The Cassell dictionary of catchphrases

A fascinating and entertaining study of the phrases that permeate everyday speech, this updated edition of Nigel Rees' popular reference book reveals the origins of the latest catchphrases as well as scores of traditional sayings and clichés. An expert on the use of language and host of BBC Radio's Quote...Unquote, Rees uncovers the sources of over 1200 catchphrases, including perennials like "a day late and a dollar short," and "you and whose army?," and modern phrases such as "and I'm like, hello? " Rees' exhaustive linguistic investigations trace the lineage of common catchphrases to a surprising array of cultural progenitors--from TV game shows to political slogans to Dante's Inferno- -providing readers with an illuminating glimpse into the evolution of modern speech.