The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (Facts on File Writer's Library) | 
 enlarge | Author: Robert Hendrickson
Publisher: Checkmark Books
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
Buy New: $17.53
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Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 69148
Media: Paperback
Edition: 4
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 948
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.8
Dimensions (in): 11 x 8.4 x 1.9
ISBN: 0816069670
Dewey Decimal Number: 422.03
EAN: 9780816069675
ASIN: 0816069670
Publication Date: September 30, 2008
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Amazon.com Review
Seemingly designed for those with laser-focused attention or plenty of time on their hands, the Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins provides days of browsing for etymophiles. More than 9,000 entries, nearly a quarter of them new to this edition, cover slang, idiom, and commonly used words with interesting or curious histories. Ranging from a few sentences to half a page, the entries are consistently entertaining and well-researched, though author Robert Hendrickson acknowledges in his preface that "no good tale is omitted merely because it isn't true." (He does note apocrypha when appropriate.) The book pulls few, if any, punches, and nearly everyone will find at least one term or definition offensive; try "Irish beauty" for "a girl with two black eyes," for example. But, for every potentially offensive term, you'll find several hundred delights, such as "veronica" and "cut off your nose to spite your face." Though there's a slight trend toward Americanisms, there's plenty of British, Irish, and other varieties of English represented herein as well. While it is a terrifically useful reference work, it is nearly impossible to keep one's eyes from wandering, more so than with any other work of its kind. Still, a few extra minutes spent in the company of good words and good stories makes the Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins as pleasurable as it is useful. --Rob Lightner
Product Description
This is an updated encyclopedia that explores the origins of thousands of words and phrases.The most comprehensive single-volume reference of its kind, "The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, Fourth Edition" has been completely updated and expanded and now contains definitions and origins of more than 15,000 words and expressions. This encyclopedia features anecdotes and information on the development of a wide range of words, including slang, proverbs, animal and plant names, place names, nicknames, historical expressions, foreign language expressions, and phrases from literature. The emphasis throughout is on words and expressions whose origins are not adequately explained, or not addressed at all, in standard dictionaries. Approximately 2,500 new entries have been added to this edition, ranging from "Aardsma" to "zounds."The entries include: All she wrote; Blog; Power breakfast; Read my lips; Rome wasn't built in a day; Soup Nazi; and, Spider hole.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 An idiom and wordsmith wonderland June 2, 2008
...Writer's and teachers's of the English language will love this publication...as well as anyone who has pondered "where did that saying come from?"Or "Why do we say that" It gives an enjoyable and great incite into the slang and idioms we use daily.
The Facts on File encylopedoa Word and Phrase Orgins April 30, 2008
Excellent book. My students and I enjoy looking up phrases and words in class
 Not a good reference tool March 31, 2008
This book is interesting if you just want to read through and learn some interesting facts about word origins. It's not been a good resource for me for looking up meanings.
I've tried to use it as I would use a dictionary. When I hear a phrase, I often wonder what it means. Just this morning I wanted to look up "anchor to the wind". I was pretty sure I wouldn't find it. I didn't. I did learn that the "ch" in the middle of the word anchor is confusing, and that it was added in error. That's interesting to know, but not helpful for learning the meaning of a phrase I've heard used.
I can't remember previous examples that I've looked up, but my impression is that most time that I try to look something up, I can't find it. I don't know of a better book to recommend as a reference, but I do know that I've been disappointed with this book for that purpose.
The Letters Are Also PICTURES-Oh yes they are! March 8, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Like all LINGUISTS I am forever a student and I did enjoy Mr. Hendricksons book, BUT, I would like to show a shortcoming of this book that exists in all linguistic books except my own. The alphabet is pictoral let's look at the origins of a simple word SHIP. Mr.Hendrickson does not have the slightest inkling that the letters of this word define how the word was invented. The S is used to make the HULL of the ship as well as the curved WHITECAPS. The H and I are superimposed over each other to make a grid pattern of four squares which become the sail and the mast. The P is the rudder. I would recommend my book in addition to his, check out www.lulu.com/content/749397 and welcome to the world of ALPHABETICAL HIEROGLYPHICS. Stephen Kellogg Brooks For free samples proving that the ALPHABET IS HIEROGLYPHIC Go to: www.esnips.com/web/oldbuccaneer584-public and welcome to my world.
Intrigue! July 24, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The intrigue arises because I cannot pick up this book without getting caught up in something on every page. It's truly fascinating and I'm reading about things that I never even knew I was interested in!
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