Binomial pairs

(also Siamese twins, binomials, irreversible binomials, nonreversible word pairs, or

freezes) in the context of the English language refer to a pair or group of words used
together as an idiomatic expression or collocation, usually conjoined by the words and or
or. The order of elements cannot be reversed. (A noun phrase with two heads joined by a
conjunction, in which the order is relatively fixed). The expressions milk and honey (two
nouns), short and sweet (two adjectives), and do or die (two verbs) are various examples
of Siamese twins.
Many Siamese twins are "catchy" (and thus clichés and catchphrases) due to alliteration,
rhyming, or their ubiquity in society and culture. Word combinations like rock and roll, the
birds and the bees, mix and match, and wear and tear have become so widely used that
their meanings surpass the meaning of the constituent words and are thus inseparable
and permanent parts of the English lexicon; the former two are idioms, whilst the latter two
are collocations. Ubiquitous collocations like loud and clear and life or death are fixed
expressions, making them a standard part of the vocabulary of native English speakers.
Some English words are known to have become obsolete in general but are still found
exclusively in an irreversible binomial. In the passage of time since spick and span was
coined, the origin and meaning of the word spick has been utterly forgotten; it has become
a fossil word that never appears outside the familiar phrase.[3] In other cases an English
word, like vim in vim and vigor or abet in aid and abet, will be found more often in such
phrases than on its own; such a word may be archaic apart from the collocation.
While many Siamese twins are literal expressions (like washer and dryer, rest and
relaxation, rich and famous, savings and loan), some are entirely figurative (like come hell
or high water, nip and tuck, surf and turf) or mostly figurative (like between a rock and a
hard place, five and dime). Others are somewhat in between these extremes because they
are more subtle figures of speech, synecdoches, metaphors, or hyperboles (like cat and
mouse, sick and tired, barefoot and pregnant, rags to riches).
A few Siamese twins have variations, based on the usage of the phrase. One time-worn
expression is time and time again: it is frequently shortened to time and again. A person
who is covered in tar and feathers (noun) usually gets that way by the action of a mob that
tars and feathers (verb) undesirable people.
Similarly, some Siamese twins mean something different depending on the conjunction
between the words. For example, a give and take refers to two-way or mutual flexibility,
whereas give or take means a numerical approximation. Another example: a person can
do something whether it is right or wrong in contrast to knowing the difference between
right and wrong; each word pair has a subtly differing meaning. And while a five and dime
may seem to be identical to a nickel and dime, their usage in common speech, and even
their part of speech, is dramatically different.
The structure of any Siamese twins phrase has words that are related in some way. The
words constituting a Siamese twins phrase may be synonyms, antonyms, include
alliterations or similar-sounding words that often rhyme. Other varieties of Siamese twins
may also be possible.
Siamese twins occurring as a pair (that is, having two words occurring together) are also
known as binomials. If the variant has three words occurring together, it is also known as a
trinomial. Another name for this collocation is tricolon when the three parts are of the same
or consistent grammatical form. Many of these could be considered triplets and satisfy the
rule of three in writing.
Certain Siamese twins are known for their use in legalese. Due to the use of precedent in
common law, many lawyers use the same collocations found in documents centuries old,
many of which are legal doublets. So rather than a person "enunciating" a "narrative" or
recollecting about a situation, a legal brief will instead declare that a person deposes and
says something pertinent. Likewise, a person who bequeaths property habitually writes of
their heirs and successors and not some alternative construct.
Known as legal doublets, there are many collocations and merisms which are repetitively
used in a legal or official context. Many of these can be found in legal documents dating
back centuries; their habitual use has been decried by some legal scholars as superfluous
in modern legal briefs.
Several legal terms are binomial pairs, often (but not necessarily) consisting of one
Germanic word and one Romance word, such as (last) will and testament or cease and
desist.
The most common conjunctions used in a phrase that constitutes binomials are and or or.
 With "and" as the conjunction

