Name: The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions

Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, drawing on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to give us a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and events. So a miser is a Scrooge, a strong man is a Samson or a Hercules, a beautiful woman is a Venus or a modern-day Helen of Troy- -we can suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the Cheshire Cat.

This reference work explains the meanings of the allusions in use in modern English, from Abaddon to Zorro, Tartarus to Tarzan, and Rubens to Rambo. Quotations from a range of authors and sources are included at most entries to illustrate usage—anywhere from Thomas Hardy to Ben Elton, Charles Dickens to Bridget Jones's Diary. This second edition includes completely up-to-date allusions—from Gollum to Kofi Annan—and a handy A-Z order has been adopted for extra ease of reference and usability.

Descriptionary by Marc McCutcheon

Bernstein's Reverse Dictionary by Theodore M. Bernstein

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Elizabeth Knowles

Oxford Dictionary of Quotations by Elizabeth Knowles

The Describer's Dictionary by David Grambs

The Complete Rhyming Dictionary by Clement Wood

Dictionary of Word and Phrase Orgins by William Morris

Oxford Dictionary of Euphemisms by R. W. Holder

Dictionary of Symbols by Jean Chevalier

Dictionary of Symbols by Carl G. Liungman

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

The Amazing Book is Not on Fire by Dan Howell

The Adventurous Eaters Club by Misha Collins

Code Complete by Steve McConnell

Destiny of Souls by Michael Newton

The Simple Path to Wealth by J. L. Collins

Firefly by Joss Whedon

Making Faces by Kevyn Aucoin

The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe

Refactoring by Martin Fowler