Discover the fascinating stories behind hundreds of commonly used words and phrases.

 

"Wordsmiths everywhere will be delighted."

—Publishers Weekly

 

 "Entertaining and enlightening."

—Library Journal

Myron Korach was born in 1901 and received a law degree from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1929. While he attended law school, Korach taught immigrants to read and write, his first experience with their difficulties with idioms.

 

John Mordock, a psychologist by training, has published six books and numerous articles in professional journals. An avid fly fisherman, he has also published articles in outdoor magazines.

Have you ever let the cat out of the bag?

Or tried to bury the hatchet with an old enemy?

How many times have you looked outside and it was raining cats and dogs?

This is just a small sampling of the dozens of silly phrases we all use and hear
regularly—but does anyone really know where these sayings came from or what they even mean? Common Phrases and Where They Come From, Second Edition, offers over two hundred of these quirky idioms and explores the intriguing origins and history behind each.

 

Learn the derivation of some of your favorite phrases, including:

Crocodile tears 

Apple of my eye 

Even Steven 

Mad money
Three sheets to the wind 

Piping hot

Imprint: The Lyons Press
Distributor: The Globe Pequot Press
Publication Date: 07-17-2008
Pages: 200
Measurements: 9.00in X 6.00in