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This Companion is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format.The most comprehensive and authoritative reference book of its kind, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea was first published in 1976 to huge acclaim, hailed as 'a beguiling book' (Daily Telegraph), 'marvellous' (The Times), and 'totally absorbing' (Financial Times). This second edition was published in 2006 and brought together more than 2,600 entries on every imaginable aspect of the seas and the vessels that sail on them, from shipbuilding, yachting, diving, and marine mammals, to tidal power, piracy, and the literature and language of the sea.This edition provides significant material on topics that have come to prominence in recent times, such as oceanography and marine archaeology: key contributions on these subjects from marine expert Dr Martin Angel at Southampton Oceanography Centre include climate change, environmental issues, marine pollution, and marine wildlife. Entries added to this edition are underwater vehicles, tsunamis, warfare at sea, marine pollution, the Economic Exclustion Zone, and ship preservation.This Companion also includes authoritative and fascinating entries on maritime history: its naval battles, its great ships, from Noah's Ark and the Bounty to the Titanic and the Mary Rose; and its most famous individuals, both real and fictional, including Christopher Columbus, Horatio Nelson, and Robinson Crusoe.Entries are fully cross-referenced, and the text is illustrated with over 260 detailed drawings.

This Dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format.The fascinating and informative Dictionary of First Names covers over 6,000 names in common use in English, including the very newest names as well as traditional names. From Alice to Zanna and Adam to Zola this book will answer all your questions: it will tell you the age, origin, and meaning of the name, as well as how it has fared in terms of popularity, and who the famous fictional or historical bearers for the name have been. It covers alternative spellings, short forms and pet forms, and masculine and feminine forms, as well as help with pronunciation.The book includes extensive appendices covering names from languages including Scottish, Irish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, and Chinese names. Tables of the most popular names by year and by region are also included.From the traditional to the rare and unconventional, this book will tell you everything you need to know about names.

This Dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format.What is a ham-and-egger?What are Anglo-Saxon attitudes?Who or what is liable to jump the shark?Who first tried to nail jelly to the wall?The answers to these and many more questions are in this fascinating book. Here in one volume you can track down the stories behind the names and sayings you meet, whether in classic literature or today's news. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled bank of reference and language online resources, this dictionary covers classical and other mythologies, history, religion, folk customs, superstitions, science and technology, philosophy, and popular culture. Extensive cross referencing makes it easy to trace specific information, while every page points to further paths to explore. A fascinating slice of cultural history, and a browser's delight from start to finish.What is the fog of war?Who first wanted to spend more time with one's family?When was the Dreamtime?How long since the first cry of Women and children first?Where might you find dark matter?Would you want the Midas touch?Should you worry about grey goo?

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology is a comprehensive and accessible survey of one of the world's richest mythological traditions. It covers the people, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, saga, legend, and folklore from both ancient pagan origins, and modern traditions.

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. The original words announcing great scientific discoveries, from the first 'Eureka!' to the cloning of Dolly the sheep, can all be found in this fascinating addition to the world-famous 'Oxford Quotations' range. An essential reference tool, put together over 15 years with the assistance of a distinguished team of specialist advisers, it includes full author descriptions, exact sources, and a word-finding index for easy reference. Scholarly but accessible, it also presents the human face of science, as scientists reflect on achievements and failures in their own lives and those of others. Darwin not only describes natural selection, but carefully assesses the pros and cons of marriage, while James Clerk Maxwell constructs an electric but poetic Valentine as well as his 'demon'. From Archimed

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. Authoritative, wide-ranging, and unrivalled in its accessibility, The Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World is a concise and lucid survey of life in ancient Greece and Rome, spanning 776 BC - AD 180, from the first Olympic games to the death of Marcus Aurelius. An approachable, user-friendly abridgement of the highly acclaimed Oxford Classical Dictionary, this book offers over 2,500 A-Z entries on aspects of life in the classical world, from politics, medicine, philosophy, art, and architecture, to history, myth and religion, mathematics, and literature, with biographical entries on the important individuals - both real and mythological - of the period. Appendices include a clear and comprehensive account of money and its value in the classical world; a chronology of events across Greece

