In the tradition of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, this is a fascinating guide to the origins of our language. Wonderful stories reveal the real meaning of Adam’s apple, nick of time, stool pigeon, armed to the teeth, raining cats and dogs, at sixes and sevens, dog days of summer, and scores of others. I chose a phrase at random as an example:
Adam's Apple = The prominent lump in the human throat took its name, "Adam's apple," from an old superstitious belief. Everyone is familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. But what many people might not be acquainted with is how the Bible story was actually embellished. It was said that when Adam swallowed the forbidden fruit, one large piece of the apple remained in his throat and formed a lump there. The lump in every man's throat was named for the very first man, and so the "Adam's apple" was born (p. 67).
Word of the Day
phrase / frāz / noun = a small group of words standing together as a conceptual unit, typically forming a component of a clause.
Solve this problem, if you can: What are those yellow things at the top of the front cover, over the title? Do they mean anything to you?
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