Loose Cannons Red Herrings and Other Lost MetaphorsW. W. Norton & Company, 31. jul. 2001 - 256 strani A colorful compendium of everyday words and phrases and where they originated. The English language is a treasury of splendid mysteries, among them the many words and phrases whose origins we no longer know. Often the original meaning was literal, pertaining to forgotten objects or activities—such as "aftermath," which once meant the grass that sprang up after a farmer had mowed a field. With the informal scholarship and good-humored wit that are his trademarks, Robert Claiborne reveals the wonders buried in our speech, vivid images of people and customs of the past. As the reader soon discovers, they are "a sort of hidden poetry that can heighten the colors and sharpen the meanings of words and phrases that we read or write daily." |
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American ancient ancient Greece animal ball became Ben Trovato benefit of clergy bird British Burke and Hare called cards certainly Chinaman's chance chuck-a-luck cold deck color comes course crook Davy Jones deep six Dutch enemy English equally equivalent euchre eventually expression fall guy famous figurative sense fire French Greek guess hand happened hocus pocus hook horse human iron keep killed king later Latin legend literally loose lost luddite Maginot Line means meant medieval metaphor modern nineteenth century Nowadays once one's original perhaps person phrase piece play player poker political probably refers Roman s)he sail sailors salt ship side simply slang soldiers someone someone's sometimes sort story supposed supposedly teeth term thing Today town transferred Trovato turn ultimate unpleasant verb wheel Whence who's wind word writer Yiddish
Priljubljeni odlomki
Stran 6 - ... a sincere welcome into the society of free nations under institutions of her own choosing; and, more than a welcome, assistance also of every kind that she may need and may herself desire. The treatment accorded Russia by her sister nations in the months to come will be the acid test of their good will, of their comprehension of her needs as distinguished from their own interests, and of their intelligent and unselfish sympathy.