A dictionary of euphemisms. cover

A dictionary of euphemisms.

by R. W. Holder

There's an art to not saying what you mean, and A Dictionary Of Euphemisms investigates our all too common tendency to prefer vague or roundabout expressions to words which are blunt, precise, and often disagreeably true. Whey else do we say 'bijou', 'house of ill repute', and 'corporate entertainment', when what we really mean is 'inconveniently small', 'brothel', and 'bribery'? Let A Dictionary of Euphemisms be your guide to the language of prudery, evasion, and deceit. Filled with thousands of quotations, definitions, derivations, and historical explanations, this dictionary offers compulsive browsing combined with essential reference.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?