What are binomials?

In a reading lesson this week we had an example of a binomial:

“Although they were brothers, they were like chalk and cheese”.

This started a discussion about the meaning of chalk and cheese (meaning: two things that are
very different from each other), and we started to list other binomials that we knew like fish
and chips and bigger and better.

So what are binomials? Binomials are two words joined by words like and, but, or, by, to that
make an expression that often cannot be immediately understood even if you know the
meanings of the actual words. For example, you might know the meaning of chalk and cheese
but not know that joined together, they mean something very different. Often binomials
sound catchy because of alliteration (spick and span) or rhyming (wear and tear).

Here are some sentences with the binomials missing. Can you put the correct binomials into
each sentence?

a. kiss and make up b. short and sweet c. wining and dining d. pros and cons e. sooner or
later f. law and order g. hustle and bustle h. ups and downs i. peace and quiet j. spick and
span k. safe and sound l. slowly but surely

1. They often argue but they always _____A________ in the end

2. ____E_____ you will have to speak to your neighbour about the noise their dogs make.
3. It is important for the police to maintain ____I_____.
4. They were relieved to hear that the cat was _____K____ after going missing for 3 days.
5. What are the _____D____ of moving to Spain?
6. I spent hours cleaning my house making sure it was ____J_____.
7. She loved studying in London as she loved the ____G_____ of city life.
8. His speech was ___B______ rather than going on for hours.
9. We noticed the students were progressing _____L____ with vocabulary learning.
10. His life had been full of many ___H______.
11. He loves the _____I____ of living in the countryside.
12. A great part of my job is ____C_____ clients from abroad.

http://vocabularyforum.blogspot.com/p/binomials-and-trinomials.html
Binomials and trinomials
cool, calm and bubble and squeak, lost and found,
collected cease and desist, loud and clear,
deaf, dumb and blind checks and balances, make or break,
healthy, wealthy and cloak and dagger, milk and honey,
wise cops and robbers, needle and thread
here, there and corned beef and nickel and dime,
everywhere cabbage, nip and tuck,
hook, line and sinker cut and dried, now or never,
liberty, equality and dead or alive, null and void,
fraternity death and destruction, nuts and bolts,
mind, body and soul dollar for dollar, old and gray,
rag, tag and bobtail dos and don'ts, one to one,
ready, willing and able fair and square, open and shut,
vim, vigour and vitality fast and loose, part and parcel,
way, shape or manner fire and brimstone, peace and quiet,
aches and pains fish and chips, pins and needles,
ebb and flow flesh and bones, pots and pans,
jot and tittle goods and services, rags to riches,
hale and hearty ham and eggs, rise and fall,
odds and ends hand to mouth, rise and shine,
stuff and nonsense hands and knees rough and ready
vim and vigour heads or tails, safe and sound
wear and tear hearts and flowers, saints and sinners,
zip and zest hem and haw, short but sweet,
rags and tatters high and dry, show and tell,
aches and pains, high and low,
all or nothing, high and mighty,
back and forth, huff and puff,
beck and call, hugs and kisses,
bigger and better, kiss and make up,
bit by bit, knife and fork,
black and blue, leaps and bounds,
black and white, life and death,
blood and guts, little by little,
bread and butter, long and short,