|
here and now |
immediately - you
sometimes hear "the here and now" = the present time. |
|
here and there |
In different places - e.g.
I've seen him here and there. |
|
now and then |
Occasionally |
|
now and again |
Also occasionally |
|
now and forever |
permanently |
|
up and down |
always up and
down, never down and up |
|
ups and downs |
good times - bad times: We
all have our ups and downs! |
|
down and out |
He's got no job, no money,
no friends. He's down and out, poor fellow!
|
|
round and round |
Going in circles, getting
nowhere. |
|
backwards and forwards |
always in this
order |
|
to and fro |
going there and back again |
|
in and out |
We never say 'never out and in'. |
|
ins and outs |
The details, e.g. He knows all the ins and outs
of it. |
|
for and against |
We never say 'against and
for', e.g. There are arguments for and against speed limits. |
|
pros and cons |
The same as 'for and
against' - it's Latin. |
|
good days and bad days |
We all have them! |
|
good news - bad news |
Just like exam results! |
|
breaking and entering |
Forcing entry to a
building and going inside it - a criminal offence! |
|
give and take
|
You help me; I help you -
that's give and take. |
|
swings and roundabouts |
What you gain on the
swings, you loose on the roundabouts. Your choices are about equal. |
|
cash and carry |
Pay and go - usually a
wholesale seller of goods |
|
hit and miss |
Sometimes you get it
right; sometimes you get it wrong. It's really just a matter of luck - hit
and miss really. |
|
spick and span |
As clean and tidy as can
be. I'd be surprised if you can find anyone who actually knows the meaning
of either 'spick' or 'span' but most people will know what the
expression means. |
|
clean and tidy |
About
the same as 'neat and clean'. |