The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms [Hardcover]

Christine Ammer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 039572774X | ISBN-13: 978-0395727744 | Publication Date: April 1, 1997 | Edition: 1

"Bite the bullet", " get on the stick", "make no bones about it", " take the cake". The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of Idioms covers almost 10,000 expressions. Its main fare is, of course, idioms - groups of two or more words that together mean something different from the literal meaning of the individual words. In addition, this book discusses verb phrases such as " act up", "freeze out", and " get down", figures of speech such as "dark horse" and "blind as a bat", interjections and formulas like "says who" and " tough beans", common proverbs like a "bird in the hand", and slang terms such as "buy the farm" and "push up daisies". Each entry is defined and has an example sentence showing the expression in context. Most entries offer an explanation of the expression's literal meaning or origin and include information about its first appearance in English.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Nothing expresses the vitality, history, and character of a language quite like its idioms. Ask any non-native English speaker to make sense of a phrase such as "beg the question" or "keep your eyes peeled"; they can't do it. Idioms don't translate, which is what makes them such intriguing mirrors of how a culture evolves along with its speech. The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms includes almost 10,000 of these figures of speech, slang phrases, clichés, colloquialisms, and proverbs, from "ace in the hole" to "zoom in on." Each entry defines an idiom, uses it in a sentence, then pinpoints its historical origins when possible. Some idioms, it turns out, preserve words or word uses that have otherwise fallen out of use ("one fell swoop"); others allude to long-forgotten catch phrases from movies or advertising ("more bounce for the ounce"). Consider, for instance the phrase "funny bone"--actually a pun on "humerus," the Latin name for the bone of the upper arm. Or the expression "moment of truth," a translation from the Spanish phrase originally referring to bullfighting--and first popularized, not surprisingly, by Ernest Hemingway. The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms is like an archeological dig through the vernacular, and it unearths treasures such as these on every one of its pages. All those interested in language or its history should keep a copy on their library shelves.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up?This excellent survey of almost 10,000 contemporary idioms has a clear format and large type, which should make it particularly appealing to young readers and non-native speakers. In addition to idioms, the dictionary includes common figures of speech, formula phrases such as "take care," emphatic redundancies whose word order cannot be reversed such as "cease and desist," common proverbs, colloquialisms, and slang phrases. Each expression is defined briefly and then illustrated by a short, simple sentence showing how it is used in context. Information regarding the expression's origin or background is given, along with its date of first appearance, if known. Although more detailed discussions of some words might be found in other classic works, the emphasis here is on understanding contemporary American usage. This resource is invaluable as a teaching tool.?Mary H. Cole, Polytechnic Preparatory Country Day School, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1 edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039572774X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395727744
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christine Ammer is a lifelong student of language. She is the author of several dozen popular reference books, on subjects ranging from classical music to women's health. In recent decades she has concentrated on language, especially colloquial expressions. She lives and looks into words in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Reference!, October 2, 2000

By 

Edwardson Tan (.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms (Hardcover)

Christine Ammer's Dictionary of Idioms is one of the best I've bought (I already have four). English is my second language and I have trouble keeping up with the innumerable idioms. So I use this reference almost every time I write. Better use that idiom correctly, right?

Unlike others I've used the entries in Ammer's are arranged alphabetically. They're not categorized as 'idioms preceded by a preposition', 'noun idioms', etc. Such dictionaries are so tedious to use! And the fact that the book is over 700 pages long in a 9 x 7 inch format can only mean that it has a comprehensive line-up of idioms. It isn't complete as I've discovered, but it has a very good range.

What's more it's cross referenced. If you remember only a keyword or two of the idiom you have in mind you can look up those words and check if the dictionary has entries for that idiom. For instance under the entry 'out' is listed probably a hundred idioms that has that preposition. As a bonus, Ammer has included for most entries a brief note on their origins.

Contrary to some reviews if you need a dependable reference on idioms this book is worth buying. Though not perfect it's extremely easy to use, helpful and packed with what it's suppose to have--lots of idioms!

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best idiom reference I have found, December 20, 2000

By 

Brian Keairns - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms (Hardcover)

This book has more idioms and better definitions than any of the other four idiom references I've purchased. It also goes into origins more than the other references.

One of the reviewers complained about this reference and suggested that potential buyers should look else ware. Maybe they should have mentioned where to look because I haven't found a better reference.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for lovers of language!!!, October 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms (Hardcover)

This fascinating reference provides historical information about the derivation of many idioms we hear everyday. Often the meaning has changed in surprising ways over the years, and the author's exploration of alternative possible origins for these phrases is like a mystery novel for language lovers! While it is easy to look up a particular idiom, the book also makes for fun light reading.