This book unlocks the meaning of more than 5,000 idioms used in American English today.

In the Know student's book presents idioms in context, then gives students the opportunity to learn their meaning, form, and use. A wide array of activity types makes this book a delightful way to learn the meaning and use of hundreds of common idioms, and the free audio CD lets learners hear these idioms in context. The Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms provides definitions and examples of 5,000 idioms currently used in American English, making it the last word on American idioms today.

More than 8,000 idiomatic words and phrases specific to American-style English are presented in this updated A-to-Z dictionary, complete with definitions and sample sentences. Especially useful for TOEFL test-takers and other students in America for whom English is a second language, this book explains and clarifies many of the similes and metaphors that newcomers to American English find mystifying. It is also useful to native-born Americans who are sometimes confused by regional colloquialisms encountered in reading or on TV. Idioms undergo constant change in every living language, some of them falling out of use, while new words and phrases become part of the standard vocabulary. This dictionary's new fourth edition takes account of the latest idiomatic changes and provides a solid background to informal American English.

This new edition of the Cambridge Idioms Dictionary explains over 7,000 idioms current in British, American and Australian English, helping learners to understand them and use them with confidence. * Fully updated with new idioms, e.g. think outside the box, play out of your skin, the new black * New, attractive page layout with idioms in colour for easy reference * Clear explanations and example sentences for every idiom * Most common idioms highlighted so students know which to learn * Topic section covering useful language areas, e.g. agreeing and disagreeing, telling stories

Idioms are widely used in English and yet their meaning is often difficult to guess. This new reference book contains around 7000 idioms current in British, American and Australian English today which are explained clearly and simply using a carefully controlled defining vocabulary. It demonstrates how idioms are used by giving thousands of example sentences based on the Cambridge International Corpus, and shows clear information on grammar and collocation. It also provides etymological information where appropriate to enable better understanding and to make idioms easier to learn and remember. A full index makes idioms easy to find.Additional learning aids are provided in the form of photocopiable exercises and theme panels which present idioms in groups according to their meaning or function. Guidance is also given on the most useful idioms to learn.

The authoritative guide to American English as it's really used today. Based on the Cambridge International Corpus, a database that includes more than 200 million words of spoken and written American English, the paperback edition contains more than 40,000 definitions of words and phrases. Entries are organized by meaning, and words with more than one meaning are clearly marked with a boxed guideword, so there's no guesswork involved in finding the right entry. Definitions are written using a carefully controlled 2,000-word defining vocabulary, so they are clear and easy to understand. The dictionary also includes coverage of important Canadian and British words and meanings.

Completely revised, updated, reorganized, and enlarged with 600 new entries. Essential for writers and learners of American English, it features a unique new format, an appendix of 500 fixed-order phrases--such as "fast and furious"--that cannot be reversed, and a Phrase-Finder Index for easy lookups of even partially remembered phrases.

The best American English learner's dictionary is better than ever, with new words and new features. Based on the world's largest corpus of American English, the book and CD include up-to-date vocabulary, easy-to-understand definitions, helpful usage notes, and examples that show how English is really used. The CD-ROM features spoken pronunciations for every word, advanced search features, a thesaurus, and instant lookups of words on Web pages and other documents.