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The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions (Oxford Paperback Reference)

The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions (Oxford Paperback Reference)

by Andrew Delahunty (Author), SheilaDignan (Author), PenelopeStock (Author)

  • Used

    Paperback 2003

    $3.36
Synopsis

Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, drawing on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to give us a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and events. So a miser is a Scrooge, a strong man is a Samson or a Hercules, a beautiful woman is a Venus or a modern-day Helen of Troy - we can suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the Cheshire Cat. This completely new reference work explains the meanings of the allusions in use in modern English, from Abaddon to Zorro, Tartarus to Tarzan, and Rubens to Rambo. This fascinating book is based on an extensive reading programme that has identified the most commonly-used allusions, and quotations are included at most entries to illustrate usage, from a range of authors and sources, from Thomas Hardy to Ben Elton, Charles Dickens to "Bridget Jones's Diary".

$3.36

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Quantity

1 in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 468
 Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 13 Feb 2003
ISBN 10: 0198606826
ISBN 13: 9780198606826

Media Reviews
UNEDITED UK REVIEW: Wonderfully conceived and extraordinarily useful
UNEDITED UK REVIEW: an attractive addition to a writer's shelf of Reference works
UNEDITED UK REVIEW: A brilliantly organized handbook of names, places and phrases...A highly readable text
Author Bio

Andrew Delahunty is a freelance lexicographer and dictionary editor. His publications include 'The Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture' (1992), 'The Oxford Guide to English Usage' (with Edmund Weiner, 1994), 'The Longman Business English Dictionary' (2000), and 'The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary' (6th edn, 2000). Sheila Dignen is a freelance lexicographer who has worked on 'The Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture' (1992), 'The Dorling Kindersley Illustrated Children's Dictionary' (1994), 'The Chambers Junior Illustrated Dictionary' (1997), and 'The Longman Business English Dictionary' (2000). Penelope Stock is a freelance lexicographer. She has contributed to 'The Longman New Universal Dictionary' (1982), 'The Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture' (1992), 'The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of English' (1995), and 'the Encarta World English Dictionary' (1999).