Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms

by Maxine T. Boatner, John E. Gates, Adam Makkai, et al.

Book Overview

Small enough to fit in purse or pocket, this dictionary presents approximately 2,500 American-English idiomatic words and expressions with their meanings. "In one's element" ... "nail down" ... "off base" and most other American idioms are composed of simple words that somehow take on brand-new meanings when they are combined. Here's a handy reference guide to them all for ESL students, foreign travelers in North America, and anybody with an interest...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812046145
• ISBN13: 9780812046144
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series
• Length: 319 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 3.9" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

You wish you knew all the American Idioms...well hold on there's an easier way!

The handbook of commonly used American Idioms, is really quiet exciting if you're a linguist, writer, author, speaker, or student writing a term paper. I've found it to be one of the handiest resources since my college hand held Webster Dictionary. IT IS A VERY SPECIAL COMPACT BOOK...i.e., Cool! What makes it even more special is it's compact size. In a world where you've got an iPod, digital recorder, CD player, digital camera, cell phone or pager to carry you really don't need another item to try to slide into one of the pockest on your coat or your petite clutch purse. COULD BE MORE READER FRIENDLY... The books in alphabetical order with two rows of definitions per page. The layout is fine but a space between the definition of each word and the new word could be enhanced to make it reader friendly. What they have done is bolded each word so that you can see the beginning of each new on coming word. WHAT I LOVED ABOUT IT FROM A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING STAND POINT...Was all of the phrases for the way we can say something and make it more colorful and visually vibrant. Painting word pictures in this day and age of little bitty Sound Bytes really becomes neat. The only problem is that most people are very unfamiliar with all of the idioms of Americans less alone all of the idioms that are floating around from the whole world. Maybe I should rephrase that :) . Well if you need your memory inspired for ways to communicate something new, differently or exciting just pick up American Idioms and you're onto something. Thanks. Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE

A good brief book to help you get off the ground

It is a nice handbook,handy and small to carry around, however it is a littl too brief.