Summary

Praise for the previous edition:
"...an excellent resource for word lovers...inherently fascinating and an excellent place to look for old chestnuts galore..."—Library Journal

"...[thorough]...Recommended for all libraries..."—Booklist

"The meanings and origins of literally thousands of words and definitions come to life...recommended..."—Midwest Book Review

"...an invaluable tool for writers and general readers."—Christian Library Journal

The Facts On File Dictionary of Clichés, Third Edition is the largest, most comprehensive, and most entertaining reference of its kind. Featuring hundreds of new clichés, this updated and expanded edition explains the meanings and origins of more than 4,000 clichés and common expressions. Each entry includes the meaning of the cliché or expression, its origin and early uses, its historical development, and its present-day usage. This fully indexed and cross-referenced resource is essential for students, writers, and anyone seeking the gift of gab.

New entries include:

• "Don't go there"
• "Flavor of the month"
• "Ground zero"
• "Not so much"
• "Show me the money"
• "So yesterday"
• and more.

Specifications

Index. Cross-references.

About the Author(s)

Christine Ammer is the author of more than three dozen popular reference books on subjects ranging from classical music to women's health. For the past 20 years, she has concentrated on language. Her other books on words and phrases include The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms; Cool Cats, Top Dogs, and Other Beastly Expressions; Fighting Words: From War, Rebellion, and Other Combative Capers; and Fruitcakes and Couch Potatoes and Other Delicious Expressions. She also writes a column on terms from military history for Military History Quarterly. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.