above and beyond

airs and graces
alarm and muster
alive and kicking
alive and well
an arm and a leg
armed and dangerous
apples and oranges
back and fill
back and forth = moving first in one direction then in the other
bacon and eggs (In the UK the term 'eggs and bacon' is the common Siamese Twin)
Bangers and mash
bait and switch
bait and tackle
(old) ball and chain
barefoot and pregnant
bargain and sale
beck and call
bells and whistles
belt and suspenders
big and bold
big and tall
binge and purge
bit and bridle
bits and bobs
bits and pieces = a collection of small pieces, sundry little items, tasks, and chores
block and tackle
blood and guts
blood and gore
bob and weave
bow and arrow
bound and determined
bound and gagged
bow and scrape
brace and bit
bread and water
bread and circuses
bread and roses
brown and serve
bump and grind
by and large = on the whole, in general, usually
by guess and by golly
cap and gown
car and driver
cat and mouse
checks and balances
chop and change
clean and sober
cloak and dagger
coat and tie
coffee and doughnuts
cock-and-bull
crash and burn
cream and sugar
crime and punishment
cup and saucer
cut and dried (dry)
cut and paste
cut and run
dandelion and burdock
day and night
dead and buried
dead and gone
death and taxes
divide and conquer
dog and pony show
down and out = having no opportunities, without money, a job, or a place to live in
duck and cover
duck and dive (UK usage, synonymous to bob and weave in common parlance and origin
from the world of boxing (i.e. pugalistics))
each and every
eyes and ears
far and wide = spread across a large geographical area (often used with “from”)
fast and furious
fast and loose
fine and dandy
fingers and thumbs
fire and brimstone
fish and chips
(by) fits and starts
flesh and blood
flesh and bone
forever and a day
forever and ever
front and center
fun and games
fuss and bother
goals and aspirations
good and plenty
goodness and light
hale and hearty
hard and fast
ham and eggs
hammer and nail
hammer and sickle
hammer and tongs
hearts and minds
here and now
hide and watch
high and mighty
high and dry = without resources or help
high and tight
hit and run
hit it and quit it
hither and yon
hither and thither
home and hosed
home and dry
hook and eye
hook and loop
horse and buggy
horse and carriage
hot and high
hot and bothered
hugs and kisses (XOXO)
intents and purposes
kippers and custard (a jocular nonsense reply to the question (usually a child's) of "what's
for dinner (breakfast, or lunch)?" London (UK) usage, now (2019) all but archaic)
kiss and tell
kiss and makeup
kith and kin
knife and fork
lakes and streams
law and order
lo and behold
lock and dam
lock and key
look and feel
loud and clear = in a clear and understandable manner
make do and mend
man and boy
meat and potatoes
men and women
milk and honey
mortise and tenon
name and address
names and faces
nice and easy
nook and cranny
noughts and crosses
nuts and bolts
odds and ends = various small, unimportant, inexpensive items, miscellaneous tasks or
pieces of information
off and away
once and for all
out and about = out of home, outside, busy, active and doing things
over and out
peaches and cream
Ps and Qs
peanut butter and jelly
peas and carrots
pestle and mortar
pickles and ice cream
pick and axe
piss and vinegar
pride and joy = that gives great joy or satisfaction
prize and booty
pork and beans
pure and simple = used to say there is nothing else to add (after a noun)
quick and dirty
rack and pinion
rack and ruin
raining cats and dogs
rape and pillage
religion and politics
research and development (R&D)
rest and relaxation (R&R)
rhythm and blues (R&B)
rich and famous
rise and shine = wake up and get out of bed (we say this to others)
(between a) rock and a hard place
room and board
rough and tumble
run and jump
(all's) said and done
salt and pepper
scratch and sniff
search and rescue
seek and destroy
shirt and tie
short and fat
short and sweet = when something is done very quickly and comes straight to the point
short and stout
show and tell
shuck and jive
sick and tired = bothered or exhausted about something/ someone.
slash and burn
slings and arrows
slip and fall
slow and steady
skin and bone(s) = very thin, with a sick appearance
smash and grab
smoke and mirrors
snakes and ladders
socks and shoes
song and dance
sound and fury
(in) spirit and (in) truth
spit and polish
stand and deliver
stress and strain
suave and debonair
suit and tie
sunshine and rainbows
supply and demand
sweetness and light
a swing and a miss
sword and sandal
tables and chairs
tall and thin
tar(red) and feather(ed)
tar and feathers
tea and crumpets
(through) thick and thin
thunder and lightning
tits and ass
to and fro
tooth and nail
touch and go
track and field
trial and error
tuck and roll
up and about
vim and vigor
wait and see = to be patient until the outcome of a situation becomes clearer
warm and fuzzy
warp and woof
ways and means
weak and girlish
whinge and whine
last will and testament
wine and roses
words and phrases
X's and O's
a year and a day
 With "or" or "nor" as the conjunction

