This witty and sardonic guide to euphemisms and other forms of doubletalk includes thousands of words and phrases that camouflage true meanings. These linguistic fig leaves, as they have been called, range from delicate evasions ("bosom," "unmentionables," and "the love that dare not speak its name") to monstrosities that are designed to disguise torture ("energetic interrogation"), sanitize war ("soft ordnance," not "napalm"), and cover up mass murder ("the Final Solution" and "ethnic cleansing").

Completely cross-referenced and featuring a general introduction that tells how and why euphemisms are created, often in sequences as one term succeeds another, this dictionary is especially valuable for its detailed attention to the origins of expressions and for its many examples of actual usage, showing the interplay between language and culture.

Rawson's Dictionary of Euphemisms and Other Doubletalk will appeal not only to those who use words with care and who care about how they are used by others, but to the many people who enjoy browsing through collections of curious facts presented in entertaining, anecdotal fashion.