The Oxford First Illustrated Dictionary, beautifully illustrated by well-known picture book artist Emma Chichester Clark, is the perfect first building block for 5-7 year-olds to engage with words and language. Over 2000 entries give clear meanings and definitions, parts of speech, word forms, word families, synonyms and opposites to build vocabulary and first literacy skills. Not just a dictionary, this unique book brings to life the world of fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and picture books that children love. Winnie the Pooh and Georgie Porgie appear alongside Aladdin and Cinderella in the innovative example sentences. Rhyming words, little words hiding in big words, and riddles provide plenty of opportunities for fun word play, along with amusing word jokes and child-friendly word origins. The entry for 'crocodile' tells the child that the word comes from a Greek word meaning 'lizard' and ends with the joke: 'What's a crocodile's favourite game? Snap.' This wealth of information and fun with words is presented in a contemporary, easy-to-use, engaging layout, creating the most accessible and affordable dictionary and gift-book combination, the perfect buy for Christmas and holidays as well as for everyday use.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of English is the number of words and phrases it has borrowed - and continues to borrow - from other languages, originally and most notably from Latin and French but now also from every corner of the globe. From the frequently used veranda and futon to the less familiar quinquennium and catenaccio, from the longstanding in vino veritas and vade mecum to the recent doosra and galactico, this highly informative reference book provides a revealing record of that remarkable story. With 6,000 detailed entries from aa to zut, this dictionary is the authoritative guide to foreign words and phrases used in contemporary British and American English. Drawn from over 40 languages, entries provide details of the history of each word or phrase, including language of origin, spelling variants, pronunciation, and its sense and use in English. Information is given on specific items of interest, such as the use of daemon in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, and full-page feature panels provide extra information on how specific languages and cultures have influenced particular areas of English. This new edition includes 100 new entries including sudoku, uber, and coitus interruptus, plus up-to-date coverage of words that have entered the English language in the 21st Century, including bruschetta, pashmina, and galactico. Ideal for both reference and browsing, this is a perfect book for anyone wanting to uncover the richness of modern English.

Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, drawing on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to give us a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and events. So a cunning crook is an Artful Dodger, a daydreamer is like Billy Liar, a powerful woman is a modern-day Amazon - we can suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the Cheshire Cat. This absorbing and accessible A to Z explains the meanings of allusions in modern English, from Adonis to Zorro, Tartarus to Tarzan, and Rubens to Rambo. Fascinating to browse through, the book is based on an extensive reading programme that has identified the most commonly-used allusions. Now available in paperback, this new edition includes within each entry a short summary definition for the allusion or reference, ideal for quick reference, and at least one illustration citation from a wide range of source materials in almost every entry: from Aldous Huxley to Philip Roth, Emily Bronte to The Guardian Unlimited. A useful thematic index allows searching for allusions related to a specific topic, e.g. under Intelligence find Aristotle, Einstein, and Spock, and under Hair find Medusa, Samson, and Shirley Temple. The Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion is both a useful and user-friendly reference work for students of English Literature and Language, as well as for non-native English speakers for aid with unusual references, and an absorbing volume for all lovers of literature and culture in general.