Cassell's Dictionary of English Idioms

It's clear as a bell--this informative and fun A to Z guide to English idioms really plumbs the depths of the subject. Over 10,000 cross-referenced entries that range from bread and circuses to apple-pie order and muscle in to zonk out give the meaning of each phrase and the context in which it is used. Unusual idioms receive longer explanations detailing their origins and their history. There are terms Shakespearean, Biblical, nautical, historical-and ones derived from quotes, misquotes, and misunderstanding. You won't want to do without it!