Binomial pairs

A binomial pair is an expression containing two words which are joined by a

conjunction (usually and or or). The word order of a binomial pair is usually fixed.

Here are some of the most common binomials, split into five categories:

1. Binomial pairs joined by and

2. Binomial pairs joined by or
3. Binomial pairs with alliteration
4. Rhyming binomial pairs
5. Binomial pairs joined by other words.

1. Binomials joined by and

Back and forth

Meaning: moving first in one direction then in another
Example: We rocked the baby back and forth in the chair until she fell asleep.
The taxi driver´s job consists mainly of going back and forth between the hotel and
the airport all day.

Bits and pieces

Meaning: small individual things
Example: Then there are all the other bits and pieces involved in a wedding:
invitations, photos, and car hire.

By and large
Meaning: mostly, generally; with few exceptions
Example: It was, by and large, an unexceptional presentation.

Far and wide

Meaning: a large number of places, across a large geographical area; often used
with from
Example: People travel from far and wide to see the birthplaces of the Beatles.

Loud and clear

Meaning: very clear and very easy to understand
Example: The message from voters came across loud and clear.
You don´t have to shout – I can hear you loud and clear.

Neat and tidy

Meaning: clean, organized, tidy, in a state of good order
Example: The house is always neat and tidy. There´s never anything out of place.
Odds and ends
Meaning: miscellaneous things, often of little value and importance
Example: The garage was filled with a random assortment of odds and ends.

On and off
Meaning: intermittently
Example: With so much worry, I only slept on and off last night.

Peace and quiet

Meaning: a period of calm, silence, etc., especially after noise, stress
Example: Why don’t you all go and play outside? Your mother needs a bit of peace
and quiet.
Short and sweet
Meaning: efficiently brief in duration, especially when referring to an unpleasant task
Example: The staff meeting was short and sweet today.

Sick and tired

Meaning: bored to the point of weariness
Example: The boy was sick and tired of doing his lengthy homework assignment.

Sick and tired

Meaning: annoyed or frustrated with something or someone, to the point of losing
one’s temper or patience.
Example: She was sick and tired of her daughter pestering her to help her with her
homework.

Skin and bone

Meaning: to be very thin; to look underfed
Example: That dog is all skin and bone. I don´t think anyone ever feeds it.

Ups and downs

Meaning: periods of positive and negative events, moods, or interactions; highs and
lows.
Example: Heidi and Mike had their ups and downs, but they stayed married for
more than 60 years.

Wine and dine

Meaning: wine and dine someone - entertain someone with a good quality meal
Example: The company wined and dined the prospective clients.
2. Binomials joined by or

Give or take
Meaning: approximately; plus or minus some unknown amount
Example: He was six feet tall, give or take.

Make or break
Meaning: cause success or failure, nothing between
Example: The next match is make or break for us. If we lose we´ll have no chance of
winning the league.

More or less
Meaning: approximately; almost
Example: The repairs to the car will take a week, more or less.

Sooner or later
Meaning: eventually, at some undetermined time in the not-too-distant future
Example: He’ll turn up sooner or later.

Take it or leave it
Meaning: a situation has to be accepted without change, or rejected outright
Example: That’s the deal: take it or leave it.

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3. Alliteration

Live and learn

Meaning: to learn from the experiences that life gives us (often you live and learn),
said when you hear or discover something which is surprising.
Example: You mean I can get a discount because I’m under 26? Well, you live and
learn – I never knew that!

Part and parcel

Meaning: an integral or essential piece; that which must be done or accepted as part
of something else
Example: Regular maintenance is part and parcel of owning a car.

Safe and sound

Meaning: safe from danger and free from injury or harm
Example: I won’t be able to relax during this storm until I know that the kids are both
safe and sound.

Spick and span

Meaning: clean, spotless; original sense “like new”.
Example: I mopped up the kitchen floor so it was spick-and-span.
Rules and regulations
Meaning: laws, rules, legislation
Example: The rules and regulations in prisons are very strict.

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4. Rhyming binomials

Hustle and bustle

Meaning: a large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding
Example: He moved to his parents’ farm to have a break from the hustle and bustle
of the big city.

Wear and tear

Meaning: damage or depreciation resulting from ordinary use
Example: I drive carefully and have my car serviced regularly to avoid wear and tear.

Willy-nilly
Meaning: haphazardly, randomly, and without much planning and organisation; without
order
Example: The product sold badly because the salesmen travelled to customers willy-
nilly without any strategy or plan.
She’s so untidy – when she gets undressed she simply throws her clothes around the
room willy-nilly.

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5. Binomial pairs joined by other words

Back to front
Meaning: when the back of something faces the front, and vice-versa
Example: You’ve got your t-shirt on back to front! Take it off and turn it around.

Step by step
Meaning: to do something methodically, one step at a time
Example: Follow the course and step by step you will learn how to create modern and
attractive web pages.