Common English Idioms: ‘And’ Expressions Explained
Common English Idioms with ‘And’
Here’s a list of common English idioms that use the word ‘and’, along with their definitions:
- Sick and tired – Definition: Annoyed or frustrated with something/someone and at the point of getting angry or losing your patience.
- Short and sweet – Definition: When something is very quick and to-the-point; of minimum length and no longer than it needs to be.
- Wine and dine – Definition: Entertain someone with a good quality meal.
- Up and down – Definition: Moving between the same two points repeatedly.
- Odds and ends – Definition: Various items of different types, usually small, often of little value and importance.
- Skin and bone – Definition: To be very thin; to look underfed.
- Loud and clear – Definition: Very clear and very easy to understand.
- Back and forth – Definition: Moving first in one direction then in another.
- By and large – Definition: On the whole. Generally or mostly.
- Far and wide – Definition: A large number of places, across a large geographical area; often used with from.
- To and fro – Definition: In one direction and then in the opposite direction.
- Tooth and nail – Definition: Furiously or fiercely; with all of one’s strength and effort.
- Up and about (also up and around; up and doing) – Definition: Active again, especially after an illness or rest.
- Song and dance – Definition: An elaborate story or effort to explain and justify something, or to deceive and mislead someone.
- Collar and tie – Definition: Dressed formally.
- (On) pins and needles – Definition: Anxious; in suspense.
- Make or break – Definition: The result will be either success or failure, nothing between.
- Take it or leave it – Definition: (Of a negotiation) your last offer: you are not going to negotiate further or allow the other person to negotiate.
- Sooner or later – Definition: That something will definitely happen, although it is not known when.
- Part and parcel – Definition: That something is always an essential part of something and is never missing from it.
- Safe and sound – Definition: Not in danger and not injured in any way.
- Rules and regulations – Definition: Laws, rules, legislation.
- Live and learn – Definition: To learn from the experiences that life gives us (often you live and learn), said when you hear or discover something which is surprising.
- Prim and proper – Definition: Someone who is prim and proper behaves in a very formal and correct way and is easily shocked by anything rude.
- Spick and span – Definition: Immaculately clean; spotless.
- Bits and bobs – Definition: Sundry little items, tasks, or chores.
- Hustle and bustle – Definition: A lot of noisy activity caused by people, usually in cities.
- Wear and tear – Definition: The decrease in value and/or quality of something because of its age and a lot of use.
- Willy-nilly – Definition: Haphazardly.
- Hard and fast – Definition: Defined, fixed, invariable.
- Down and out – Definition: Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless.
- Length and breadth – Definition: In every part of a large area.
- Back to front – Definition: When the back of something faces the front, and vice-versa.