Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Millennium Edition [Hardcover]

Brewers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0304350966 | ISBN-13: 978-0304350964 | Publication Date: October 21, 1999 | Edition: 16th

The 16th edition of this classic reference offers information about thousands of phrases and expressions which are not dealt with in conventional dictionaries. There are entries on people and events from mythology, the Bible, literature and history. Altogether, there are 18,500 main entries and thousands of sub-entries, and this edition contains 700 new entries, including contemporary phrases and expressions, and historic and fictional characters. Major new thematic entries deal with subjects such as hurricane names and mispronounced words. There is also enhanced coverage of present-day idiomatic expressions, including "the full monty", "all dressed up and nowhere to go", "back to the drawing board" and "couch potato".

Editorial Reviews

Review

An idiosyncratic adventure, pulling you in and saying: "this is, in fact, not what you werelooking for; but it's much more interesting." -- Terry Pratchett Of all the dictionaries in the world [Brewer's] is the most like a treasure-hunt, where one phrase leads to another, and that to a third, and before you know what's happened, it's time for lunch. -- Philip Pullman Brewer's head-words are so enticing and his definitions so eloquent that it's impossible to stop at one. An addiction may develop. -- Carol Rumens, The Independent 20080912 'By judicious updating and editing and by dint of its elegant design and printing, this latest edition retains as strong a place in its reference market niche as it ever did; long may that continue.' -- Stuart James, Past Editor, Reference Reviews, and formerly University Librarian, University of Paisley, UK 20100609 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Adrian Room, who has revised the millennium edition of Brewer's, is the author of over 50 popular reference books, mainly on the origins of words. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the English Place-Name Society. He lives in Lincolnshire.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1326 pages
• Publisher: Sterling*+ Publishing Company; 16th edition (October 21, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304350966
• ISBN-13: 978-0304350964
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,267,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this from Amazon UK, July 12, 2011

By 

Jeffrey amzn Hill (Mill Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 18th edition (Hardcover)

A great book, but Amazon US is charging about $63 while Amazon UK is only charging about 10 pounds, a huge difference. Shipping cost are similar. Go to the UK web site.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great New Brewer's Edition, September 17, 2010

By 

Peter Grant (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 18th edition (Hardcover)

I've read or browsed through every Brewer's edition since #13, and this is an excellent update. Some of Dr. Brewer's original definitions are included (a new feature, everything old is new again), which offers a delightful window into the original text. Brewer's is an excellent reference (What does that name MEAN in Harry Potter? Who was that Tolkien wizard?), but it's also just plain fun to read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing resource, August 27, 2011

By 

Mom reader - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 18th edition (Hardcover)

This Brewer's Dictionary was purchased as a gift, after I had received it and thumbed through it a few times I had to buy another for our house hold too.