Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stories of Curious Word Origins (Harper Colophon Books)

Charles Earle Funk

ISBN 10: 006091260X / ISBN 13: 9780060912604

Published by HarperReference, 1985

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stories of Curious Word Origins (Harper Colophon Books)
• Publisher: HarperReference
• Publication Date: 1985
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 006091260X
• ISBN 13: 9780060912604
• Binding: paperback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

Most of the words in our language have come down to us with little or no drama associated with their origins. But there are hundreds of words in our common speech that originated or acquired their meanings in unusual ways, and the dictionaries cannot find the space to give us the stories. This book thoroughly and entertainingly tells the stories of hundreds of these words and the circumstances that brought them into our language.

About the Author

Charles Earle Funk was editor in chief of the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary Series. He wrote several other books on word and phrase origins, including Horsefeathers, Heavens to Betsy!, and Thereby Hangs a Tale.