Irreversible binomial

In linguistics and stylistics, an irreversible binomial,[1] (frozen) binomial,[1] binomial pair, binomial expression, (binomial) freeze, or nonreversible word pair[2] is a pair or group of words used together in fixed order as an idiomatic expression or collocation. The words belong to the same part of speech, have some semantic relationship, and are usually connected by the words and or or.

The expression "macaroni and cheese" is an irreversible binomial. The order of the two keywords of this familiar expression cannot be reversed idiomatically.

The term "irreversible binomial" was introduced by Yakov Malkiel in 1954, though various aspects of the phenomenon had been discussed since at least 1903 under different names: a "terminological imbroglio".[3] Ernest Gowers used the name Siamese twins (i.e., conjoined twins) in the 1965 edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage. The 2015 edition reverts to the scholarly name, "irreversible binomials", as "Siamese twins" had become offensive to some.[4]

Many irreversible binomials are catchy due to alliteration or rhyming, and many have become ubiquitous clichés or catchphrases. Phrases like rock and roll, the birds and the bees, mix and match, and wear and tear have meanings beyond those 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.

The order of elements cannot be reversed.[1]

They may be composed of various parts of speech: milk and honey (two nouns), short and sweet (two adjectives), and do or die (two verbs).

Some English words have become obsolete in general but are still found in an irreversible binomial. For example, spick in spick and span is a fossil word that never appears outside the phrase.[5] Some other words, like vim in vim and vigor or abet in aid and abet, have become rare and archaic outside the collocation.

Some irreversible binomials are used 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 of two synonyms, often one of Old English origin, the other of Latin origin: deposes and says, heirs and successors.

While many irreversible binomials 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). The terms are often the targets of eggcorns, malapropisms, mondegreens, and folk etymology.

Some irreversible binomials have variations: time and time again 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.

The precise wording may change the meaning. A give and take is mutual flexibility, while give or take is a numerical approximation. 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 five and dime is a noun phrase for a low-priced variety store, nickel and dime is a verb phrase for penny-pinching.

Structure

The words in an irreversible binomial belong to the same part of speech, have some semantic relationship, and are usually connected by and or or. They are often near-synonyms or antonyms, alliterate, or rhyme.

Examples below are split into various tables; some may belong in more than one table but are listed only once.

With opposites and antonyms

addition and subtraction
assets and liabilities[1]
back and forth
balls and strikes
beginning to end
black and white[2]
big and small
boys and girls
bride and groom[2]
brother and sister
butt and pass
buy and sell
catch and release
cause and effect[2]
church and state
cops and robbers
come and go
coming and going
cowboys and Indians
days and nights
deep and wide
dos and don'ts
dusk till dawn
ebb and flow
fire and ice
first and last[2]
floor to ceiling
food and drink
fore and aft
foreign and domestic
forward and backward
friend or foe
front to back
fruits and vegetables
give and take[2]
good and evil
hail and farewell[note 1]
hand and foot
head over heels[1]
Heaven and Hell
here and there
hide and seek
hill and dale
him and her
high and low[2]
hills and valleys
his and hers
hither and thither
hither and yon
hot and cold
hurry up and wait
husband and wife[2]
in and out[2]
ladies and gentlemen[2]
land and sea
life or death[2]
long and short
lost and found[2]
love and hate
love and war
man and wife[2]
mom and pop
naughty or nice
near and far
night and day (difference)
nip and tuck
north to south
now and then
now and later
on and off
open and shut
over and under
park and ride
pen and ink
port and starboard
pros and cons[2]
rank and file
rise and fall[2]
savings and loan
in sickness and in health
soap and water[2]
start to finish
strike and dip
sweet and sour[2]
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[2]
ups and downs
uptown and downtown
victory and defeat
war and peace[1][2]
washer and dryer
wax and wane
yes and no

With related words and synonyms

ages and generations
aid and comfort
alas and alack
bits and pieces
body and soul[2]
born and raised/bred
bright and early
brick and mortar[2]
by hook or by crook
cheek by jowl
clean and tidy
chapter and verse
(this) day and age
dollars and cents
dot the i's and cross the t's
fear and loathing
first and foremost
hail and farewell[note 1]
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
lo and behold
neat and tidy
six of one,
half a dozen of the other
nickel and dime
nook and cranny
null and void[2]
over and done with[1]
pain and suffering
peace and quiet
pick and choose
(on) pins and needles
plain and simple
prim and proper[2]
rant and rave
rocks and shoals
shock and awe
signs and wonders
skull and bones
skull and crossbones
strait and narrow
stress and strain
ticks and chiggers
whine and complain
wind and rain
yea and amen

With alliteration

Also see the English section of the Reduplication article for cases like walkie-talkie, ragtag, chit-chat, hip-hop, bing-bang-boom, etc.

