Antonio Lillo

This reference work addresses a long-standing need in the study of a class of lexis which attracts attention from scholars and the general public alike. Based on years of extensive research, the dictionary presents a satisfying collection of the varieties of rhyming slang found in and around English-speaking communities worldwide. It covers all forms of rhyming slang in the anglophone world by users from differing social groups and walks of life: criminals, musicians, anglers, second-hand car dealers and sheep-shearers, among many others. Besides ordinary lexical items, this work also lists nicknames and one-off expressions found in culturally valued works, from the fields of literary fiction, poetry, comics, TV and radio series, and films. Each entry is accompanied by chronologically ordered citations from a wide variety of sources (printed and otherwise) showing a word's life and currency. The scope, size and approach of this significant compilation, supported by a substantial bibliography, make it an indispensable work of reference for anyone with an interest in English slang and a key starting point for future research on the origins, social history and development of this fascinating area of the English lexicon.

The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Rhyming Slangs provides a comprehensive and authoritative record of the variant rhyming slangs used in the Anglophone world. The dictionary specifically records social, regional and local variation within the UK alongside an up to date survey of rhyming slangs used in World Englishes at large. It builds upon previous work in the area and establishes a rigorous and authoritative account of the hugely imaginative way that rhyme is used within slangs and argot speech. It stresses accuracy and provability alongside its diversity. This is an academically rigorous work that is both accessible and scholarly. In the manner of the New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English this is a dictionary with authority and a personality.