The Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words Over 10,000 Common and Confusing Words Explained

A fun and enlightening guide to those words you keep hearing—though you’re still not quite sure exactly what they mean . . . This unique reference book strives to define words and phrases that the average person often encounters, but which may not be immediately familiar. You’ll find both old words and new: batten, kiosk, proctor, coup de grace, alliteration, parsec, corona, cartouche, affiliate marketing, balkanization, dogleg, renal, joystick, decant, citadel—and thousands more. Broken down into over fifty categories—from cultural essentials like art, history, and sports terms to modern obsessions like text messaging and hip-hop slang, and a section on foreign words commonly used in English—this book is a word lover's dream and a useful handbook for any student.