The Oxford dictionary of catchphrases - Anna Farkas

A catchphrase is a set of words that have come to be associated, over time and through repeated usage, with a particular individual or group, or maybe an event. From 'Can I do you now, sir?' and 'Thunderbirds are GO' to 'Eat my shorts!', 'Who loves ya, baby' and 'booyakasha!', this entertaining book gives a history of a selection of our best-loved catchphrases, paying homage to the human nature of adopting a common bond through language. Entries are drawn from TV and radio shows,books, films, songs, and music hall, and provide full details of who coined or employed each phrase, when, and in what context. Together the entries build up a rich and entertaining picture of this fascinating aspect of our language, at the same time providing a snapshot of popular culture during the20th century in Britain and the USA.