interest in language. And that’s food for thought.

Over 2,000 common or amusing cliches, their meanings and origins.

How do national stereotypes emerge? To which extent are they determined by historical or ideological circumstances, or else by cultural, literary or discursive conventions? This first inclusive critical compendium on national characterizations and national (cultural or ethnic) stereotypes contains 120 articles by 73 contributors. Its three parts offer [1] a number of in-depth survey articles on ethnic and national images in European literatures and cultures over many centuries; [2] an encyclopedic survey of the stereotypes and characterizations traditionally ascribed to various ethnicities and nationalities; and [3] a conspectus of relevant concepts in various cultural fields and scholarly disciplines. The volume as a whole, as well as each of the articles, has extensive bibliographies for further critical reading. Imagologyis intended both for students and for senior scholars, facilitating not only a first acquaintance with the historical development, typology and poetics of national stereotypes, but also a deepening of our understanding and analytical perspective by interdisciplinary and comparative contextualization and extensive cross-referencing.

Covering over 10,000 idioms and collocations characterized by similarity in their wording or metaphorical idea which do not show corresponding similarity in their meanings, this dictionary presents a unique cross-section of the English language. Though it is designed specifically to assist readers in avoiding the use of inappropriate or erroneous phrases, the book can also be used as a regular phraseological dictionary providing definitions to individual idioms, cliches, and set expressions. Most phrases included in the dictionary are in active current use, making information about their meanings and usage essential to language learners at all levels of proficiency.

Features more than one thousand primary entries, along with more than two thousand examples of questionable style and the misuse of language, providing valuable lessons for students, writers, and speakers.