Whitman's sampler
See also: Whitman's Sampler
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From the brand name of a popular assortment of boxed chocolates marketed in the US. The company was named after its founder, Stephen Whitman of Philadelphia.
Pronunciation edit
Audio (AU) (file)
Noun edit
Whitman's sampler (plural Whitman's samplers)
- (US, idiomatic) A diverse collection.
- 2005 March 18, Richard Harrington, “Lend Them Your Ears: Breaking Stories From the Music Scene”, in Washington Post, retrieved 8 July 2014:
- So here we go, offering a Whitman's Sampler of local talent, just a hint of the multitude of hopeful artists working their way toward the spotlight.
- 2006 July 9, “Talk Show”, in Businessweek, retrieved 8 July 2014:
- In a June 13 court filing, plaintiffs cite the memo as one of "a Whitman's Sampler" of V&E papers showing that the firm "was present at the creation, active throughout and still in on [Enron's] fraudulent scheme when it finally collapsed."
- 2008 January 17, John Marshall, “From poets to politicians, a great week for author readings”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 8 July 2014:
- Witness just this Whitman's Sampler of sweet author treats: The first female secretary of state (Madeleine Albright). A perennial best-seller and an Oprah pick (Sue Miller). A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (Muhammad Yunus). Three local black poets (Colleen J. McElroy, Gloria Burgess, Lauri Conner). A humor writer for "Saturday Night Live" and The New Yorker, turned best-selling debut novelist (Patricia Marx).
- 2009 July 18, David Segal, “A Matter of Opinion?”, in New York Times, retrieved 8 July 2014:
- Dozens of investors have filed lawsuits seeking redress from the rating agencies, contending that the companies bear responsibility for investors’ losses, under a Whitman’s sampler of theories.
Synonyms edit
- assortment, collection, diversity, melange, miscellany, smorgasbord
- See also Thesaurus:hodgepodge