The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

What does "A rising tide lifts all the boats" mean? Where did the saying, "Garbage in, garbage out" come from? And when did "A watched pot never boils" first occur? The answers to these questions are among the many that can be found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, the only dictionary to record and describe the modern proverb.
This authoritative reference lists over 2,000 traditional sayings, weeding out ones that have fallen into disuse and including over 100 new proverbs--old sayings that have reappeared in recent times, and newly created ones--known in the twentieth century. Entries include illustrative quotations that show the context of a proverb's use, its history and origins (including Greek, Latin, and French antecedents), and an extensive cross-referencing system for easy access. The editors have added notes to clarify the meaning of a proverb or mention points of interest. They discuss, for example, the legal implications of "Every dog is allowed one bite," and pair contradictory proverbs such as "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" and "Out of sight, out of mind". New proverbs in this edition include "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," "Different strokes for different folks," and "Less is more," among many others.
An entertaining and informative guide to the sayings that have consistently added spice to the English language, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs is an indispensable source for all language lovers.

Praise for the First Edition:
"Scholarly, meticulous, and authoritative"--The Washington Post Book World. "A rich and absorbing collection....Simpson's introduction is succinct and helpful...[and his] system of cross-referencing is exemplary"--The Times Literary Supplement [London].

About the Editors:
John Simpson is Co-Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. Jennifer Speake is editor of many reference works, including A Dictionary of the Renaissance.