Customer Reviews

Dictionary of Cliches

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This informative, well-researched and amusing reference explains the meaning, origin and subsequent usage of over 2000 cliches, sayings and expressions made familiar through their continued, and sometimes exaggerated, use. It's a wonderful resource for writers, researchers and editors, for trivia enthusiasts, and for people who just love words, language and slang.

Each entry in this comprehensive collection is presented in a paragraph-length format, and is written in a clear, concise and humorous style that invites browsing, but is also appropriate for easy consultations, for which an index of cross-references is also included. Here you'll find the well known "head over heels," "fit as a fiddle" and "right as rain" and also the not so common "eager for the fray" and "Simon pure."

Although not all the cliches ever used are contained in this volume, it is by far the most complete compilation of its kind available on the market today.

Overall, this book is a delightful trip of exploration and discovery into the treasury of our language's most colorful remarks.

--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

I got this book years ago as a joke. My mother uses clichés all the time and I thought it would be funny to give her the book. However, I kept it because I found it so interesting. Now it is integral to the research I do for my website. This book is informative, and well put together. I say BUY THIS BOOK!

This is, without a doubt, THE best book of clichés ever written! It has EVERY cliché you'll ever need to know and is rife with histories of each cliché to boot! This book is a bibliophile's paradise, an historian's haven, and a boon to ALL students and/or lovers of the English language. You COULD buy Feldman's books (e.g.- "Imponderables," "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" "Do Penguins Have Knees?" etc., etc.) or the Funk books (e.g.- "Heavens to Betsy," "A Hog On Ice," etc., etc.) but I wouldn't recommend it. You'd have to buy ALL of those books to get all the clichés in THIS book. So, for your time and money considerations, I say: BUY THIS BOOK!

This little jewel "comes on like gangbusters." This simile is a cliché, the bane of good writing; while they are acceptable in dialogue, in prose these truisms transform good writing into mediocre text.

This particular cliché was coined during a 1940's radio program called "Gangbusters," which opened with gunfire and police sirens showing that the good guys were once more closing in on a gang of thugs. The term "Gangbusters" is a cliché in prose, but the scene is a backbone of action movies or TV scripts.

How does a writer or editor keep the story from becoming boring by the over usage of clichés? That is where this dictionary comes in. As an example, I will string a few of the clichés together in the following paragraph. It may give the appearance of originality, but it is as old as the 'grim reaper' (1711). The humor is in the excessive number of clichés, but reading a story put together with clichés quickly becomes boring. I will insert the date the phrase became popular.

'Tom, Dick, and Harry' (1604) were 'fit as a fiddle' (1616), though Wally was 'dead as a doornail' (1350). No one thought about Wally 'in the heat of the battle' (1588) because it was 'do or die' (1809) since they all knew they 'bit off more than they could chew' (1878). Wally was as 'hard as nails' (1837), and had the 'bird's eye view' (18th century) perched, as he was, 'out on a limb' (1897). They agreed that Wally should have seen 'that snake in the grass' (13th century) or 'smelled a rat' (1550) when Sam 'cast the first stone' (Bible reference) toward him. However, Wally always expected a 'square deal' (1633) because 'a friend in need is a friend indeed' (1275), and he had known Sam since 'time immemorial' (1189). Of course, 'money is the root of all evil' (Timothy 6:10) and Sam was 'rotten to the core' (1718), so it should not be a surprise that he was also 'a cold hearted' (1606) 'eager beaver' (18th century) who 'shot {Wally} to hell' (1706) 'in cold blood' (1608). Tom, Dick, and Harry could 'go along for the ride' (1960) or 'explore every avenue' (1890) so they could 'divide the spoils' (Isaiah 12:25). They were, after all, living in 'a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13), and Wally was up there 'on cloud nine' (1950).

The Dictionary of Clichés is a treasure for writers and editors, and an 'honest to goodness' (1900) delight for everyone else. I enjoyed the history associated with over 2,000 clichés. To me it is five stars.

Victoria Tarrani

If you ever wondered where cliches like naked as a jaybird or killing two birds with one stone came from, then you need to check out this book. James Rogers has compiled thousands of cliches and the easy to read and use dictionary is great. Anyone who does alot of writing or research, then this book should be on your shelf. Even if you don't, it is still an interesting and many times humorous read.

This book is fine as a joke gift - it has plenty of interesting and sometimes amusing attempts to describe the origins of many cliches. But because it devotes so much time to describing the origins, it misses most of the cliches out there. It doesn't deserve the title of 'dictionary'.

Love the opening when it says not to beat around the bush or hedge the bet, this is a must-read for every Tom, Dick and Harry under the Sun-- by PEOPLE magazine. Origins of almost every phrase you've ever heard. It's the cat's meow. I'm a writer of books and articles and it is one of half dozen books I keep on the desk, not the shelves-- Great when you want to ROCK THE BOAT or are afraid to RISK LIFE AND LIMB -- fun for using when coming up with a title for an article or when you've got writer's block. Even if you're rolling in the money you need to roll with the punches and get the show on the road....gives the origin, derivation and a sentence as to how the phrase is used . Compact little book 370 pages packed with hundred-- maybe thousands of phrases...don't miss it.

I guess I expected more 'informative' information about the origin of such phrases rather than just how each phrase was typically used. I assumed we all would know what 'to heave a sign of relief' meant, but I was curious how it came about. His explanations are mainly research of the first time the phrase might have been recorded or used. All in all I was a bit disappointed but it's my fault. I should have purchased a book intending to give the origin of use not just a dictionary. But I do think it covers most cliches.

The Dictionary of Cliches is a great book! It's one of the best cliche books I have ever read! Rags and Riches, where does this come from? You'll find the answer to this question and many more answers! Face the facts, this is a great book to read when it's raining cats and dogs!

The first cliche I looked up wasn't even in the book. I have now started making a list on the back cover of the cliches NOT in the book. What a waste of time and effort. If you're buying this book used, check the back cover!

I'm now shopping for a replacement.