She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook

What phrase enrages you most? 'How are you spelling that?' perhaps, or, 'issues around'? When the question came up in the Letters page of "The Daily Telegraph", hundreds of readers nominated the ones they loathed, and thousands more were posted on line. Provoked beyond endurance, Christopher Howse and Richard Preston compiled "She Literally Exploded", drawing on written and spoken insults to the intelligence from television, radio and the press. Infuriating and entertaining, this A-Z lexicon covers politicians' cliches, business jargon; shop assistants' rudenesses; publicservice padding; menu madness and idiotic innovations. "She Literally Exploded" is sharply illustrated by the "Telegraph's" award-winning cartoonist Matt. Includes: Blue-sky thinking. Species of daydreaming for which businesses are usually billed by the hour. Enjoy! An order issued by waiters or baristas [qv] after they have delivered yours. First invented by. The second inventor is deservedly less well known. Jus. Gravy. Pan-fried, instead of being fried in an old dustbin-lid. Serving suggestion. On the label of a prepared meal, a warning that the plate, tablecloth, and accompanying boar's head shown in the picture are not included in the small plastic container. You're a star. Excessive and therefore patronising term of thanks for the performance of a routine duty. See also: legend, hero.

Christopher Howse is Letters Editor of The Daily Telegraph and a regular contributor to The Spectator. Richard Preston is masterminding an updated style-guide to the Telegraph newspaper and online media.