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. An engrossing guide to English folklore and traditions, with over 1,250 entries. Folklore is connected to virtually every aspect of life, part of the country, age group, and occupation. From the bizarre to the seemingly mundane, it is as much a feature of the modern technological age as of the ancient world. BL Oral and Performance genres-Cheese rolling, Morris dancing, Well-dressingEL BL Superstitions-Charms, Rainbows, WishbonesEL BL Characters-Cinderella, Father Christmas, Robin Hood, Dick WhittingtonEL BL Supernatural Beliefs-Devil's hoofprints, Fairy rings, Frog showersEL BL Calendar Customs-April Fool's Day, Helston Furry Day, Valentine's DayEL

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. A Dictionary of Sports Studies contains over 1,100 clear, concise, and authoritative entries compiled by Professor Alan Tomlinson, a leading expert in the field. Wide-ranging coverage includes the social, political, economical, and cultural theory of sport, as well as entries relating to exercise, preparation, and performance psychology, and key scientific terms, including nutrition and anatomy. It also features biographies of key sportspeople, information on international organizations and institutions, and detailed appendices with lists of sporting events and winners, including the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Addressing the need for an A-Z reference guide in the field of sports studies, this dictionary is essential reading for students of sports studies and the related disciplines of

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. A unique and authoritative A-Z reference work that will answer all your questions on who's who in opera. Contains over 2,500 lively entries on operatic characters, with information on the creator of the role and notable performances. From Aeneas to Zaida, A Book of Opera Characters provides extensive coverage of all the characters in operas from around the world and gives synopses for over 200 operas and operettas. It includes feature articles written by well-known personalities from the world of opera, such as Placido Domingo and Dame Janet Baker, plus articles contributed by Christine Brewer and Joyce DiDonato. Recommended opera-related web links are listed for relevant and up-to-date extra information. This book is an invaluable source of reference for professionals and amateurs alike, a

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. Abridged from the acclaimed Oxford Dictionary of World Religions this is the most comprehensive dictionary of religion available in paperback. Written by an expert team of contributors, the volume contains over 8,200 entries, an extensive topic index, and an original and in-depth introductory essay. The editor, Professor John Bowker, is an established authority on religious studies and a well-known broadcaster on BBC Radio and the World Service. Containing entries on religions, movements, sects, and cults, texts, individuals, sacred sites, customs, ethics, and themes, this dictionary is both extensive and accessible. Fully cross-referenced for ease of use, it is suitable for anybody interested in finding out more about the religions of the world.

This fascinating book tells the stories of the most dramatic, memorable, and important conflicts in world history, from Agincourt, Lepanto, and Trafalgar, to Gettysburg, Stalingrad, and the Somme. It begins with the battle of Megiddo fought by the ancient Egyptians and takes the reader through to the Second Gulf War of 2003. On the way it encompasses almost 300 battles from around the world - from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, to Europe and the Americas.

This entertaining collection gives a history of over 800 of our best-loved catchphrases. Entries are drawn from books, radio and TV shows, films, advertisements, songs, and slogans, and provide full details on who coined or employed each phrase, when, and in what context. This fantastic and lively assortment incorporates both British and American catchphrases and together builds up a rich picture of a fascinating aspect of language.

Who was the first Roman emperor? What country had Andriantsimitoviaminandriana as its king? Who succeeded Harald Bluetooth? From Horus Aha, first king of Egypt, to Abd Allah II, present king of Jordan, this compact and useful reference book charts five millennia of kings, queens, emperors, empresses, regencies, joint reigns, abdications, depositions, interregna, foreign rule, mandates, protectorates, and dynastic unions. Chronological tables show the names and dates of rulers and their family relationships, while supplementary notes cover problems of chronology, calendars and dating systems, margins of error for uncertain dates, and names and titles. Bibliographies document the research and guide the reader to additional information.