all or nothing
better or worse
big or small
black or white
business or pleasure
the chicken or the egg
day or night
dead or alive
do or die
fight or flight
(neither) fish nor fowl
give or take = a little more or less than the amount mentioned
good or bad
gentle or simple
he or she
heads or tails
(come) hell or high water
(neither) here nor there
(neither) hide nor hair
his or her
hit or miss
(not one) jot or tittle
kill or cure
kill or be killed
(neither) love nor money
make or break = be a crucial factor in determining the success of anything
more or less = to a certain extent, approximately
now or never = something to do in that moment or never again
put up or shut up
rain or shine = under any circumstances (work done)
rhyme or reason
right or wrong
sink or swim = in a situation where you can either swim and be successful or sink and fail
sooner or later = in the future, even if you are uncertain about the date
take it or leave it = a situation that has to be accepted without any change, or get rejected
outright; the last offer in a negotiation
two or more
up or down
(neither) use nor ornament
victory or death
win or lose
yes or no

With no conjunction

Hunter gatherer
 With opposites and antonyms

addition and subtraction

assets and liabilities
back and forth = go from one position to another and back again
balls and strikes
beginning to end
black and white
big and small
boys and girls
bride and groom
brother and sister
butt and pass
buy and sell
catch and release
cause and effect
church and state
cops and robbers
come and go
coming and going
cowboys and Indians
days and nights
deep and wide
do’s and don'ts = instruction or warnings about what to do and not to do in a particular
situation
dusk till dawn
ebb and flow
fire and ice
first and last
floor to ceiling
food and drink
fore and aft
foreign and domestic
forward and backward
friend or foe
front to back
give and take
good and evil
hail and farewell (etymologically synonyms; functionally antonyms)
hand and foot
head over heels
Heaven and Hell
here and there
hide and seek
hill and dale
him and her
high and low
hips and valleys
his and hers
hither and thither
hot and cold
hurry up and wait
husband and wife
in and out
ladies and gentlemen
land and sea
life or death
long and short
lost and found
love and hate
love and war
man and wife
mom and pop
naughty or nice
near and far
night and day (difference)
nip and tuck
north to south
now and then = sometimes, but not regularly
now and later
on and off = intermittently
open and shut
over and under
park and ride
pen and ink
port and starboard
pros and cons = advantages and disadvantages of a situation
rank and file
rise and fall
savings and loan
in sickness and in health
soap and water
start to finish
strike and dip
sweet and sour
stop and go
the quick and the dead
thick and thin
tip and ring
to and fro
top to bottom
town and country
up and down = upward and downward in an alternate manner; used for emotions, fortunes
ups and downs = the good and bad times
uptown and downtown
victory and defeat
war and peace
washer and dryer
wax and wane
yes and no
 With related words and synonyms

ages and generations

aid and comfort
body and soul
born and raised/bred
bright and early
brick and mortar
by hook or by crook
cheek by jowl
clean and tidy = clean and well organised, in perfect order.
chapter and verse
(this) day and age
dot the i's and cross the t's
fear and loathing
first and foremost
hail and farewell (etymologically synonyms; functionally antonyms)
hand over fist
haughty and high minded
head and shoulders
heart and soul
herbs and spices
house and home
hunger and thirst
leaps and bounds
like father, like son
like mother, like daughter
neat and tidy
six of one,
half a dozen of the other
nook and cranny
null and void = not valid
over and done with
pain and suffering
peace and quiet = period of calm and silence, especially after a noisy or disturbing phase
pick and choose
(on) pins and needles
plain and simple
prim and proper
rocks and shoals
nickel and dime
dollars and cents
rant and rave
shock and awe
signs and wonders
skull and bones
Skull and crossbones
Slice and dice = break larger information into smaller parts to understand it from different
viewpoints
strait and narrow
stress and strain
ticks and chiggers
whine and complain
wind and rain
yea and amen
 With alliteration

