Orin Hargraves is a lexicographer and author of language reference books. He grew up in the mountains of southwestern Colorado and graduated from the University of Chicago. A past president of the Dictionary Society of North America, Hargraves has contributed to dozens of dictionaries and other language reference books. He currently lives in Niwot, Colorado, and researches the computational use of language at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

a very informative and entertaining book for anyone interested in the nature of development of language [...] just browsing through can potentially enhance one's passive stock of phrases so that one can speak a little more colourfully.

• Introduction ; 1. Adjectival Cliches: Cliches that modify nouns or serve as predicates after linking verbs ; 2. Adverbial Cliches: Cliches that function as adverbials, describing how, when, with what, in what manner, etc. ; 3. People, Places, and Things: Cliches that function as noun phrases ; 4. Framing Devices: Cliches used to introduce, contextualize, or conclude questions or statements ; 5. Modifier Abuse: Cliches arising from extremely frequent and/or inapt collocation of particular adjectives with nouns, or of submodifying adverbs with adjectives ; 6. Predicate Cliches: Cliches beginning with a finite verb that serve as complete predicates ; 7. Quantification: Cliches that characterize quantities ; 8. Situational Cliches: Cliches consisting of complete sentences that characterize a situation or action ; 9. Cliches About Cliches: ways that people talk about or mention cliches that are themselves cliches ; 10. Appendix I: joined by "and" cliches: numerous phrases consisting of words joined by 'and'

Orin Hargraves is a lexicographer and author of language reference books. He grew up in the mountains of southwestern Colorado and graduated from the University of Chicago. A past president of the Dictionary Society of North America, Hargraves has contributed to dozens of dictionaries and other language reference books. He currently lives in Niwot, Colorado, and researches the computational use of language at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

a very informative and entertaining book for anyone interested in the nature of development of language [...] just browsing through can potentially enhance one's passive stock of phrases so that one can speak a little more colourfully.

• Introduction ; 1. Adjectival Cliches: Cliches that modify nouns or serve as predicates after linking verbs ; 2. Adverbial Cliches: Cliches that function as adverbials, describing how, when, with what, in what manner, etc. ; 3. People, Places, and Things: Cliches that function as noun phrases ; 4. Framing Devices: Cliches used to introduce, contextualize, or conclude questions or statements ; 5. Modifier Abuse: Cliches arising from extremely frequent and/or inapt collocation of particular adjectives with nouns, or of submodifying adverbs with adjectives ; 6. Predicate Cliches: Cliches beginning with a finite verb that serve as complete predicates ; 7. Quantification: Cliches that characterize quantities ; 8. Situational Cliches: Cliches consisting of complete sentences that characterize a situation or action ; 9. Cliches About Cliches: ways that people talk about or mention cliches that are themselves cliches ; 10. Appendix I: joined by "and" cliches: numerous phrases consisting of words joined by 'and'