The Complete Idiot S Guide To A Smart Vocabulary

Defines over 1,000 words in subject areas such as people, computers, business, law, culture, and government, as well as foreign terms and new words.

Provides instructions for creating and designing Web pages and Weblogs using HTML.

With this guide you'll gain what you need to be a great communicator at home and on the job. It provides solid information on grammatical rules and how and when to use them, friendly advice for adding variety and style to your writing, and tips, definitions, and warnings to help you along the way.

Get ready to chew the fat. This engaging, humorous new book explains the not-so-common origins of such commonly used phrases as “apple-pie order,” “chew the fat,” and “hat trick.” Presented in a fun, easy-to-read style, it provides entertaining insight on metaphorical phrases, weird words, and strange expressions and takes readers on a journey through the bizarre and eccentric origins that make up our everyday speech. • Word books have gained in popularity not just with students and linguaphiles, but with a general population interested in the fascinating development of our language. • Contains back stories for 500 intriguing words and phrases. • Fun to flip through and also fun to read cover to cover.

Language wears many hats, but its most important job is to help us name or describe what's in the world. Words define us, our actions, even our existence. And just when you think that you have all the words you need, you discover new ones, hear new uses for old ones or see them mutate right before your eyes—a neologism is born. Those neologisms are actually one of the best ways of keeping tabs on the way our world and culture are changing. One of the people who's been keeping tabs is Paul McFedries, the president of Logophilia Limited (logophilia is Greek for "the love of words"). His scorecard is Word Spy, a daily newsletter that has been reporting from the neological frontier since 1998 and that has more than 100,000 visitors a month and more than 12 million page views. In Word Spy, McFedries demonstrates how new words both reflect and illuminate not only the subcultures that coin them but also the larger culture in which these groups exist. Neologisms give us insight into the way things are even as they act as linguistic harbingers of what's to come. Each chapter of Word Spy is a cultural snapshot, a slice of the zeitgeist that focuses on a specific idea or sociological phenomenon, with an emphasis on the words and phrases that it has generated. These snapshots cover various aspects of modern life, including relationships, business, technology, war, aging, multiculturalism, and even fast food, all the while introducing us to hybrid words: If your kids can't seem to get away from their computers, they may be addicted to "fritterware" (time-wasting game software). If you're a new mother with a passion for petitioning, you may be a "lactivist" (breast-feeding activist). And if you keep finding yourself staying way later at the office than you ever imagined, you may be suffering from "presenteeism." Word Spy is an exciting and informative travelogue through the evolving landscape of our language and, consequently, the cultures and subcultures that continually mold and shape not just the language but all of us who speak it.

What does it mean to 'chew the fat'? Why do we put things in 'apple-pie order'? And what on earth is a 'hat trick'? Readers will learn all this and more in this fun and engaging new addition to the Complete Idiot's Guide® series, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weird Word Origins. This humorous book provides entertaining insight on the often metaphorical, always taken-for-granted phrases and expressions used every day. In it, language expert Paul McFedries takes readers through the sometimes surprising, always amusing world of weird words and expressions, and the fascinating stories that surround them. Presented in a fun, easy-to-read style, this book takes readers on a journey through the bizarre and eccentric origins that make up our everyday speech.

Market more successfully-with thousands of powerful, persuasive words. This reference is for anyone who needs to write effective marketing copy-for ads, catalogs, brochures, letters, press releases, displays, fundraising materials, and more. With thousands of entries, it does the brainstorming for you-and sparks ideas that stand out in a sea of hype. -Three A-to-Z sections: descriptive words, promotional words, and words organized by industry (cosmetics, food, travel, computers, etc.) -Extensive synonym lists for frequently used marketing words: 45 words for big; 19 words for authentic; 27 words for clean; 46 words for money; ... and 10 words for purple -Additional lists of Related Words and Phrases, Expressions, Symbols, and Antonyms -Also features A Concise Guide to Copywriting, with chapters on consumer psychology; tricks of the trade; grammar and style tips; and 7 Qualities that Make a Great Copywriter

Your thoughts are worth more than a penny. You’re no idiot, of course. You know words possess tremendous power. But expressing your feelings during special events or difficult situation requires more than a clichéd greeting-card sentiments. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Right Words for Any Occasion shows you exactly how to spell it out—in your own words. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Over 250 sample notes for the moments that touch people’s lives, from wedding and anniversaries to birthdays and graduations. • Inspiration quotes to help you add just the right sentiment when you can’t find your own words. • Guidance on what to say—and what not to say—during hard times. • Great ways to share your special message with people of all ages and faiths.