Handbook of commonly used American idioms

Adam Makkai

Small enough to fit in purse or pocket, this dictionary presents approximately 2,500 American-English idiomatic words and expressions with their meanings. "In one's element" ... "nail down" ... "off base" and most other American idioms are composed of simple words that somehow take on brand-new meanings when they are combined. Here's a handy reference guide to them all for ESL students, foreign travelers in North America, and anybody with an interest in language usage. Expressions are listed alphabetically, identified according to their part of speech, and categorized as formal, informal, slang, or literary. Each expression is defined and supplemented with an illustrative sentence.