The most in-depth, comprehensive book of common idioms and phraseology available
From proverbial expressions ("the best things in life are free") to idiomatic expressions ("the best of both worlds") to the all-too-familiar clichés ("the best-case scenario"), idioms are not only embedded in our language, but they are also a colorful reflection of our American culture. McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms embraces the fullest breadth of these idioms in one comprehensive reference that is a must-have for both ESL learners and native speakers.
Providing the most comprehensive treatment of American phraseology available, particularly in the area of verbal expressions, McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms features:
- More than 24,000 entries
- Concise definitions of each entry and sense, followed by one or two example sentences
- Idiomatic phrases, proverbial expressions, and cliches
- Guidance on the tone appropriate for a select phrase as well as its origin
- Thorough treatment of variation, of particular help to ESL learners
- A comprehensive Phrase-Finder Index
"McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms is the most comprehensive reference of its kind, bar none. It puts the competition to shame, by giving both ESL learners and professional writers the complete low-down on more than 24,000 entries and almost 27,000 senses. Entries include idiomatic expressions (e.g. the best of both worlds), proverbs (the best things in life are free), and clich e s (the best-case scenario). Particular attention is paid to verbal expressions, an area where ordinary dictionaries are deficient.
The dictionary also includes a handy Phrase-Finder Index that lets users find a phrase by looking up any major word appearing in it.
Richard A. Spears, Ph.D. is a former reference editor and linguistics professor at Northwestern University, who has written more than 150 dictionaries. He has a particular expertise in phrasal dictionaries.
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