Ayto, John

Presents over 5,000 twentieth-century slang words and phrases from the English-speaking world.

Examines the origins of thousands of commonly-used English words, revealing how the various influences on the English language have led to unlikely connections between words.

Contains over 7,000 alphabetically-arranged surnames including famous surnames, pseudonyms, Celtic names, and names common in the United Kingdom.

Defines more than six thousand slang words and phrases from the English-speaking world, with information on each term's origins, first use in print, and meaning.