Until now, no dictionary has ever attempted to record the fascinating and often raunchy inventory of English sexual euphemisms. Jordan Tate has confronted this task with gusto and the results are nothing short of gratifying. The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms is a hilarious, unabashed, at times shocking compilation of every sexual euphemism you've ever heard—and many more you haven't. Would you be offended if someone called you a "back door burglar"? Ever heard of a "five against one"? Would you rather do the "Little Dutch Boy" or the "Little Red Riding Hood"? Along with both a literal and a sexual definition of each euphemism, this dictionary also has photographs, and, of course, an example of each term used in a sentence—all in an effort to irreverently entertain and inform. A perfect guilty pleasure for anyone who ever got a thrill looking up dirty words in the dictionary as a kid, the Contemporary Dictionary is also a must-have reference tool for those just plain too shy to ask what a "pearl necklace" really is.

With more than 7,000 definitions, this book provides a definitive guide to the use of slang today. It deals with drugs, sport and contemporary society, as well as favourite slang topics such as sex and bodily functions. In this fully updated fourth edition of the highly acclaimed Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, language and culture expert Tony Thorne explores the ever-changing underworld of the English language, bringing back intriguing examples of eccentricity and irreverence from the linguistic front-line. "Thorne is a kind of slang detective, going down the streets where other lexicographers fear to tread." Daily Telegraph

A lexicon of "improper" English From slang terminology describing various bodily functions and sexual acts, to the centuries-old cant of thieves and prostitutes, to the language of the modern drug culture, here are 14, 500 entries and 32, 000 definitions of all the words and expressions so carefully omitted from standard dictionaries and polite conversation. Extensively cross-referenced for easy access, this third abridged edition contains almost 300 new entries and definitions. So whether you're a writer seeking to create a more authentic dialogue, a crossword-puzzle addict in search of an obscure eighteenth-century expression, or a reader interested in the more colorful aspects of the English language, you'll find that a wealth of words awaits you in... Slang and Euphemism

This is a study of the language of evasion, hypocrisy, prudery and deceit. It dissects the human tendency to prefer vague, roundabout expressions rather than use words which are precise and disagreeably true.

For all that we love and admire Shakespeare, he is not that easy to grasp. He may have written in Elizabethan English, but when we read him, we can't help but understand his words, metaphors, and syntax in relation to our own. Until now, explaining the powers and pleasures of the Bard's language has always meant returning it to its original linguistic and rhetorical contexts. Countless excellent studies situate his unusual gift for words in relation to the resources of the English of his day. They may mention the presumptions of modern readers, but their goal is to correct and invalidate any false impressions. Shakesplish is the first book devoted to our experience as modern readers of Early Modern English. Drawing on translation theory and linguistics, Paula Blank argues that for us, Shakespeare's language is a hybrid English composed of errors in comprehension—and that such errors enable, rather than hinder, some of the pleasures we take in his language. Investigating how and why it strikes us, by turns, as beautiful, funny, sexy, or smart, she shows how, far from being the fossilized remains of an older idiom, Shakespeare's English is also our own.

The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English offers the ultimate record of modern American Slang. The 25,000 entries are accompanied by citations that authenticate the words as well as offer lively examples of usage from popular literature, newspapers, magazines, movies, television shows, musical lyrics, and Internet user groups. Etymology, cultural context, country of origin and the date the word was first used are also provided. This informative, entertaining and sometimes shocking dictionary is an unbeatable resource for all language aficionados out there.

A Thematic Dictionary of Contemporary Chinese is a unique resource for intermediate to advanced students of Chinese. The dictionary presents 9,000 words organized thematically in 300 different subject areas. These themes cover the vocabulary necessary for daily use and for conducting meaningful conversations with native Chinese speakers on a variety of topics, from politics to business, and from hobbies to education. Each vocabulary item is annotated with the most frequent collocations allowing learners to improve their fluency by storing new vocabulary in larger linguistic units. Cultural and linguistic tips enable learners to grasp the vocabulary more effectively and increase their awareness of Chinese culture embedded in the language. Review exercises are provided throughout to ensure learners have ample opportunity to practice the new material. This is a great resource for both independent study and classroom use and will be of interest to students and teachers of Chinese alike. For further understanding of Chinese expressions, students are encouraged to read 500 Common Chinese Proverbs and Colloquial Expressions and 500 Common Chinese Idioms.

How did die become kick the bucket, underwear become unmentionables, and having an affair become hiking the Appalachian trail? Originally used to avoid blasphemy, honor taboos, and make nice, euphemisms have become embedded in the fabric of our language. Euphemania traces the origins of euphemisms from a tool of the church to a form of gentility to today's instrument of commercial, political, and postmodern doublespeak. As much social commentary as a book for word lovers, Euphemania is a lively and thought-provoking look at the power of words and our power over them.

The rich repertoire of sexual slang in this compendium offers fascinating clues to the sexual humor and taboos, perceptions and cultural biases, mores and sexual roles of English-speaking people in times past and present. It offers abundant evidence that language gives voice to the major concerns and preoccupations of the people who speak it. This book features more than 4,000 words, phrases, and quips that have or have had a sexual connotation; hundreds of quotations demonstrating how terms have been used by sources ranging from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Blake to pop icons such as Lenny Bruce, Bette Midler and Madonna; terms in current use as well as archaic terms and how and when they were first used; 500 years of sexual slang from the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and South Africa; and full etymologies, explanations, and variations in usage from country to country and era to era.--[book jacket].