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The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
Covering almost ten thousand phrases, including bite the bullet, take the cake, buy the farm, and says who, a unique reference on common American vocabulary and idiomatic expressions defines each entry and provides a contextual sentence. Reprint.
480 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
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About the author
Christine Ammer
28 books4 followersChristine Ammer is the author of more than three dozen reference books, on subjects ranging from classical music to women's health. Her books on words and phrases include Facts on File Dictionary of Clichés; Seeing Red or Tickled Pink; Fighting Words from War, Rebellion, and Other Combative Capers; Southpaws and Sunday Punches; Cool Cats and Top Dogs; and Fruitcakes and Couch Potatoes. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 30, 2020
I have been using and browsing this dictionary for over two months. I find it useful and entertaining, though I am not going to predict what you might think of it.
"An idiom is a set phrase of two or more words that means something different from the literal meaning of the individual words." Not only are idioms a challenge in any language, but even if it is your first language the use of a phrase can develop or change over time.
"ace it” - Accomplish something with success, as in I’m sure he’ll ace it when he takes that bar exam. The verb ace originated in tennis with the meaning “to hit an unreturnable serve against an opponent.” The idiom ace it, however, originated as student slang for getting an “A” on an exam or in a course but soon was extended to other successful accomplishments. [Slang; mid-1900s]
I was involved with some material from the 1920s and came across this phrase:
"give someone the air” - Also, give someone the brushoff or the gate or the old heave-ho. Break off relations with someone, oust someone, snub or jilt someone, especially a lover. For example, John was really upset when Mary gave him the air, or His old friends gave him the brushoff, or Mary cried and cried when he gave her the gate, or The company gave him the old heave-ho after only a month. In the first expression, which dates from about 1920, giving air presumably alludes to being blown out. The second, from the first half of the 1900s, alludes to brushing away dust or lint. The third, from about 1900, uses gate in the sense of “an exit.” The fourth alludes to the act of heaving a person out, and is sometimes used to mean “to fire someone from a job” (see GET THE AX). All these are colloquialisms, and all have variations using get, get the air (etc.), meaning “to be snubbed or told to leave,” as in After he got the brushoff, he didn’t know what to do."
Aside from historical perspective, this book will often provide contrast between the English of America and that of the British.
"out of the woods” - Out of difficulties, danger or trouble, as in We’re through the worst of the recession—we’re out of the woods now, or That pneumonia was serious, but Charles is finally out of the woods. This expression, alluding to having been lost in a forest, dates from Roman times; it was first recorded in English in 1792. The British usage is out of the wood."
Not much more to share. I know I will be coming back to this because I have the electronic version and it is so easy to locate a phrase or part of a phrase with the search mechanism.
"An idiom is a set phrase of two or more words that means something different from the literal meaning of the individual words." Not only are idioms a challenge in any language, but even if it is your first language the use of a phrase can develop or change over time.
"ace it” - Accomplish something with success, as in I’m sure he’ll ace it when he takes that bar exam. The verb ace originated in tennis with the meaning “to hit an unreturnable serve against an opponent.” The idiom ace it, however, originated as student slang for getting an “A” on an exam or in a course but soon was extended to other successful accomplishments. [Slang; mid-1900s]
I was involved with some material from the 1920s and came across this phrase:
"give someone the air” - Also, give someone the brushoff or the gate or the old heave-ho. Break off relations with someone, oust someone, snub or jilt someone, especially a lover. For example, John was really upset when Mary gave him the air, or His old friends gave him the brushoff, or Mary cried and cried when he gave her the gate, or The company gave him the old heave-ho after only a month. In the first expression, which dates from about 1920, giving air presumably alludes to being blown out. The second, from the first half of the 1900s, alludes to brushing away dust or lint. The third, from about 1900, uses gate in the sense of “an exit.” The fourth alludes to the act of heaving a person out, and is sometimes used to mean “to fire someone from a job” (see GET THE AX). All these are colloquialisms, and all have variations using get, get the air (etc.), meaning “to be snubbed or told to leave,” as in After he got the brushoff, he didn’t know what to do."
Aside from historical perspective, this book will often provide contrast between the English of America and that of the British.
"out of the woods” - Out of difficulties, danger or trouble, as in We’re through the worst of the recession—we’re out of the woods now, or That pneumonia was serious, but Charles is finally out of the woods. This expression, alluding to having been lost in a forest, dates from Roman times; it was first recorded in English in 1792. The British usage is out of the wood."
Not much more to share. I know I will be coming back to this because I have the electronic version and it is so easy to locate a phrase or part of a phrase with the search mechanism.
August 8, 2012
This is a book I will treasure for a long time to come. Where else can I find out the interesting, sometimes even comical stories behind everyday phrases?
Take the idiom "To let the cat out of the bag" for example. It refers to an old practice at mercantile stores, where apparently it was common to purchase live piglets. The store owner would go in the back with a sack to retrieve the piglet for the customer. If he were dishonest however, he would put a "worthless" cat in the sack instead. It wasn't until the customer got home and "let the cat out of the bag" that the trick was out. I have to wonder how that little trick worked out for the store owners.
P.S. Did that practice inspire the idiom "pig in a poke" as well? Hmmmm...
Take the idiom "To let the cat out of the bag" for example. It refers to an old practice at mercantile stores, where apparently it was common to purchase live piglets. The store owner would go in the back with a sack to retrieve the piglet for the customer. If he were dishonest however, he would put a "worthless" cat in the sack instead. It wasn't until the customer got home and "let the cat out of the bag" that the trick was out. I have to wonder how that little trick worked out for the store owners.
P.S. Did that practice inspire the idiom "pig in a poke" as well? Hmmmm...
February 10, 2023
We're not going to pretend I read this cover-to-cover. After all, it's a dictionary of idioms.
Still, I've gotten through a lot of it, and I'm sure I'll be paging through it for months to come. It's very well put together in usual dictionary form. While I wish there was a bit more about the history of the idioms, it would have taken as long to write as the original OED if one were to take on that task.
Still, an excellent reference book, and a fun read if you're any language geek at all.
Still, I've gotten through a lot of it, and I'm sure I'll be paging through it for months to come. It's very well put together in usual dictionary form. While I wish there was a bit more about the history of the idioms, it would have taken as long to write as the original OED if one were to take on that task.
Still, an excellent reference book, and a fun read if you're any language geek at all.
May 22, 2007
Need a cliche in a pinch? Need a saying to butcher? This book can save your butt--but only if you're writing for U.S. audiences.
December 19, 2011
I CAN'T BELIEVE I MADE MYSELF READ THIS ENTIRE BOOK!
August 14, 2019
Its ok
Although I did learn a few things it didn't seem to be that informative. It was enjoyable at times. I did read it all the way through.
Although I did learn a few things it didn't seem to be that informative. It was enjoyable at times. I did read it all the way through.
Read
May 25, 2020The one idiom for which I searched was not included. Disappointment.
July 7, 2023
Well designed. Fun to browse.
May 6, 2021
my fav idiom resource
January 25, 2022
Quite a book - some idioms I could guess where they are from, but I was dumfounded at others!!!!
June 10, 2007
Great for definitions, but the book does little in the way of explaining the historical origins.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews