I think of November as the Thanksgiving month when people get together, so I thought it would be fitting to publish this post about expressions with two words that are joined by “and.” Some of these words are opposites and some of the words have similar meanings. Here are the ones I thought about. Let me know more “and” expressions that I missed!
- Opposite meanings
- To and fro (short for “from”) – an old expression to indicate something that moves back and forth (oops – there is another one!)
- Ebb and flow. This expression is often used to describe the tide (ebb means when the water comes in toward the shore; flow means when the water recedes from the shore). It is also could be used to describe someone’s energy or other situations that describe back and forth movement.
- Similar meanings (these I just don’t understand – why use two words that mean the same thing??)
- Null and void
- Lo and behold
- Mix and mingle
- Peace and quiet
- Not the same, but close?
- Nook and cranny. A nook is often used to describe a recessed space (e.g. breakfast nook) or secluded place, but it may also be used to describe a corner. A cranny seems to be used to describe a specific type of recessed space, usually with sharp edges (English muffin holes, anyone?) or a small and narrow opening. Fun!