Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

Giving the Derivation, Source, or Origin of Common Phrases, Allusions, and Words that Have a Tale to Tell

By:

Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

Format:

Paperback / softback

Series:

Cambridge Library Collection - Literary Studies

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Description

First published in 1870, this 'museum of literary odds and ends' was condensed from material in a manuscript that was thrice the size of the finished book. At the end of his life, Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1810–97) substantially revised and updated the Dictionary in 1895 and it has appeared in new versions ever since. Reissued here in its first edition, the work reflects Brewer's distinct style and draws on a lifetime's reading. Elucidating the etymology of some 20,000 unusual and everyday words and phrases, the collection touches on diverse subjects ranging from history and literature to mythology and magic. Brewer's charming preface describes the book as an 'alms-basket of words' and promises to examine terms such as 'killed with kindness' and 'kettle of fish'. Readers will be enlightened as to the original meaning of familiar and unfamiliar phrases, many of which have fallen out of use yet testify to the richness of an evolving language.

Release date NZ

March 20th, 2014

Author

Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

Audience

Professional & Vocational

Pages

992

Series

Cambridge Library Collection - Literary Studies

Dimensions

140x216x56

ISBN-13

9781108068871

Product ID

21764220

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