Cassell's dictionary of word and phrase origins

by Nigel Rees

New and expanded, with over 1,200 words and colloquial expressions--including newcomers to the language--this dictionary starts where others give up. Ever wonder where the word "nerd" came from? Thank Dr. Seuss he coined it in the 1950s. Were you given the sack? That's the bag of tools returned to masons when they were fired. You'll also learn why we say someone "makes money hand over fist," and the origins of "the full monty," "cut the mustard," and many more!