Binomials = idioms containing 2 words joined by a conjunction (and,or,but). The word order is fixed.

BINOMIAL MEANING EXAMPLES

Again and again Time after time “Una y otra vez” I’ve told you again and again…
Over and over On and on He explains the same thing over and over
By and large In general “En resumidas cuentas”
Now and then “De vez en cuando”
Touch and go Situación incierta, delicada “no se sabe si..” It’s touch and go whether we’ll go bankrupt
Aches and pains “Achaques”, (to have/get) When old, you have all sort of aches and pains
Odds and ends “Trastos, chismes, un batiburrillo” My desk is full of odds and ends.
small things of various kinds without much value
Safe and sound “Sano y salvo” (after being in danger) After two days lost, he came home safe and
sound
Alive and kicking “Vivito y coleando” (SB or STH) Traditional jazz is still alive and kicking.
Sick and tired “Hasta las narices” I’m sick and tired of our neighbours
Night and day “Dia y noche” all the time He is sleepless, crying out night and day
Up and down (to move, run,drive, walk) +place We drove up and down the same street ten
times
Ups and downs Good and bad times Ups and downs during our 30 years of marriage
Give and take “Toma y daca” You have to give and take in life
Grin and bear it “A mal tiempo buena cara” There was no alternative but to grin and bear it
Like chalk and cheese “Como el día y la noche” (very different) My brother and I are like chalk and cheese
Like two peas in a pod “Como dos gotas de agua”
Be down and out Having no luck, no money, and no opportunities Nobody loves you when you're down and out.
No ifs and buts “Sin peros”, “Sin pegas” No ifs and buts – just do it!
(All) the world and his “Todo quisqui” It seemed that the world and his wife had come
wife a lot of people of different kinds to Madrid
Rough and ready “Improvisado”, a rough-and-ready
simple and prepared quickly, but effective method/technique/approach/rules…..
Loud and clear (to speak, to hear sb) “Alto y claro” You don’t have to shout – I can hear you loud and
very clear and very easy to understand clear
Short and sweet “Directo y al grano” A meeting, a speech, an explanation.,….
Short but sweet “Corto pero intenso”
Wear and tear “Desgaste” (por el uso) Seat covers on buses , cars,….
To take/have a lot of … = “sufrir mucho...” Joints (“articulaciones”)
The dos and don’ts “Lo que se debe y no hacer”
The pros and cons
The ins and outs “Los pormenores, los detalles” I don't understand the ins and outs of it.
The hustle and bustle “Ajetreo, bullicio”, The hustle and bustle of the city, the market...
a lot of noisy activity caused by people, usu in
cities
By trial and error “A fuerza de equivocarse” It's just a process of trial and error.
Step by step to do something methodically, one step at a time. / Little by little he became accepted by the family.
Little by little Gradually
Side by side “uno al lado del otro” “codo a codo” To work …..
Face to face “Cara a cara” We've never spoken face-to-face.
Sooner or later “Tarde o temprano” Sooner or later she's going to find out
Heads or tails? “Cara o cruz”
To be part and parcel “Es parte de” , “ parte integral de” Travelling a lot is part and parcel of being a
to be a necessary feature of something professional footballer
To do sth nilly-willy “A lo loco, al tun-tun” , without planning I can’t decide it willy-nilly.
To have pins “Hormigueo” (foot, leg) when you have not moved I get pins and needles in my legs if I sit in the
and needles part of your body for a long time, and same position for too long.
the supply of blood has stopped flowing properly  Stiff muscles = agujetas
Here, there and “ Por todas partes”, Everywhere I’ve looked here, there and everywhere for my
everywhere glasses but I can’t find them
Blood, sweat and “sangre, sudor y lágrimas” To take a lot of….
tears