The Dictionary of Clichés: A Word Lover's Guide to 4,000 Overused Phrases and Almost-Pleasing Platitudes Paperback – November 6, 2013

Love it! Very interesting. Helps to explain what I've always heard. Great for anyone who doesn't understand the meanings or helps to better explain.

Christine Ammer relates the definition of each cliche directly and incisively. The cliches are not treated blandly or decribed in a circumvent fashion, but the meanings are reported objectively, as the facts allow. The book is greatly helped by the Alphebetical index which provides the letter of the key word, or the letter of the most intuitive word of each cliche. The dictionary of cliches is interesting and fun at the same time.

Nice book but the print is so small. One almost needs a magnifying glass. Would order a bigger one next time (size wise).

THAT MADE MY DAY TO SEE IT HAD ARRIVED. THANKS.

certain ones i've heard before weren't even listed in this book - eh

I like using cliches, this book "does the trick" "so to speak." I like this book, "no, ifs, ands, or buts." "You get the pictures!" Ha, haaa!

Such an interesting book! So much of what you hear being said every day that it is great to learn where the terms came from. Great book for doing research on family members and their origins.

What a wonderful bargain! So much information and such interesting derivations. I'm always wondering where and why these come about, and now I know.

I use this for a weekly contribution to a community newsletter for education, amusement and diversion

受験英語では、It’s raining cats and dogs.とかIt’s Greek to me.などという語句を必死で覚えたものである。しかし英米人との会話でこのような語句を使うと戸惑った顔をされることが多い。これら語句は余りに陳腐すぎて普段の日常会話で使うことがあまりないからである。それを日本人が使うと余計に違和感を感じるのであろう。一方It’s nice to meet you.はよく使うにもかかわらず陳腐な決まり文句という受け取り方はされていない。イディオム的な要素がないからであろうか。いずれにしてもよく使われる語句とclicheの区別は難しい。その区別はネイティブスピーカーに任せるより方法はないだろう。clichéと呼ばれる語句はその意味内容は知っておく必要があるが、発信に際しては注意が必要である。さて本書はそのclichéを約4000集めて、由来の説明、用法の移り変わりを説明したものである。このような内容豊富な書が僅か2161円で手に入るとは驚きである。比較の意味を込めて、cliché辞典の元祖というべきPartridge のDictionary of Clichésと共に手元に置きたい辞書である。

A very very impressive book! Fun reading it!Amazing research! A book collectors pride possession!

Excellent histories of when and how these Cliches came about. Some have been around for centuries.