Dictionary Of Proverbs And Their Origins

Did you know that ‘if the cap fits’ refers to the traditional jester’s cap with bells on it – so anyone wearing such a cap could be expected to do something foolish? Or that the ancient Greeks believed that it was camels rather than elephants that never forgot?

The entries are interspersed with mini-essays on such diverse subjects as The Proverbial Cynic and When there’s a R in the Month. The result is essential reading for anyone who delights in words.