John Edward Gates Boeken

Small enough to fit in purse or pocket, this dictionary presents approximately 2,500 American-English idiomatic words and expressions with their meanings. "In one's element" ... "nail down" ... "off base" and most other American idioms are composed of simple words that somehow take on brand-new meanings when they are combined. Here's a handy reference guide to them all for ESL students, foreign travelers in North America, and anybody with an interest in language usage. Expressions are listed alphabetically, identified according to their part of speech, and categorized as formal, informal, slang, or literary. Each expression is defined and supplemented with an illustrative sentence.

More than 8,000 idiomatic words and phrases that are standard in American English are listed with definitions and sample sentences to clarify their meanings. Earlier editions of this A-to-Z dictionary have proved especially helpful to TOEFL and TOEIC test takers, as well as to other students in North America for whom English is their second language. Idioms undergo constant change in every living language, some falling out of use while new words and phrases become part of the standard vocabulary. This new edition takes account of the latest idiomatic changes and presents a solid background to informal American English.