bag and baggage[1]
baubles and beads
beams and balance
bed and breakfast[1][2]
belt and braces
big and bad
the birds and the bees[2]
bish bash bosh
black and blue
bold and beautiful
bootleggers and Baptists
boxers or briefs
bread and butter[2]
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
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
fit in or fuck off
flip-flop
flora and fauna
footloose and fancy-free
forgive and forget[2]
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[2]
hoot and holler
Jew and Gentile
juking and jiving
king and country
kit and caboodle[6]
kith and kin
last but not least
latitude and longitude
Lend-Lease
life and limb[7]
live and learn
lock and load
love it or leave it
mix and match
meek and mild
name and number
part and parcel[8]
peas in a pod
pen and pencil[2]
pen(cil) and paper
pig in a poke
pillar to post
pots and pans[2]
publish or perish
rags to riches[1]
ranting and raving[2]
read and write[2]
ready to rumble
rest and relaxation (R&R/R'n'R)
(without) rhyme or reason
right and wrong[2]
rock and roll
rough and ready
rules and regulations[1]
safe and secure
safe and sound
shot and shell
shower and shave
signs and symptoms
slip and slide[2]
spick and span[5]
spit and shine
Stars and Stripes[2]
sticks and stones
sugar and spice
this or that
tic-tac-toe
tit for tat
top and tail
toss and turn[2]
trick or treat
trials and tribulations[2]
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[6]
no fuss, no muss
handy-dandy
harum-scarum
helter skelter
higgledy piggledy
high and dry[1][2]
hire and fire[1]
hit it and quit
hither and thither
hocus pocus
hoi polloi
hoity toity
hot to trot
huff and puff[2]
hustle and bustle
lap and gap
lean, mean, fightin' machine
lick 'em and stick 'em
lout and proud
mean, green, fightin' 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[1]
use it or lose it
wake and bake
wear and tear
weed and feed
wham, bam, thank you, ma'am
willy nilly
wine and dine[1]
yea or nay
(the) yeas and (the) nays

Legal terminology

In law and official documents, there are many irreversible binomials or triplets consisting of near synonyms. See the Legal doublet article for a list.

Conjunction

The most common conjunctions in an irreversible binomial 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[2]
bacon and eggs[1][2][note 2]
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
black and blue
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[2]
bread and circuses
bread and roses
brown and serve
bump and grind
by and large[2]
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[2]
coat and tie[2]
coffee and doughnuts[2]
cock-and-bull
crash and burn
cream and sugar[2]
crime and punishment[2]
cup and saucer[2]
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[2]
duck and cover
duck and dive[note 3]
each and every
eyes and ears
far and wide
fast and furious
fast and loose
fine and dandy
fingers and thumbs
fire and brimstone
fish and chips[2]
(by) fits and starts
flesh and blood[2]
flesh and bone
forever and a day
forever and ever
front and center[2]
fun and games[2]
fuss and bother[1]
goals and aspirations
good and plenty
goodness and light
hale and hearty[1]
hard and fast
ham and eggs[2]
hammer and nail[2]
hammer and sickle
hammer and tongs
hearts and minds
here and now
hide and watch
high and mighty[1]
high and dry
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 heavy
hot and high
hot and bothered[2]
hugs and kisses (XOXO)
(for all) intents and purposes
kippers and custard[note 4]
kiss and tell
kiss and makeup
kith and kin[1]
knife and fork[2]
lakes and streams
last will and testament
law and order[2]
lo and behold
lock and dam
lock and key[2]
look and feel
loud and clear
make do and mend
man and boy
meat and potatoes
men and women
milk and honey
mortise and tenon
name and address[2]
names and faces
nice and easy[2]
nook and cranny
noughts and crosses
nuts and bolts
odds and ends[1]
off and away
once and for all
out and about
over and out
peaches and cream[2]
Ps and Qs
peanut butter and jelly
peas and carrots
pestle and mortar
pickles and ice cream
pick and axe
piss and vinegar
prize and booty
pork and beans[2]
pure and simple[2]
quick and dirty
rack and pinion
rack and ruin
raining cats and dogs
rape and pillage
research and development (R&D)
rhythm and blues (R&B)
rich and famous
rise and shine
(between a) rock and a hard place
room and board
rough and tumble
run and jump
(all's) said and done
salt and pepper[2]
scratch and sniff
search and rescue
seek and destroy
shirt and tie[2]
short and fat[2]
short and sweet
short and stout
show and tell
shuck and jive
sick and tired
slash and burn
slings and arrows
slip and fall
slow and steady
skin and bone(s)
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[2]
sunshine and rainbows
supply and demand[2]
sweetness and light
a swing and a miss
sword and sandal
tables and chairs
tall and thin[2]
tar(red) and feather(ed)
tar and feathers
tea and crumpets
(through) thick and thin[2]
thunder and lightning
tits and ass
to and fro
tooth and nail
touch and go[2]
track and field
trial and error[2]
tuck and roll
up and about
vim and vigor
wait and see[2]
warm and fuzzy
warp and woof
ways and means
weak and girlish
whinge and whine
wine and roses
words and phrases
X's and O's
yes and no
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[2]
the chicken or the egg
day or night
dead or alive[2]
do or die
fight or flight
(neither) fish nor fowl
give or take[1]
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[1]
more or less
now or never
put up or shut up
rain or shine[2]
rhyme or reason
right or wrong[2]
sink or swim
sooner or later[2]
take it or leave it
two or more
up or down[2]
(neither) use nor ornament
victory or death
win or lose
yes or no

With no conjunction

hoity toity
hunter-gatherer

People and fictional characters

Rhyming slang

Adam and Eve
apples and pears
bottle and glass[note 5]
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

Variants

Irreversible binomials are sometimes isocolons (bicolons, tricolons, etc.) which have become set phrases.

They may also be called simply binomials.

With three words, they may be called trinomials, and may satisfy the rule of three in writing.

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[note 6]
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[1]
hook, line, and sinker[1]
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[1]
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[1]
up, down, and sideways
way, shape, or form
whats, whys, and wherefores
win, lose, or draw

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