For the 411 on American slang, this guidebook is the top banana. .

From "head trip" to "foot in mouth," "American Slang Dictionary" gives you the complete definitions of thousands of uniquely American words and phrases, ranging from golden oldies such as "catch some rays" and "take the fifth" to more up-to-the-minute coinages like Wall Street's "jonx," the Internet's "ping," and the gangsta's favorite, "shizzle.," .

Inside you'll find more than 12,000 words and expressions from a wide variety of sources, including gangsta rap, the blogosphere, and the U.S. prison system. In a New York minute, you'll be down with the colloquialisms, vulgarities, and substandard English that make everyday interactions in contemporary American life so colorful.. .

BSOD or blue screen of death the blue computer screen that appears after a programming or operational error
. crunk wild; crazy; out of control
. kvetch to complain
. left-handed monkey wrench a nonexistent tool
. word of mouse a message spread by e-mail
. . .

Shape up your English with thousands of idioms.

Whether you are a learner of English who is having difficulty understanding expressions in everyday speech or a native speaker who wants to expand your written or spoken range, you need a comprehensive reference for idioms, common phrases, and sayings of American English. "McGraw-Hill's American Idioms Dictionary" shows you the ropes of English and helps you: . . Expand your English-speaking abilities with these 14,000-plus expressions, proverbs, and common sayings, listed alphabetically . Use American idioms correctly by following the many helpful examples . Easily find the right phrase by one of its key words . . .

Some examples of the colorful English language, as spoken by Americans: .

at peace relaxed and happy
. every trick in the book every deceptive method known
. Johnny-on-the-spot someone who is in the right place at the right time
. make a killing to have a great success, especially in making money
. nine-to-five job a job with normal daytime hours
. scream bloody murder to complain bitterly
. take a powder to leave; to leave town

Learn more than 3,000 English expressions and speak and understand the language easily

As a new speaker of English, you may hear some expressions in your daily conversations that you do not understand--yet. "McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English" will help you learn these expressions, so not only do you know what a person is saying to you, but that you can use the expression yourself More than 3,000 expressions are organized by theme, so you can find what you are looking for quickly. And each topic is illustrated to further help you understand context.

The book features: Common expressions are batched into 350 themes, ranging from general greetings and asking how someone is, to the more specific needs, like showing disbelief, asking someone's intentions, and expressions for a forgotten word or name A comprehensive thematic glossary provides an additional means for the learner to locate expressions by key words and concepts

Topics include: Basic Social Encounters, Greetings, Small Talk, Introductions, Ending a Conversation, Good-Byes, Agreeing, Disagreeing Conversational Encounters, Focusing Attention, Launching the Conversation, Making Friends, Complex Matters, Disputes, Discussion and Resolution, Polite Encounters, Prefaces, Communication Barriers

A useful guide to everyday American English to help you understand meanings and avoid difficulty in translation

In this new edition of "Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts," noted lexicographer Richard A. Spears shares with you 1,900 of the most common phrases and colloquial expressions used in contemporary American English. Here you will discover the greetings, good-byes, and everyday small talk that Americans use daily. All entries have been selected with the special needs of you, the nonnative speaker of English, in mind

Inside you'll find: Examples or short dialogues with each entry that illustrate how the phrase is used in everyday speaking Usage restrictions or warnings for those situations when a phrase may be inappropriate Shortened or abbreviated expressions cross-referenced to their complete forms A Phrase-Finder Index to help quick and easy reference

This dictionary provides definitions and examples for the English verb phrases known as phrasal verbs, two-word verbs, prepositional verbs and verbal collocations.

Learn the language of Nebraska . . .and 49 other states

With more entries than any other reference of its kind, "McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs" shows you how American English is spoken today. You will find commonly used phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions, proverbial expressions, and cliches. The dictionary contains more than 24,000 entries, each defined and followed by one or two example sentences. It also includes a Phrase-Finder Index with more than 60,000 entries.

This title provides more than 11,000 examples of usage for 5,500 high-frequency English idioms. Entries are mainly standard British English, but also include slang and informal expressions.

With more than 7,000 up-to-date phrases, this dictionary covers situations from talking to a doctor to ordering a meal, and helps learners communicate personal feelings, and make small talk.