"I coulda been a contender." Molotov cocktail. Catch 22. Beatrice. Our language is chock-full of allusions: terms, names, and phrases that have been shorthanded

This indispensable work is a comprehensive resource offering abundant information that students and general readers of all ages will find clear and to the point

Drawing from history, folklore, cultural traditions, and linguistics, this dictionary illuminates over 550 terms, such as scapegoat, John Hancock, peeping Tom,

Provides definitions and usage for hundred of phrases and icons used in popular culture, such as blockbuster, smoking gun, Dennis the Menace, and lame duck

Explains more than 1,500 words and expressions from literature, art, history, politics, sports, film, and popular culture, which have transcended their original