This work of reference explores the origin and meaning of a vast range of words, phrases, and events that have come into use in the English language over the past century. Over 8000 entries cover slang terms, acronyms, idioms, catchphrases, quotations, and new expressions. And in a century rich in mythology, the dictionary catalogues the happenings and personages that have become our modern "fables," from Lord Haw-Haw and El Nino to the Lewinsky affair and Harry Potter. Backed with a wealth of quotations and anecdotes, it is a major source of information on modern life and culture.