The armchair philologist

1 total work

A A Bird in the Hand: and the Stories behind More Th an 250 Oth

by Mann

Published 1 August 1994

Witty, informative, and entertaining, this book, part of The Armchair Philosopher's Series, tells the complete story behind such frequently-used phrases as "the eleventh hour" and "an axe to grind". From Julius Caesar's "the die is cast" to Nebuchadnezzer's "feet of clay", this readable volume shows how rich and expressive our language can be.