"I coulda been a contender." Molotov cocktail. Catch 22. Beatrice. Our language is chock-full of allusions: terms, names, and phrases that have been shorthanded for certain attributes or circumstances. This dictionary explains the current meanings and original contexts of more than 1,500 allusions of the past millennium drawn from history, literature, art, and mass culture. Eminently useful and fun to browse, this is an essential resource for writers, students, and general readers. Sample entries include: Apple pie: A quintessential American dish that has become a metaphor for American values; K-Mart: The name of this department store chain has become a symbol of bargain-basement products; Wall Street: The location of the Stock Exchange brings to mind huge financial deals, insider trading, and greed.

This indispensable work is a comprehensive resource offering abundant information that students and general readers of all ages will find clear and to the point. A useful companion to The Facts On File Dictionary of Cultural and Historical Allusions explains the meanings and origins of allusions from the Bible and classical mythology, including Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic, and Egyptian. It features approximately 2,000 entries, from Abelard and Heloise to Zeus. It covers biblical and mythological figures (Narcissus, Athena, Daniel), places (Mount Olympus, Gesthemane, Elysian Fields), key concepts (doomsday, utopia), and other references with biblical and mythological origins (judgment of Solomon, salt of the earth, patience of Job, labors of Hercules). It also includes a pronunciation key for difficult words or terms; examples of usage; and extensive cross-references.

Explains more than 1,500 words and expressions from literature, art, history, politics, sports, film, and popular culture, which have transcended their original meanings to refer to other attributes or circumstances.

Drawing from history, folklore, cultural traditions, and linguistics, this dictionary illuminates over 550 terms, such as scapegoat, John Hancock, peeping Tom, nepotism, and many others.

Lists the meaning and origin of more than 1,700 traditional and contemporary English proverbs.

A Library Journal Best Reference Book of 2022 This book represents the culmination of over 150 years of literary achievement by the most diverse ethnic group in the United States. Diverse because this group of ethnic Americans includes those whose ancestral roots branch out to East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Western Asia. Even within each of these regions, there exist vast differences in languages, cultures, religions, political systems, and colonial histories. From the earliest publication in 1887 to the latest in 2021, this dictionary celebrates the incredibly rich body of fiction, poetry, memoirs, plays, and children’s literature. Historical Dictionary of Asian American Literature and Theater, Second Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 700 cross-referenced entries on genres, major terms, and authors. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about this topic.

Each vol. is divided into 2 parts 1st-7th ed.: Dictionary catalog and Classified catalog; 8th-9th ed. have 3rd. part: Directory of publishers.

Includes, beginning Sept. 15, 1954 (and on the 15th of each month, Sept.-May) a special section: School library journal, ISSN 0000-0035, (called Junior libraries, 1954-May 1961). Also issued separately.

Clarifies and explains words and phrases spanning a range of fields, from law and music to philosophy and cuisine. This title contains entries that include pronunciations in American English, parts of speech and other relevant grammatical information, languages of origin, definitions, examples of use, and etymological backgrounds.