The Oxford Dictionary of Slang PAINT THE TOWN RED WITH CRACKING COME-BACKS FROM THIS DIAMOND COLLECTION!

Here, John Ayto has brought together over 10,000 slang words and phrases common to 20th-century English, to provide a comprehensive and highly engaging guide to the most outspoken corner of our language. Unlike most such dictionaries, this volume is organized thematically, with slang words
gathered under such headings as "the body and its functions" or "sustenance and intoxication." Within each section, the words are listed chronologically, starting with the century's earliest words and phrases and progressing right through to the present day, thus illuminating the development of
slang and colloquial language over the last hundred years. Word origins and other interesting features of usage are given wherever possible, as are illustrative quotations from a wide range of authors. A comprehensive A-Z index lists all words included in the dictionary, so you can find a particular
word quickly. From "five-finger discount" to "forty-rod whiskey," this is an authoritative and up-to-date record of slang throughout the English-speaking world.

Our longstanding love affair with the undignified bits of our language - the unguarded vocabulary of conversation, the quirky slang of in-groups, the colourful outbursts of lexis in extremis - has assured us a continuing tradition of collecting such words together in dictionaries. Rather than using the alphabetical format favoured by most of these, however, the Oxford Dictionary of Slang takes in turn each area of life and each aspect of the world that generates significant amounts of slang, and builds up a picture of how our off-guard speech has changed down the years. There is also a full alphabetical index. Containing over 10,000 words and phrases, this is the ideal reference for those interested in the more quirky and unofficial words used in the English language. Including surprisingly old words such as booze and guzzle to the most up-to-date words like humongous and lunchbox, this fascinating book is sure to provide a stonking good read for all.

Preface; Thematic Chapters; The Body and its Functions; People and Society; Animals; Sustenance and Intoxication; Articles and Substances; Money, Commerce, and Employment; Behaviour, Attitudes, and Emotions; Thought and Communication; The Arts, Entertainment, and the Media; Time and Tide; Location and Movement; Abstract Qualities and States; Index

Dr John Ayto is an experienced lexicographer and author of several language titles. His publications include the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, the Oxford Essential Guide to the English Language, the Longman Register of New Words, the Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins and Twentieth Century Words, (OUP 1999), which was reviewed as 'An absolutely terrific book, brimming with nostalgia, thoroughly addictive and full of surprises'.