Dictionary of Cliches

The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Cliches brings together more than 1300 of the world's most commonly used cliches in a straightforward alphabetical format, outlining the situation in which each expression is used, its origins and the reason for its creation. Browsing through the entries, the reader will become aware of the myriad types of cliche, including simile (eg, cool as a cucumber), quotation (damn with faint praise - Alexander Pope), doublet (odds and ends) and catchphrases (how to win friends and influence people).

While Betty Kirkpatrick spills the beans on these time-honoured expressions, it is up to the reader to decide whether the use of cliches means flogging a dead horse, or exploiting a valuable means of cutting a long story short...