Wicked Words: A Treasury of Curses, Insults, Put-downs, and Other Formerly Unprintable Terms from Anglo-Saxon Times to the Present

"The author of the widely acclaimed ... Dictionary of Euphemisms and Other Doubletalk returns with the other side of the story in this witty, anecdote-filled guide to the many 'bad' words with which the English language is blessed. This sardonic excursion along the dark side of language traces the origin, use, and abuse of words we love to hate. It ranges widely, including personal insults (lily-livered), ethnic slurs (wops), political attacks (knee-jerk liberals), plus the great four-letter Anglo-Saxon words which are covered in great detail. Wicked Words will appeal to wordsmiths and word buffs, as well as the vast audience who enjoy browsing through collections of odd and interesting facts."--Back cover.