It's a long road that has no turning? Empty vessels make the most noise? such sayings are an essential part of our communication equipment; of our everyday speech. This collection presents sayings both so usual that we use them without thinking, and so unusual that they bring us up short when we hear them. But, as the introductory essay discusses, even the most obscure saying is immediately recognisable for what it is, and its meaning and use are instantly clear. This Wordsworth collection acts both as a classified list of sayings, and as a source of bon mots for brightening up one's conversational skills, and will provide a welcome and amusing companion for your other reference books.