Each entry in this volume consists of the idiom and proverbs, its explanatory meaning, and where necessary origin of phrases is given. More than 7000 idioms and proverbs specific to English are presented in this encyclopaedia. Especially useful for students who want to speak colloquial English, this book explains and clarifies many of the similes and metaphors that newcomers to English find mystifying. It is useful to those persons who are sometimes confused by regional colloquialism encountered in reading or on TV idioms undergo constant change in every living language, some of them falling out of use, while new words and phrases become part of the standard vocabulary. Most entries offer an explanation of the expression's literal meaning or origin and include information about its first appearance in English.
