The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weird Word Origins

By Paul McFedries

Get ready to chew the fat. This engaging, humorous new book explains the not-so-common origins of such commonly used phrases as apple-pie order, chew the fat, and hat trick. Presented in a fun,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592577814
• ISBN13: 9781592577811
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Alpha
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.1" x 0.6" x 6.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

More Than Just Words

This book not only gives origins of specific words, but sayings, too. The author interjects his own bits of humor in his writing, which gives it some personality and not just a boring delivery of definitions.

Interesting trivia--could be important--or not. LOL

How many people know that *gargoyle* comes from a French word referring to gargling? How many people want to? (You never know!) It refers to the sound of rainwater running down the rainspouts of gargoyles. Many such entries have several paragraphs of information, more than a standard good dictionary. Interesting and fun.