Cassell Dictionary of Cliches [Hardcover]

Nigel Rees (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1996 | ISBN-10: 0304346985 | ISBN-13: 978-0304346981

Sick and tired of cliches? Uncover all kinds of fun facts about how clichQs came to be. Many of these phrases have journalistic origins, many are literary, and some go as far back as the Bible -- but every entry will astound you. And the alphabetical, dictionary format makes it easy to find just what you're looking for.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Rees, a British broadcaster and author of several lexicographic works, here looks at phrases now considered to be cliches. He states that his criterion for inclusion was to focus mostly on phrases that make him groan, "Here we go again!" For each phrase, Rees gives the origin, where it will be most frequently found, approximately when it reached cliche status, and examples of its usage in the press, films, and literature. Cliches well known on both sides of the Atlantic comprise the majority of listings. What makes the book unique, however, are the decidedly British cliches?"gymslip mums" and "like painting the Forth Bridge," for example. Although the book is readable and informative, its usefulness is somewhat limited by the lack of an index or bibliography. Also, citations to sources give dates but no page numbers. Reference collections that already include Christine Ammer's Have a Nice Day?No Problem! (LJ 1/92) or James Rogers's Dictionary of Cliches (Facts on File, 1985) may still find the book useful for its British phrases. Recommended for larger public libraries.?Elaine M. Kuhn, Allen Cty. P.L., Fort Wayne, Ind.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Nigel Rees is the author of over 50 books, including the Cassell Dictionary of Humorous Quotations and the Cassell Companion to Quotations. He is the deviser and presenter of BBC Radio's Quote...Unquote, through which he has become an authority on the popular use of language in slogans, catchphrases, cliche --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Cassell (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304346985
• ISBN-13: 978-0304346981
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,583,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Cliches

More About the Author

Nigel Rees is a British writer and broadcaster, best known as deviser and presenter of BBC Radio's Quote ... Unquote program which began its long run over 35 years ago. He is a leading authority on quotations and other well-known phrases and sayings, is a past President of the Lichfield Dr Johnson Society and was recently described by The Spectator as 'Britain's most popular lexicographer'.

Born near Liverpool in 1944, Nigel took a degree in English at Oxford and then went straight into television with Granada in Manchester. He made his first TV appearances on local shows in 1967 before moving to London as a freelance. He reported for ITN's News at Ten and then became presenter of a wide range of programs for BBC Radio - news, current affairs, arts and entertainment - including two years on the breakfast-time Today show.

He is the author of more than fifty books - mostly devoted to popular aspects of the English language and especially the humour that derives from it. His most recent titles include: A Word In Your Shell-Like: 6,000 Curious & Everyday Phrases Explained and Brewer's Famous Quotations: 5,000 Quotations and the Stories Behind Them. He is currently publishing e-books under the series title The Best Guide to ------ , including Humorous Quotations and Movie Quotes.