description: Most of the words in our language have come down to us with little or no drama associated with their origins. But there are hundreds of words in our common speech that originated or acquired their meanings in unusual ways, and the dictionaries cannot find the space to give us the stories. This book thoroughly and entertainingly tells the stories of hundreds of these words and the circumstances that brought them into our language.
language: English
title: Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stories of Curious Word Origins
titlecomplete: Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stories of Curious Word Origins (Harper Colophon Books)
genres: Writing, Trivia, Reference, Linguistics, Nonfiction, Language, Humor, History
ratings_count: 116
publisher: HarperReference