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The Meaning of Liff

The Original Dictionary Of Things There Should Be Words For

John Lloyd author Douglas Adams author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:23rd Oct '25

Should be back in stock very soon

The Meaning of Liff cover

A 42nd anniversary edition of entertaining and witty dictionary The Meaning of Liff - offsetting from the 2013 HB of Douglas Adams and John Lloyd's classic humour book, which was revised and updated to include elements from The Deeper Meaning of Liff. Exclusive edition. Numbers are very limited.

The 42nd-anniversary edition of the classic dictionary, revised and updated to include elements from The Deeper Meaning of Liff. The perfect gift for Christmas, a birthday, or a particularly tricky Thursday . . .

From Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and John Lloyd (Blackadder, Spitting Image, QI), this is the 42nd anniversary edition of The Meaning of Liff. Revised, updated and ready to change your life.

In life, there are hundreds of familiar experiences, feelings and objects for which no words exist, yet hundreds of strange words are idly loafing around on signposts, pointing at places. The Meaning of Liff connects the two. This is a hilariously essential dictionary of things there should be words for - where all the words themselves are recycled place names.

BERRIWILLOCK (n.) – An unknown workmate who writes ‘All the best’ on your leaving card.

ELY (n.) – The first, tiniest inkling that something, somewhere has gone terribly wrong.

GRIMBISTER (n.) – Large body of cars on a motorway all travelling at exactly the speed limit because one of them is a police car.

KETTERING (n.) – The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair.

OCKLE (n.) – An electrical switch which appears to be off in both positions.

WOKING (ptcpl.vb.) – Standing in the kitchen wondering what you came in here for.

42 years later, The Meaning of Liff is back, but in a snazzier jacket.

Think of it as a mid-liff crisis.

One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius -- David Walliams, author of Gangsta Granny on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Packed with that unique energy, all barmy and bristling and bold . . . above all, it dares to be silly. Fiercely, beautifully silly -- Russell T. Davies, writer and producer of Doctor Who on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Really entertaining and fun -- Michael Palin, broadcaster and comedian (Monty Python) on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Fizzing with ideas . . . brilliant -- Charlie Brooker, writer and producer of Black Mirror on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

ISBN: 9781035051458

Dimensions: 189mm x 119mm x 24mm

Weight: 246g

256 pages