bag and baggage

baubles and beads
beams and balance
bed and breakfast
belt and braces
big and bad
the birds and the bees
bish bash bosh
black and blue
bold and beautiful
bootleggers and Baptists
boxers or briefs
bread and butter
bull and boar
cash and carry
chalk and cheese
cliques and clans
command and control
cookies and cream
deaf and dumb
(between the) devil and the deep blue sea
dine and dash
done and dusted = be completely finished or ready
down and dirty
dribs and drabs
drink and drive
drunk and disorderly
Dungeons and Dragons
fast and furious
feast or famine
fire and faggot
fire and fury
flip-flop
flora and fauna
footloose and fancy-free
forgive and forget
form and function
footloose and fancy free
friend or foe
fun and frolics
fur and feathers
ghosts and goblins
grins and giggles
guys and gals
to have and to hold
hearth and home
hem and haw
hoot and holler
Jew and Gentile
juking and jiving
king and country
kit and caboodle
kith and kin
last but not least
latitude and longitude
Lend-Lease
life and limb
live and learn = learning about life by experiences and unpleasant mistakes
lock and load
love it or leave it
mix and match
meek and mild
name and number
part and parcel = that can’t be separated from a specific condition, experience, topic
peas in a pod
pen and pencil
pen(cil) and paper
pig in a poke
pillar to post
pots and pans
publish or perish
rags to riches
ranting and raving
read and write
ready to rumble
rest and relaxation (a.k.a. R 'n' R)
(without) rhyme or reason
right and wrong
rock and roll
rough and ready
rules and regulations = Law, Legislation
safe and secure
safe and sound = in perfect condition, unharmed, 100% healthy
shot and shell
shower and shave
signs and symptoms
slip and slide
spick and span = clean and spotless, as if brand new
spit and shine
Stars and Stripes
sticks and stones
sugar and spice
this or that
tic-tac-toe
tit for tat
top and tail
toss and turn = move around restlessly while trying to sleep
trick or treat
trials and tribulations
tried and tested
tried and true
truck and trailer
wash and wear
watching and waiting
weep and wail
wet and wild
whooping and hollering
wild and wooly
wise and wonderful
witches and warlocks
wrack and ruin
 With rhymes and similar-sounding words

break and take

box and cox
chalk and talk
charts and darts
chips and dip
double trouble
even Steven
fender bender
five and dime
flotsam and jetsam
no fuss, no muss
handy-dandy
harum-scarum
helter skelter
high and dry
hire and fire
hit it and quit
hither and thither
hocus pocus
hoi polloi
hot to trot
huff and puff
hustle and bustle = confusion, chaos
lap and gap
lick 'em and stick 'em
lout and proud
mean, green,
fighting machine
meet and greet
motor voter
my way or the highway
namby-pamby
name and shame
name it and claim it
near and dear
never, ever
nitty gritty
odds and sods
onwards and upwards
Orgy Porgy
out and about
out and proud
pell-mell
pump and dump
rough and tough
shout and clout
saggy baggy
shake and bake
slowly but surely
smoke and joke
son of a gun
stash and dash
stop and drop
so far, so good
surf and turf
time and tide
town and gown
use it or lose it
wake and bake
wear and tear = the damaging effects of ordinary use in a long period
weed and feed
wham, bam, thank you, ma'am
willy nilly = without care
wine and dine = to entertain someone with a good meal and good company
yea or nay
(the) yeas and (the) nays
 With repetition
(Some of these are examples of reduplication)

(an) actor's actor

again and again
all in all
around and around
arm in arm
back to back
be all and end all
billions and billions
bit by bit
bling-bling
bumper to bumper
business to business
by and by
let bygones be bygones
cheek to cheek
closer and closer
come, come
(from) coast to coast
day in, day out
day to day
day by day
for days and days
four-by-four (4x4)
elbow to elbow
end to end
dog eat dog
from ear to ear
end over end
an eye for an eye
eye to eye
face to face
forever and ever
go, go, go
hand in hand
hand to hand
head to head
heart to heart
higher and higher
home sweet home
horror of horrors
kill or be killed
king of kings
less and less
lies, lies, and more lies
little by little
live and let live = being tolerant with others
lower and lower
louder and louder
man to man
man's man
measure for measure
more and more
mouth to mouth
neck and neck
never say never
nose and nose
nose to nose
on and on
out and out
over and over
round and round
poet's poet
pound for pound
run, run, run
shoulder to shoulder
side by side
side to side
so and so
(and) so forth and so on'
step by step = progress gradually from one stage to the other
strength to strength
such and such
through and through
time after time
time and time (again)
(from) time to time
two by two
toe to toe
(a) tooth for a tooth"
(on the) up and up
wall to wall
for weeks and weeks
(from) wire to wire
woman to woman
 People and fictional characters

