Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase OriginsThe first Edition of the Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins detailed the fascinating and little known stories behind thousands of words and phrases that we use every day. In this new edition, William and Mary Morris update and expand their classic work to keep pace with our ever changing language. New entries include:
Throughout the Morris's present the histories of intriguing expressions in an eminently entertaining and readable fashion. |
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Common terms and phrases
actually adjective American ancient Anglo-Saxon appeared in print ball became borrowed British called coined colorful common course derived describe dialect Dutch early England especially expression fact famous favorite folk etymology French word German goes back Greek Greek word H. L. Mencken heard horse Incidentally invented Irish Italian jargon John King known label language later Latin word least legend medieval Mencken Middle Ages Middle English nickname nineteenth century Norman Conquest noun Nowadays originally meant Oxford Dictionary perhaps person phrase play popular probably pronounced pronunciation reader record referred reported Roman sailors Samuel Johnson seems sense Shakespeare ship shortened form simply slang slang term soldiers Spanish spelling story symbol synonym theory there's thing thought tion today's usually verb W. C. Fields widely William Morris World World War II writing wrote Yiddish York