The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions

Download or read book The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions written by Andrew Delahunty and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2001 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 miser is a Scrooge, a strong man is a Samson or a Hercules, a beautifulwoman is a Venus or a modern-day Helen of Troy-we can suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the Cheshire Cat. This completely new reference work explains the meanings of the allusions in use in modern English, from Abaddon to Zorro, Tartarus to Tarzan, and Rubens to Rambo. The fascinating book is based on an extensive reading programme that has identified the most commonly-used allusions, and quotations areincluded at most entries to illustrate usage, from a range of authors and sources, from Thomas Hardy to Ben Elton, Charles Dickens to 'Bridget Jones's Diary'.