A Dictionary of Euphemisms How Not To Say What You Mean

by Holder, R. W.

• ISBN13: 9780198607625
• ISBN10: 0198607628
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-09
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Now in paperback, this brand new edition ofA Dictionary of Euphemisms: How Not To Say What You Meanis still as lively a guide to the language of evasion, hypocrisy, prudery, and deceit as you could wish for. Packed full of the old favourites, such as 'early bath' or 'push up the daisies', as well as euphemisms from modern times, like 'human sacrifice', 'coffee-housing', and 'tuft-hunter'. Definitions include examples from literature and the press, along with historical explanations of origins, and now obsolete euphemisms like 'leaping house', 'nightingale' are signposted as such. And to prove that the use of euphemisms is not just a British speciality, there is widespread coverage of American euphemisms too: 'English' (pertaining to sexual deviance), 'watermelon' (an indication of pregnancy).

Author Biography

Having seen something written by Bob Holder as a schoolboy, T. S. Eliot remarked 'That boy loves words'. This love of language underlies this new edition of A Dictionary of Euphemisms.
Bob has lived in West Monkton, near Taunton, since 1951. He has worked for manufacturing companies in Ireland, Belgium, and North America in addition to those in the United Kingdom and has also held a number of public appointments. From 1974 to 1984 he was Treasurer of the University of Bath and remained a Pro-Chancellor until 1997. He is also the author of Thinking About Management (Warner, 1994).

Table of Contents

An Explanation

Bibliography

Dictionary of Euphemisms

Thematic Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.