Irreversible binomial

{{Short description|Fixed phrase of two or more conventionally joined words}} [[File:Original Mac n Cheese_.jpg|thumb|The expression "macaroni and cheese" is an example of irreversible binomial. The order of the two keywords of this familiar expression are normally not reversed.|alt=Photograph of macaroni and cheese.]]

In linguistics and stylistics, an '''irreversible binomial''',<ref name="modern2"/> '''frozen binomial''', '''binomial freeze''', '''binomial expression''', '''binomial pair''', or '''nonreversible word pair'''<ref name="pairs"/> is a pair of words, used together, in fixed order, as an idiomatic expression or collocation. The words typically have a semantic relationship, usually involving the word ''and'' or ''or''. They also belong to the same part of speech: for example: nouns (e.g., ''milk and honey''); adjectives (''short and sweet''); or verbs (''do or die''). Usually (as with the preceding examples) the order of such word elements will not be reversed.<ref name="modern2"/>

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".<ref name="Yakov Malkiel"/> 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 "politically incorrect".<ref name="Jeremy Butterfield"/>

Many irreversible binomials are catchy due to alliteration, rhyming, or ablaut reduplication, so becoming clichés or catchphrases. Idioms like ''rock and roll'', ''the birds and the bees'', and collocations like ''mix and match'', and ''wear and tear'' have particular meanings apart from or beyond those of their constituent words. 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 have become obsolete in general but are still found in an irreversible binomial. For example, ''spick'' is a fossil word that never appears outside the phrase ''spick and span''.<ref name="phrases"/> Some other words, like ''vim'' in ''vim and vigor'' or ''abet'' in ''aid and abet'',<ref name="Espenschied" /> have become rare and archaic outside the collocation.

Numerous irreversible binomials are used in legalese. Due to the use of precedent in common law, many lawyers use the same collocations found in legal documents centuries old. Many of these legal doublets contain two synonyms, often one of Old English origin and the other of Latin origin: ''deposes and says'', ''ways and means''.

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 so (like ''between a rock and a hard place, five and dime''). Somewhat in between are more subtle figures of speech, synecdoches, metaphors, or hyperboles (like ''cat and mouse, sick and tired, barefoot and pregnant''). The terms are often the targets of eggcorns, malapropisms, mondegreens, and folk etymology.

Some irreversible binomials can have minor variations without loss of understanding: ''time and time again'' is frequently shortened to ''time and again''; a person who is ''tarred and feathered'' (verb) can be said to be covered in ''tar and feathers'' (noun).

However, in some cases small changes to wording change the meaning. The accommodating attitude of an activity's participants would be called ''give and take'', while ''give or take'' means "approximately". Undertaking some act whether it is ''right or wrong'' excludes the insight from knowing the difference between ''right and wrong''; each 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 === {{anchor|Examples of Siamese twins employing antonyms}} {{anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials employing antonyms}} {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''addition and subtraction'' * ''assets and liabilities''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''back and forth'' * ''balls and strikes'' * ''beginning to end'' * ''black and white''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''big and small'' * ''a blessing and a curse'' * ''boom or bust'' * ''bride and groom''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''brother and sister'' * ''butt and pass'' * ''buy and sell'' * ''catch and release'' * ''cause and effect''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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'' * ''ebb and flow'' * ''fire and ice'' * ''first and last''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''good and evil'' * ''hail and farewell''{{#tag:ref|Etymologically synonyms; functionally antonyms.|group=note|name=hailfarewell}} * ''hand and foot'' * ''head over heels''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''Heaven and Hell'' * ''here and there'' * ''hide and seek'' * ''hill and dale'' * ''him and her'' * ''high and low''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''hills and valleys'' * ''his and hers'' * ''hither and thither'' * ''hither and yon'' * ''hot and cold'' * ''hurry up and wait'' * ''husband and wife''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''in and out''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''in the (right/wrong) place at the (right/wrong) time'' * ''ladies and gentlemen''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''land and sea'' * ''life or death''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''long and short'' * ''lost and found''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''love and hate'' * ''love and war'' * ''man and wife''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''mind over matter'' * ''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'' * ''open and shut'' * ''over and under'' * ''park and ride'' * ''port and starboard'' * ''pros and cons''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''push and pull'' * ''rank and file'' * ''rise and fall''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''savings and loan'' * ''in sickness and in health'' * ''soap and water''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''start to finish'' * ''(from) stem to stern'' * ''stop and go'' * ''strike and dip'' * ''sweet and sour''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''the quick and the dead'' * ''thick and thin'' * ''(there's) a time and a place'' * ''tip and ring'' * ''to and fro'' * ''top to bottom'' * ''town and country'' * ''up and down''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''ups and downs'' * ''uptown and downtown'' * ''war and peace''<ref name="modern2"/><ref name="pairs"/> * ''washer and dryer'' * ''wax and wane'' * ''weal and woe'' * ''yes and no'' * ''yin and yang'' {{Div col end}}

