The fourth edition of this authoritative reference offers clear definitions for the slang words and idioms used in everyday American conversation. First published in 1960, this newly updated edition of Dictionary of American Slang traces the language of today back to its American roots. With thousands of entries ranging from the widely accepted to the taboo and obscure, slang words are explained in terms of definition, usage, and historical etymology. As language continues to evolve at an ever-increasing rate, Dictionary of American Slang offers an essential guide to the terms that are here to stay—as well as those that might otherwise be forgotten.
With its unparalleled coverage of English slang of all types (from 18th-century cant to contemporary gay slang), and its uncluttered editorial apparatus, Cassell's Dictionary of Slang was warmly received when its first edition appeared in 1998. 'Brilliant.' said Mark Lawson on BBC2's The Late Review; 'This is a terrific piece of work - learned, entertaining, funny, stimulating' said Jonathan Meades in The Evening Standard.But now the world's best single-volume dictionary of English slang is about to get even better. Jonathon Green has spent the last seven years on a vast project: to research in depth the English slang vocabulary and to hunt down and record written instances of the use of as many slang words as possible. This has entailed trawling through more than 4000 books - plus song lyrics, TV and movie scripts, and many newspapers and magazines - for relevant material. The research has thrown up some fascinating results
This compilation of American slang contains more than 5,000 common slang terms with easy-to-understand definitions and sample sentences. The book's unique classification of slang terms under key words makes it easy to search for and discover any term. By organising terms this way, slang terms that share a common key word can be classified together for easy reference. For example, under the key word 'Chip,' the following terms are alphabetically listed: bargaining chip, blue chip, cash in one's chips, chip in, chip off the old block, chip on one's shoulder, in the chips, let the chips fall where they may, and when the chips are down. Slang terms with more than one key word are also cross-referenced, and sample sentences lend meaning to the slang terms by showing their applications in writing and in conversation.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Wise and funny. . . . The Lorrie Moore short story, or the Tina Fey memoir, of cleaning tutorials.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times “Thrillingly titled. . . . For a generation overwhelmed not just by dust bunnies, but by bong water on the carpet, pee stains on the ceiling and vomit seemingly everywhere, Jolie Kerr dispenses cleaning advice free of judgment. . . . A Mrs. Beeton for the postcollege set.” —Penelope Green, The New York Times “Jolie Kerr really cuts through the grease and grime with her new book. I do what she tells me to do.” —Amy Sedaris The author of the hit column “Ask a Clean Person” offers a hilarious and practical guide to cleaning up life’s little emergencies Life is filled with spills, odors, and those oh-so embarrassing stains you just can’t tell your parents about. And let’s be honest: no one is going to ask Martha Stewart what to do when your boyfriend barfs in your handbag. Thankfully, Jolie Kerr has both staggering cleaning knowledge and a sense of humor. With signature sass and straight talk, Jolie takes on questions ranging from the basic—how do I use a mop? —to the esoteric—what should I do when bottles of homebrewed ginger beer explode in my kitchen? My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag proves that even the most nightmarish cleaning conundrums can be solved with a smile, the right supplies, and a little music.
This dictionary of American English is designed to help learners write and speak accurate and up-to-date English. • Ideal for upper-intermediate and advanced learners of English • Based on the Collins 4.5-billion-word database, the Collins Corpus • Up-to-date coverage of today’s English, with all words and phrases explained in full sentences • Authentic examples from the Collins Corpus show how English is really used • Extensive help with grammar, including plural forms and verb infl ections • Fully illustrated Word Web and Picture Dictionary boxes provide additional information on vocabulary and key concepts • Vocabulary-building features encourage students to improve their accuracy and fl uency: †- Word Partnership notes highlight important collocations †- Thesaurus entries offer synonyms and antonyms for common words †- Usage notes explain different meanings and uses of the word • Supplements on Grammar, Writing, Speaking, Words That Frequently Appear on TOEFL® and TOEIC®, Text Messaging and Emoticons
A dictionary of informal language for ESL learners, TALKIN' AMERICAN contains over 6,000 entries with clear definitions and illustrative examples. All levels of informal language, from phonological, syntactic, and semantic to discourse, have been addressed to provide learners with a complete account of the meaning and use for each lexical item.
Learn the language of Nebraska . . .and 49 other states With more entries than any other reference of its kind,McGraw-Hill’s Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs shows you how American English is spoken today. You will find commonly used phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions, proverbial expressions, and clichés. The dictionary contains more than 24,000 entries, each defined and followed by one or two example sentences. It also includes a Phrase-Finder Index with more than 60,000 entries.