Have you ever wondered about the origin of phrases such as "everything but the kitchen sink" and "long time no see"? Then this is the book for you. The Shorter Dictionary of Catch Phrases is a condensed version of Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Catch Phrases concentrating on those phrases that may be found in current use. All of the entries have been rewritten; many are new and 25% are U.S. phrases or of U.S. origin. This will be the "bee's knees" for serious students or lovers of language.