=== With related words and synonyms === {{anchor|Examples of Siamese twins employing synonyms}} {{anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials employing synonyms}} {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''ages and generations'' * ''aid and comfort'' * ''alas and alack'' * ''bits and pieces'' * ''body and soul''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''born and raised/bred'' * ''bright and early'' * ''brick and mortar''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''by hook or by crook'' * ''cheek by jowl'' * ''clean and tidy'' * ''chapter and verse'' * ''cup and saucer'' * ''(it was a) dark and stormy (night)'' * ''(this) day and age'' * ''dollars and cents'' * ''dot the i's and cross the t's'' * ''fear and loathing'' * ''fish and chips'' * ''first and foremost'' * ''hail and farewell''<ref group=note name=hailfarewell/> * ''hand over fist'' * ''haughty and high minded'' * ''head and shoulders'' * ''heart and soul'' * ''herbs and spices'' * ''highest and best (use)'' * ''house and home'' * ''hunger and thirst'' * ''knife and fork'' * ''leaps and bounds'' * ''like mother, like daughter'' * ''lo and behold'' * ''neat and tidy'' * ''nickel and dime'' * ''nook and cranny'' * ''null and void''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''nuts and bolts'' * ''over and done with''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''pain and suffering'' * ''peace and quiet'' * ''pen and ink'' * ''pick and choose'' * ''(on) pins and needles'' * ''plain and simple'' * ''prim and proper''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''rant and rave'' * ''rocks and shoals'' * ''shock and awe'' * ''signs and wonders'' * ''six of one,<br />half a dozen of the other'' * ''skull and bones'' * ''skull and crossbones'' * ''strait and narrow'' * ''straight and narrow'' * ''stress and strain'' * ''swings and roundabouts'' * ''ticks and chiggers'' * ''whine and complain'' * ''wind and rain'' * ''(up) close and personal'' * ''yea and amen'' {{Div col end}}

=== With alliteration === {{anchor|Examples of twins employing alliteration}}

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

{{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''bag and baggage''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''baubles and beads'' * ''beams and balance'' * ''bed and breakfast''<ref name="modern2"/><ref name="pairs"/> * ''belt and braces'' * ''bench and bar'' * ''big and bad'' * ''the birds and the bees''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''black and blue'' * ''bold and beautiful'' * ''bootleggers and Baptists'' * ''boxers or briefs'' * ''bread and butter''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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'' * ''fast and furious'' * ''feast or famine'' * ''fire and forget'' * ''fire and fury'' * ''fit in or fuck off'' * ''flip-flop'' * ''flora and fauna'' * ''footloose and fancy-free'' * ''forgive and forget''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''form and function'' * ''friend or foe'' * ''fun and frolics'' * ''fur and feathers'' * ''ghosts and goblins'' * ''grins and giggles'' * ''to have and to hold'' * ''hearth and home'' * ''hem and haw''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''hoot and holler'' * ''horseshoes and handgrenades'' * ''Jew and Gentile'' * ''juking and jiving'' * ''king and country'' * ''kit and caboodle''<ref name="rd"/> * ''kith and kin'' * ''last but not least'' * ''latitude and longitude'' * ''life and limb''<ref name="ldoceonline"/> * ''live and learn'' * ''lock and load'' * ''love 'em and leave 'em'' * ''love it or leave it'' * ''mix and match'' * ''meek and mild'' * ''name and number'' * ''part and parcel''<ref name="Espenschied"/> * ''peas in a pod'' * ''pen and pencil''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''pen(cil) and paper'' * ''pig in a poke'' * ''pillar to post'' * ''pots and pans''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''publish or perish'' * ''rags to riches''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''ranting and raving''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''read and write''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''rest and relaxation'' (R&R/R'n'R) * ''(without) rhyme or reason'' * ''right and wrong''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''rock and roll'' * ''rough and ready'' * ''rules and regulations''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''safe and secure'' * ''safe and sound'' * ''shot and shell'' * ''shower and shave'' * ''signs and symptoms'' * ''slip and slide''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''spick and span''<ref name="phrases"/> * ''spit and shine'' * ''Stars and Stripes''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''sticks and stones'' * ''sugar and spice'' * ''this or that'' * ''tit for tat'' * ''top and tail'' * ''toss and turn''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''trick or treat'' * ''trials and tribulations''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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 woolly'' * ''wise and wonderful'' * ''witches and warlocks'' * ''wrack and ruin'' {{Div col end}}

