To 'put the cart before the horse', have 'the cheek of the devil' or be 'a pillar of society' - these are just some of the thousands of idioms that have become an integral part of the English language. The Penguin Dictionary of English Idioms looks at a vast range of examples, providing concise definitions and explaining how they should be used. This practical guide is arranged by theme, making it possible to compare all the idioms in that subject area and find the right one for the occasion, whether in writing or speech.

The numerical mistakes mentioned by the author have been corrected, making this, as mentioned, one of the great reference classics.

DAPHNE GULLAND is the daughter of David Hinds-Howell and has been researching idioms and their origins for a number of years. She lives in Alfter, Germany.
DAVID HINDS-HOWELL was born in 1916 and educated at Marlborough College and Oxford University. He had a long and distinguished career as a teacher of English and director of the Hillcrest School of English. He died recently.