A Hog on Ice: & Other Curious Expressions [Paperback]

Charles E. Funk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060513292 | ISBN-13: 978-0060513290 | Publication Date: October 1, 2002

He's as independent as a hog on ice!

Where did expressions like this come from anyway?

Now finally we'll know what "letting the cat out of the bag" or "going on a wild-goose chase" refers to. In this fun collection of more than 400 curious expressions and sayings, Dr. Funk explains the meanings that we use in everyday speech without even thinking about it. He has traced them back through the years -- in some cases centuries -- in an effort to determine their sources, to find out what the original allusions were, or at the very least, to give us his expert opinion when facts cannot be traced.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles Earle Funk was editor in chief of the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary Series. He wrote several other books on word and phrase origins, including Horsefeathers, Heavens to Betsy!, and Thereby Hangs a Tale.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060513292
• ISBN-13: 978-0060513290
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I thought or hoped........, December 7, 2000

By 

"bwtyler" (Sunland, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Hog on Ice (Harper Colophon Books) (Paperback)

When I purchased "Hog on Ice", I expected a book with hundreds of expressions along with the historical origin of each. The books does indeed have hundreds of expressions and what they mean, but the author, when describing the origin, rarely gives a definite answer. The origins frequently have phrases like, "probably came from", "could have been", "it is likely that", etc. A great book if you only want to be entertained by learning new expressions and the meaning behind some you already know. As a historical reference, however, you may want to check out Garrisons' "Why you Say It".

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Malaprops No More, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hog on Ice (Harper Colophon Books) (Paperback)

If you've ever wondered about the origin of the expressions that you've used, misused or abused, this is the definitive resource to set the record straight.

a great gift for someone you've caught using a malaprop/malapropism...i'm sending a copy to a friend right now who told me he's "chomping at the bit"...

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable resource for living in a weird-sounding world, June 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Hog on Ice (Harper Colophon Books) (Paperback)

I had no idea "hell-bent" came from a campaign slogan.... or why a hog on ice would be particularly independent... This is an even more professional compendium than I had expected! Its approach reminds me of Oxford's, by including the earliest *known* usage and context. Colloquialism is a tricky field-- because it spreads from person-to-person, by nature, nobody can know ABSOLUTELY where a slang came from, or the first-ever usage and context, etc. I don't suppose it'd be very interesting to people who say "like, y'know" or "HellOOooo" or "a'ight" regularly. But it's great for those of us who think before we speak, and want to know why we speak as we do.