The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories
by By Chantrell, Glynnis (EDT)
Category: Reference , Dictionaries

The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories describes the origins and sense development of thousands of words of the English language; dates are given where recorded evidence of use has been found, sourced by the ongoing research for the Oxford English Dictionary.A large number of well-known idioms are included, with dates of original use and details of how and when they came about, such as happy as a sandboy, say it with flowers. Colourful popular beliefs are explored about words such as posh and snob, while insights are given into our social history: discover, for example, the connection in a Roman soldier's mind of salary with salt. Additional word histories outside this core group are included for words with a particularly interesting story to tell; boxed entries highlight links between words.