Cassell Dictionary Word & Phrase Origins (CASSELL DICTIONARY OF ...)

The Origins of Words and Phrases (Readers Digest)

Reveals the secrets, scandals and surprises behind the words used every day. This book includes the stories and the personalities that have helped shape the English language from William Shakespeare and Lord Byron, to Rudyard Kipling and Salmon Rushdie.

Dictionary of Word Origins

Dictionary of Word Origins

Words are the building blocks of language, but their derivations are often stories in themselves. With entries from accolade to zoo and including such disparate items as blackmail, fiasco, influence and rigmarole, this title explains the origins and development of 300 commonly used words.