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Sale

Red Herrings and White Elephants

by Ama Page, Albert Jack
Save up to 42%
Red Herrings and White Elephants - Thryft
Red Herrings and White Elephants - Thryft

English language's quirky phrases revealed in-depth.

"Red Herrings and White Elephants" is an amazing exploration of the origins of common phrases we use every day. It piques interest by introducing fascinating definitions and describing the famous people who created them. The book is perfect for readers who wish to develop their knowledge of the English language and history while still having fun.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
Sale

Red Herrings and White Elephants

by Ama Page, Albert Jack
Save up to 42%
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9781843581291
Authors: Ama Page, Albert Jack
Publisher: Metro
Date of Publication: 2004-01-01
Format: Hardcover
Related Collections: Sociology, History
Related Topics: History
Goodreads rating: 3.7
(rated by 540 readers)

Description

Bold as brass, cold feet, cock and bull, off the cuff, red herrings and white elephants. We use these phrases every day and yet have only the vaguest idea of where many of them come from. The origins of hundreds of common phrases are explained in this irreverent journey through the most fascinating and richest regions of the English language. Once you've read one, you'll be diving back in to look up all the others. Red Herrings is full of amazing definitions that take us all over the world, including military traditions and famous people who lent their names to describe familiar situations. From the drop of a hat to the bitter end - you'll never speak English in the same way again.
 

English language's quirky phrases revealed in-depth.

"Red Herrings and White Elephants" is an amazing exploration of the origins of common phrases we use every day. It piques interest by introducing fascinating definitions and describing the famous people who created them. The book is perfect for readers who wish to develop their knowledge of the English language and history while still having fun.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.