Dictionary of Cliché - David Freedman, Terry Freedman

In the evolution of language, many of yesterdays’s clichés – stereotyped or excessively used expressions – have progressed from overworked images, many of forgotten origin, to respectable and comforting components of our language today. This specially commissioned book – “The Real McCoy’ – includes a treasure trove of hundreds of excruciating examples of hackneyed, trite, over-used, platitudinous, friendly and familiar old chestnuts. It is a veritable ‘Alphabet Soup’ which will aid everyone from the ‘Arty Crafty’ and the Young Fogey’ to the ‘Man on the Clapham omnibus’ who is either seeking to avoid the use of such solecisms or who is desirous of poking fun at those who do.

Clichés can be difficult to avoid, but then it’s a dog’s life and it’s no use crying over spilt