=== With rhymes and similar-sounding words === {{anchor|Examples of Siamese twins employing similar-sounding words}} {{anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials employing similar-sounding words}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''a wrap and a slap'' * ''break and take'' *''boom and zoom'' * ''box and cox'' * ''chalk and talk'' * ''charts and darts'' * ''chips and dip'' * ''dive and drive'' * ''fair and square'' * ''fender bender'' * ''five and dime'' * ''flotsam and jetsam''<ref name="rd"/> * ''handy-dandy'' * ''hanky-panky'' * ''helter skelter'' * ''higgledy piggledy'' * ''high and dry''<ref name="modern2"/><ref name="pairs"/> * ''hire and fire''<ref name="modern2"/> *''hit and split'' * ''hit it and quit'' * ''hither and thither'' * ''hocus pocus'' * ''hoity-toity'' * ''hot to trot'' * ''hotch-potch'' * ''huff and puff''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''hurly-burly'' * ''hustle and bustle'' * ''itty-bitty'' * ''lap and gap'' * ''latest and greatest'' * ''lean, mean, fightin' machine'' (also: mean, green) * ''lick 'em and stick 'em'' * ''loud and proud'' * ''meet and greet'' * ''might makes right'' * ''motor voter'' * ''my way or the highway'' * ''name and shame'' * ''name it and claim it'' * ''near and dear'' * ''never, ever'' * ''nitty gritty'' * ''odds and sods'' * ''onwards and upwards'' * ''out and about'' * ''out and proud'' * ''pell-mell'' * ''pump and dump'' * ''rough and tough'' * ''run and gun'' * ''shout and clout'' * ''saggy baggy'' * ''shake and bake'' * ''slowly but surely'' * ''smoke and joke'' * ''son of a gun'' * ''stash and dash'' * ''stitch and bitch'' * ''stop and drop'' * ''so far, so good'' * ''surf and turf'' * ''teeny-weeny'' * ''time and tide'' * ''town and gown''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''use it or lose it'' * ''wake and bake'' * ''wear and tear'' * ''weed and feed'' * ''wheeling and dealing'' * ''willy nilly'' * ''wine and dine''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''yea or nay'' * ''(the) yeas and (the) nays'' {{Div col end}}

