Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms 3 editions 2010

Did you know that 'flavour of the month' originated in a marketing campaign in American
ice-cream parlours in the 1940s, when a particular flavour 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 third
edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English 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 6,000 idioms,
including 700 entirely new entries, based on Oxford's language monitoring and the
ongoing third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. These include a range of
recently established idioms such as 'the elephant in the corner', 'go figure', 'like
a rat up a drainpipe', 'sex on legs', 'step up to the plate', 'too posh to push',
'a walk in the park', 'win ugly'. This edition also features a greatly increased
number of cross-references, making it ideal for quick reference.

Contains over 6,000 idioms from all over the English-speaking world

Hundreds more idioms than the nearest competition

Hundreds of illustrative quotations, both modern and historical, offer readers a
clear idea of how the phrases can be used

Extra features offer fascinating additional information for many entries

Accessible and elegant design that makes the text easy to navigate, including a
much increased number of cross-references, ideal for quick reference

The book draws on the latest findings of Oxford's language monitoring, the largest
dictionary research programme in the world

A clear and concise introduction written by the editor, explaining and summarizing
the key features of idioms

New to this edition

Hundreds of additional headwords and senses to reflect new research and new terms

Updated design

Features a thorough thematic index, allowing readers to easily locate idioms by
topic, such as Courage, Expense, or Opportunity

Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms 3e