Abbott and Costello

Adam and Eve
Antony and Cleopatra
Ant & Dec
Batman and Robin
Bert and Ernie
Bonnie and Clyde
Cain and Abel
Flanders and Swann
French and Saunders
Gilbert and Sullivan
Jacob and Esau
"Jack and Jill"
Johnson & Johnson
Laurel and Hardy
Lennon and McCartney
Lewis and Clark
Mel and Sue
Morecambe and Wise
Mork and Mindy
Penn & Teller
Pinky & The Brain
Ren & Stimpy
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Romeo and Juliet
Sonny & Cher
Starsky y Hutch
Tom & Jerry
Tristan and Isolde
Tim & Eric
Vic & Bob
 Rhyming slang

Adam and Eve

apples and pears
bottle and glass (or more commonly just bottle, which leads on to aris from aristotle that is
the rhyming slang for bottle)
Brahms and Liszt
dog and bone
frog and toad
hand and blister
north and south
rabbit and pork
tit for tat
trouble and strife
two and eight
whistle and flute
 Legal doublets

accord and satisfaction

aid and abet
all and sundry
acknowledge and confess
alter or change
appropriate and proper
armed and dangerous
assault and battery
bind and obligate
breaking and entering
by and between
butts and bounds
care and attention
cease and desist
covenant and agree
death and dismemberment
deem and consider
demise and lease
depose and say
due and payable
eastings and northings
expressed or implied
final and conclusive
fit and proper
free and clear
from now and henceforth
full faith and credit
furnish and supply
goods and chattels
have and hold
heirs and successors
high crimes and misdemeanors
hue and cry
indemnify and hold harmless
infangthief and outfangthief
keep and perform
kind and nature
legal and valid
let or hindrance
lewd and lascivious conduct
liens and encumbrances
make and enter into
marque and reprisal
metes and bounds
mind and memory
No quarter. No mercy.
null and void
over and above
perform and discharge
power and authority
profit and loss
sac and soc
sale or transfer
search and seizure
signed and sealed
sole and exclusive
successor and assigns
terms and conditions
toll and team
true and correct
waif and stray
 Common trinomials

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

animal, vegetable, or mineral
beans, bullets, and bandages
beg, borrow, or steal
bell, book, and candle
blood, sweat, and tears
calm, cool, and collected
Coffee, tea or me?
could've, would've, should've
Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
bird, ball, and chain (jocular variant)
ear, nose, and throat
eat, drink, and be merry
fat, dumb, and happy
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
fear, uncertainty, and doubt
fraud, waste, and abuse
Friends, Romans, countrymen
(do not) fold, spindle, or mutilate
Get it? Got it? Good.
gold, silver, and bronze
good, bad, and indifferent
the good, the bad, and the ugly
Guns, Germs, and Steel
hand, foot, and mouth
healthy, wealthy, and wise
here, there, and everywhere
hook, line, and sinker
lather, rinse, repeat
lie, cheat, or steal
lights, camera, action
location, location, location
win, place, or show
hop, skip, and a jump
I came, I saw, I conquered
(no) ifs, ands, or buts
judge, jury, and executioner
left, right and center
life, liberty, and property
lock, stock, and barrel
mad, bad, and dangerous
me, myself, and I
nasty, brutish, and short
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
(neither) rain, nor sleet, nor snow
reading, writing and 'rithmetic
ready, willing, and able
red, white, and blue
sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll
Shake, Rattle and Roll
short and sweet and to the point
slips, trips, and falls
small, medium, and large
stop, drop, and roll
stop, look, and listen
soup, soap, and salvation
sugar and spice and everything nice
tall, dark, and handsome
this, that, and the other
Tom, Dick and Harry
up, down, and sideways
way, shape, or form
whats, whys, and wherefores
win, lose, or draw
 Legal triplets

cancel, annul, and set aside

convey, transfer, and set over
give, devise, and bequeath
grant, bargain, sell
name, constitute, and appoint
ordered, adjudged, and decreed
remise, release, and forever quit claim
rest, residue, and remainder
right, title, and interest
signed, sealed and delivered