== Legal terminology == {{main|Legal doublet}} In law and official documents, there are many irreversible binomials and triplets consisting of near synonyms, such as the oft-heard ''terms and conditions''<ref name="Espenschied" /> and ''cease and desist''.<ref name="Espenschied" /> 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 === {{anchor|Examples of Siamese twins with ''"and"'' as the conjunction}} {{anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials with ''"and"'' as the conjunction}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''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''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''bacon and eggs''<ref name="modern2"/><ref name="pairs"/>{{#tag:ref|In the United Kingdom ''eggs and bacon'' is the common term.|group=note|name=baconeggs}} * ''bangers and mash'' * ''bait and switch'' * ''bait and tackle'' * ''(old) ball and chain'' * ''barefoot and pregnant'' * ''bargain and sale'' * ''bed and breakfast'' * ''beck and call'' * ''bells and whistles'' * ''belt and suspenders'' * ''big and bold'' * ''big and tall'' * ''bigger and better'' * ''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''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''bread and circuses'' * ''bread and roses'' * ''brown and serve'' * ''bucket and spade'' * ''bump and grind'' * ''bump and run'' * ''by and large''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''by guess and by golly'' * ''cap and gown'' * ''car and driver'' * ''cat and mouse'' * ''checks and balances'' * ''chicken and dumplings'' * ''chop and change'' * ''clean and sober'' * ''cloak and dagger''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''coat and tie''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''coffee and doughnuts''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''cock-and-bull'' * ''come and go'' * ''crash and burn'' * ''cream and sugar''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''crime and punishment''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''cup and saucer''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''cut and dried (dry)'' * ''cut and paste'' * ''cut and run'' * ''dandelion and burdock'' * ''(in this)day and age'' * ''day and night'' * ''dead and buried'' * ''dead and gone'' * ''death and taxes'' * ''dine and dash'' * ''divide and conquer'' * ''dog and pony show'' * ''down and out''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''duck and cover'' * ''duck and dive''{{#tag:ref|In the United Kingdom, synonymous to ''bob and weave'' in common parlance and origin from the world of boxing (i.e. pugilistic).|group=note|name=duckdive}} * ''each and every'' * ''eyes and ears'' * ''facts and figures'' * ''far and wide'' * ''fast and furious'' * ''fast and loose'' * ''fine and dandy'' * ''fingers and thumbs'' * ''fire and brimstone'' * ''first and foremost'' * ''fish and chips''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''(by) fits and starts'' * ''flesh and blood''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''flesh and bone'' * ''forever and a day'' * ''forever and ever'' * ''front and center''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''fun and games''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''fuss and bother''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''give and take'' * ''goals and aspirations'' * ''good and plenty'' * ''goodness and light'' * ''grin and bear it'' * ''ground and pound'' * ''hack and slash'' * ''hale and hearty''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''hard and fast'' * ''ham and eggs''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''hammer and nail''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''hammer and sickle'' * ''hammer and tongs'' * ''hearts and minds'' * ''(move) heaven and earth'' * ''here and now'' * ''hide and seek'' * ''hide and watch'' * ''high and mighty''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''high and dry'' * ''high and tight'' * ''hit and miss'' * ''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''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''huff and puff'' * ''hugs and kisses'' (XOXO) * ''if and when'' * ''(for all) intents and purposes'' * ''kiss and tell'' * ''kiss and make up'' * ''kith and kin''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''knife and fork''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''kicking and screaming'' * ''lakes and streams'' * ''last will and testament'' * ''law and order''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''lo and behold'' * ''lock and dam'' * ''lock and key''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''locked and loaded'' * ''look and feel'' * ''loud and clear'' * ''make do and mend'' * ''man and boy'' * ''meat and potatoes'' * ''men and women'' * ''milk and cookies'' * ''milk and honey'' * ''mortise and tenon'' *''movers and shakers'' * ''name and address''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''names and faces'' * ''nice and easy''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''nook and cranny'' * ''noughts and crosses'' * ''(every) now and then'' * ''nuts and bolts'' * ''odds and ends''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''off and away'' * ''once and for all'' * ''one and done'' * ''one and only'' * ''out and about'' * ''over and out'' * ''peaches and cream''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''Ps and Qs'' * ''peanut butter and jelly'' * ''peas and carrots'' * ''pickles and ice cream'' * ''pick and axe'' * ''piss and moan'' * ''piss and vinegar'' * ''piss and whine'' * ''prim and proper'' * ''prize and booty'' * ''pros and cons'' * ''pork and beans''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''pure and simple''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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 fall'' * ''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''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''salt and vinegar'' * ''scratch and sniff'' * ''search and rescue'' * ''seek and destroy'' * ''(different) shapes and sizes'' * ''shirt and tie''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''short and fat''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''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'' * ''song and dance'' * ''sound and fury'' * ''(in) spirit and (in) truth'' * ''spit and polish'' * ''stand and deliver'' * ''stress and strain'' * ''Sturm und Drang'' * ''suave and debonair'' * ''suit and tie''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''sunshine and rainbows'' * ''supply and demand''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''sweetness and light'' * ''a swing and a miss'' * ''sword and sandal'' * ''tables and chairs'' * ''tall and thin''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''tar(red) and feather(ed)'' * ''tar and feathers'' * ''tea and crumpets'' * ''(through) thick and thin''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''thunder and lightning'' * ''tits and ass'' * ''to and fro'' * ''tooth and nail'' * ''touch and go''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''track and field'' * ''trial and error''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''trials and tribulations'' * ''tuck and roll'' * ''twist and turn'' * ''up and about'' * ''up and coming'' * ''vim and vigor'' * ''wait and see''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''warm and fuzzy'' * ''warp and weft'' * ''watch and ward'' * ''wax and wane'' * ''ways and means'' * ''well and good'' * ''whinge and whine'' * ''wine and roses'' * ''words and phrases'' * ''X's and O's'' * ''yes and no'' * ''a year and a day'' {{Div col end}}

