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Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (20th edition)
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (20th edition) | Susie Dent
7 posts | 8 read | 28 to read
'This is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting.' Terry Pratchett Much loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth and legend. Nowhere else could the histories of the guillotine and Guinness stout sit so comfortably alongside the KGB and the Keystone Kops. Brewer's is a catalogue of curiosities and absurdities that, over almost 150 years in print, has acquired near-mythical status. Edited by Susie Dent, this new edition includes a brand new Collection of Curious Words and many new and updated entries. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining oddities - everything from curious customs to the world of newspapers and political alliances of yesteryear - all seen through the distinctive Brewer lens. This twentieth edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable encapsulates all the charm and wit that characterise its predecessors and maintains the standards of scholarship and eclecticism that have long been its hallmark. Whether you're a committed Brewerphile or a newcomer to its pages of fascinating entries, this edition will draw you in and keep you glued to its rich mix of eccentric nuggets. As Susie Dent explains in the foreword, Brewer's "is unlike any other reference book that exists, anywhere."
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lyradora
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New reference material! #referencebook #writersdelight

7 likes1 stack add
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TK-421
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Day one #BookHaul from the SSO overstock sale!

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FourofFiveWits
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable | Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Susie Dent
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Where are my free shoes Universe?

pocketmermaid Uh oh, I cut my nails this past Friday! 8y
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mhillis
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SharonGoforth This looks like fun 😀 8y
Tkgbjenn1 Looks like a book I'd like to read 8y
mhillis @SharonGoforth @Tkgbjenn1 Yes! I'd recommend it😃 8y
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SusanInTiburon
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Yesterday I used the phrase "pleased as punch," and then I lay awake wondering if Punch shouldn't be capitalized. This morning, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable answered my question: Yes. This is, by the way, one of the world's best browsing dictionaries. If that's not enough to convince you, know that Neil Gaiman Himself is a devotee.

IndyHannaJones OMG THIS HAS OPENED MY EYES TO SO MANY THINGS!!!! 8y
TheLondonBookworm I think I need this dictionary in my life... 8y
Megabooks I definitely need this dictionary! 8y
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EliseWhitmore I often lie awake wondering where certain phrases come from. This will change my life! And probably annoy my co-workers 😠8y
SaraFair Must have and I think would be a good gift ! 8y
Zakia The Brewer dictionary is amazing. It literally changed my life! 8y
SusanInTiburon @SaraFair That's a great idea. I gave copies of The Assassin's Cloak for Father's Day - anthology of diaries - cuz I love browsing it myself. 8y
SusanInTiburon @Zakia I'd love to hear that story! 😉 8y
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SusanInTiburon
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Reposting for fun photo Friday because this is a book I read a little of every day, and also because we can't leave Maisey out of the fun!

Liberty 🤘ðŸ»ðŸ˜â™¥ï¸ 8y
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SusanInTiburon
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Pickpick

Wonderful browsing dictionary; a gem on every page. Perfect for bedside, bathside, or commercial breaks during tense playoff games. Ex.: "battle royal" originates from cockfighting, where birds are "pitted together and left to fight until there is one survivor, the victor of the battle royal."

Megabooks Sounds so neat! May have to add this to the permanent collection. 8y
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