Stone the Crows: Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang

Hardcover
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Author: John Ayto

ISBN-10: 0199543704

ISBN-13: 9780199543700

Category: English Dictionaries & Thesauri - Idioms & Slang

Slang is language with its sleeves rolled up, colorful, pointed, brash, bristling with humor and sometimes with hostility. From "five-finger discount" to "buzz off," slang words add zest to everyday speech. Now, in the second edition of The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, John Ayto and John Simpson have gathered together a vibrant collection of over 6,000 slang terms, drawn from the vast Oxford English Dictionary database. \ The volume is organized thematically. Within each section the...

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Slang is language with its sleeves rolled up, colorful, pointed, brash, bristling with humor and sometimes with hostility. From "five-finger discount" to "buzz off," slang words add zest to everyday speech. Now, in the second edition of The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, John Ayto and John Simpson have gathered together a vibrant collection of over 6,000 slang terms, drawn from the vast Oxford English Dictionary database. The volume is organized thematically. Within each section the words are listed chronologically, starting with the century's earliest words and progressing right through to the present, thus illuminating the development of slang and colloquial language over the last hundred years. Each entry contains the headword, part of speech, and definition, and most also have illustrative examples of the term in context, often drawn from writers such as John Updike, John Lennon, and Woody Allen. Many entries contain labels indicating the social group or discipline from which a word derives—such as theatrical, military, or nautical—as well as the place where it originated. In addition, when the term has had more than one meaning, the various senses are listed chronologically. The words have been gathered from all over the English-speaking world, including many from Australia and the United Kingdom. Finally, the book contains a comprehensive thematic index, enabling users to home in on particular areas of interest, such as the body or food and drink, plus a comprehensive index of all words in the dictionary, so you can find a particular expression quickly. Ultimately, this colorful and informative collection spans the English-speaking world and provides an accurate portrait of slang in the last one hundred years. Library Journal Incorporating slang newly emerged or otherwise evolved since the 1996 edition, Ayto (Twentieth Century Words ) and Simpson (chief editor, OED ) have expanded the compilation to over 6000 words and phrases harvested from the Oxford English Dictionary database. Each paragraph-long entry presents an abbreviated etymological provenance, its connotative meaning-whether derogatory or unobjectionably humorous-and employs the word in a sentence to ensure thorough understanding of usage. Recommended for contemporary English literature and cultural studies collections.

Introduction A-Z Dictionary of Modern Slang

\ Library JournalIncorporating slang newly emerged or otherwise evolved since the 1996 edition, Ayto (Twentieth Century Words ) and Simpson (chief editor, OED ) have expanded the compilation to over 6000 words and phrases harvested from the Oxford English Dictionary database. Each paragraph-long entry presents an abbreviated etymological provenance, its connotative meaning-whether derogatory or unobjectionably humorous-and employs the word in a sentence to ensure thorough understanding of usage. Recommended for contemporary English literature and cultural studies collections.\ \ \ \ \ \ From The CriticsThe slang of the twentieth century included in the 20-volume "Oxford English Dictionary" (2d ed., Oxford, 1989) is presented here, along with another 500 or more words from the "OED"'s unpublished files. British, American, and Australian slang is emphasized. Each entry includes the date the word first appeared in print, its origin, and an illustrative quotation. One will not only find such words as "homeboy" and "tubular" here, but also "twenty-three skiddoo" and "peachy-keen". Readers will also find a number of words unprintable in a family newspaper Readers needing further information about a particular word may wish to consult the "OED". Those looking for words culled from the unpublished files usually will have to be content with the information provided here. However, many of the contemporary words included can also be found in "The Oxford Dictionary of New Words" ["RBB" F 15 92] with more illustrative quotations. Collections already owning that source and other twentieth-century slang dictionaries (e.g., Partridge's "Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English" in one or more of its various editions) may wish to pass on this new title. On the other hand, any collection lacking the full "OED" will find "The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang" a necessity. Its modest price will be an attraction for ready-reference collections even if the full "OED" is owned.\ \