What's In a Word?: Fascinating Stories of More Than 350 Everyday Words and Phrases
3/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Once upon a time…
Tying the knot actually involved tying a knot-not saying vows. Meanwhile, a thinking cap wasn’t just a cute idea for schoolchildren, but an actual hat worn by scholars in the Middle Ages. Oh, and when you make no bones about something, you should consider yourself lucky you aren’t choking on a chicken foot.
What’s in a Word? Answers the question it poses, more than three hundred times over. You’ll learn which side of the bed is the wrong side, and why the word “nickname” is simply the product of slurred speech. Webb Garrison’s etymological journey through the origins of words and phrases, both common and obscure, is sure to fascinate wordsmiths of every stripe.
Read more from Webb Garrison
What's in a Word?: Fascinating Stories of More Than 350 Everyday Words and Phrases Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Amazing Women of the Civil War: Fascinating True Stories of Women Who Made a Difference . . . Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Casual Lex: An Informal Assemblage of Why We Say What We Say Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Curiosities of the Civil War: Strange Stories, Infamous Characters & Bizarre Events Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Friendly Fire in the Civil War: More Than 100 True Stories of Comrade Killing Comrade Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5A Guide To Reading The Entire Bible In One Year Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCuriosities of the Civil War: Strange Stories, Infamous Characters and Bizarre Events Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Treasury of Minnesota Tales: Unusual, Interesting, and Little-Known Stories of Minnesota Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Treasury of Iowa Tales: Unusual, Interesting, and Little-Known Stories of Iowa Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Word Nerds Unite!: The Fascinating Stories Behind 200 Words and Phrases Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Creative Minds in Desperate Times: The Civil War's Most Sensational Schemes and Plots Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to What's In a Word?
Related ebooks
Endangered Phrases: Intriguing Idioms Dangerously Close to Extinction Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Southern Dictionary: Extended Version Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Tell Fate from Destiny: And Other Skillful Word Distinctions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Back to Basics: The Education You Wish You'd Had Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5So to Speak: 11,000 Expressions That'll Knock Your Socks Off Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Concise Dictionary Of Phrases: Using Phrases to write attractive English Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dictionary of Clichés: A Word Lover's Guide to 4,000 Overused Phrases and Almost-Pleasing Platitudes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Accidental Dictionary Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Have You Eaten Grandma?: Or, the Life-Saving Importance of Correct Punctuation, Grammar, and Good English Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/51000+ Idioms For Daily life With example Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms: American English Idiomatic Expressions & Phrases Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5THESAURUS for Students of Science: The Concise English Thesaurus and Dictionary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAs Right as Rain: The Meaning and Origins of Popular Expressions Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5How to Swear: An Illustrated Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Great Book of American Idioms: A Dictionary of American Idioms, Sayings, Expressions & Phrases Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yes, I Could Care Less: How to Be a Language Snob Without Being a Jerk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Little Book of Clichés Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5College Daze: The Most Brutally Honest Guide to College You Will Ever Read Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of 'Proper' English, from Shakespeare to South Park Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Word A Day: A Romp through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is Improbable Too: Synchronized Cows, Speedy Brain Extractors and More WTF Research Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsConcise Dictionary Of Idioms: How to use Idioms to write English attractively Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Vulgar Tongues: An Alternative History of English Slang Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Reference For You
Anatomy 101: From Muscles and Bones to Organs and Systems, Your Guide to How the Human Body Works Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Astrology 101: From Sun Signs to Moon Signs, Your Guide to Astrology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robert's Rules For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Show, Don't Tell: How to Write Vivid Descriptions, Handle Backstory, and Describe Your Characters’ Emotions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Legal Words You Should Know: Over 1,000 Essential Terms to Understand Contracts, Wills, and the Legal System Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/51,001 Facts that Will Scare the S#*t Out of You: The Ultimate Bathroom Reader Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Emotion Thesaurus (Second Edition): A Writer's Guide to Character Expression Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Art 101: From Vincent van Gogh to Andy Warhol, Key People, Ideas, and Moments in the History of Art Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5THE EMOTIONAL WOUND THESAURUS: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mythology 101: From Gods and Goddesses to Monsters and Mortals, Your Guide to Ancient Mythology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Useless Sexual Trivia: Tastefully Prurient Facts About Everyone's Favorite Subject Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/51001 First Lines Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bored Games: 100+ In-Person and Online Games to Keep Everyone Entertained Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Spy the Lie: Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Learn Sign Language in a Hurry: Grasp the Basics of American Sign Language Quickly and Easily Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Everything Sign Language Book: American Sign Language Made Easy... All new photos! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for What's In a Word?
10 ratings0 reviews