The Oxford dictionary of idioms

the long version

"The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms presents more than 5,000 idioms explaining the meaning and origin of metaphorical phrases, similes, sayings, and proverbs from throughout the English-speaking world. This dictionary is the perfect guide for everyone with an interest in this most colourful and quirky aspect of the English language." "Completely revised based on the evidence of Oxford's ongoing language research, it has: more than 350 new idioms and hundreds of new origin notes; thousands of real examples both modern and historical; easy to use, arranged alphabetically by key word, with an elegant new design; and thematic index groups idioms by topic or theme: from Death and Fate to Beauty and Love."--Jacket.