=== With "or" or "nor" as the conjunction === {{anchor|Examples of Siamese twins with ''"or"'' or ''"nor"'' or as the conjunction}} {{anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials with ''"or"'' or ''"nor"'' or as the conjunction}} {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''all or nothing'' * ''better or worse'' * ''big or small'' * ''black or white'' * ''business or pleasure''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''the chicken or the egg'' * ''day or night'' * ''dead or alive''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''do or die'' * ''fight or flight'' * ''(neither) fish nor fowl'' * ''give or take''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''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''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''more or less'' * ''now or never'' * ''put up or shut up'' * ''rain or shine''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''rhyme or reason'' * ''right or wrong''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''sink or swim'' * ''sooner or later''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''take it or leave it'' * ''two or more'' * ''up or down''<ref name="pairs"/> * ''(neither) use nor ornament'' * ''victory or death'' * ''win or lose'' * ''yes or no'' {{Div col end}}

=== With no conjunction === * ''hoity toity'' * ''hunter-gatherer'' * ''corn cheese''

== People and fictional characters == {{Further|Category:Duos}} {{div col|colwidth=22em}} * Abbott and Costello * Abraham and Isaac * Achilles and Patroclus * Adam and Eve<ref name="pairs"/> * Alexiares and Anicetus * Antony and Cleopatra * Ant & Dec * Batman and Robin * Bonnie and Clyde * Cain and Abel * Cannon and Ball * Castor and Pollux * Cupid and Psyche * Click and Clack * Damon and Pythias * David and Goliath * Deleuze and Guattari * Dick and Jane * Faust and Marguerite * Flanders and Swann * Fred and Rose * French and Saunders * Frick and Frack * Fry and Laurie * Gilbert and Sullivan * Gilgamesh and Aga * Hansel and Gretel * Hellman & Friedman * Jacob and Esau * Jack and Jill<ref name="pairs"/> * Jack and Victor * Jaya and Vijaya * Jekyll & Hyde * Laurel and Hardy * Lennon and McCartney * Lerner and Loewe * Lewis and Clark * Lilo & Stitch * Little and Large * Lugal-irra and Meslamta-ea * Mario and Luigi * Martin and Lewis * Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen * Mel and Sue * Morecambe and Wise * Mork and Mindy * Orpheus and Eurydice * Ox-Head and Horse-Face * Penn & Teller * Phyllis and Aristotle * Phineas and Ferb * Pinky & The Brain * Pygmalion and Galatea * Ren & Stimpy * Rhett & Link * Rick and Morty * Rodgers and Hart * Rodgers and Hammerstein * Romeo and Juliet * Romulus and Remus * Rosencrantz and Guildenstern * Sam and Max * Samson and Delilah * Simon & Garfunkel * Sonny & Cher<ref name="rd"/> * Thelma & Louise * Thomson and Thompson * Tom & Jerry * Tristan and Isolde * Tim & Eric * Venus and Adonis * Vic & Bob * Watson and Crick{{Div col end}}

== Rhyming slang == {{main|Rhyming slang}}

{{Anchor|Examples of Siamese twins from Rhyming slang}} {{Anchor|Examples of irreversible binomials from Rhyming slang}} {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''Adam and Eve'' * ''apples and pears'' * ''bottle and glass''{{#tag:ref|Or more commonly just ''bottle'', which leads on to ''aris'' from ''aristotle'' that is the rhyming slang for ''bottle''.|group=note|name=bottleglass}} * ''Brahms and Liszt'' * ''dog and bone'' * ''frog and toad'' * ''hand and blister'' * ''north and south'' * ''rabbit and pork'' * ''trouble and strife'' * ''two and eight'' * ''whistle and flute'' {{Div col end}}

== 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 === {{div col|colwidth=28em}} * ''Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob'' * ''animal, vegetable, or mineral'' * ''back, sack, and crack'' * ''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'' * ''culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'' * ''Eagle, Globe, and Anchor'' ** ''bird, ball, and chain''{{#tag:ref|Jocular variant|group=note|name=birdballchain}} * ''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, frankincense, and myrrh'' * ''gold, God, and glory'' * ''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''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''hook, line, and sinker''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''hop, skip, and a jump'' * ''Huey, Dewey, and Louie'' * ''I came, I saw, I conquered'' * ''(no) ifs, ands, or buts'' * ''judge, jury, and executioner'' * ''lather, rinse, repeat'' * ''left, right and center''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''lie, cheat, or steal'' * ''lies, damned lies, and statistics'' * ''life, liberty, and property'' * ''lights, camera, action'' * ''lock, stock, and barrel'' * ''mad, bad, and dangerous'' * ''me, myself, and I'' * ''mean, median, and mode'' * ''name, rank, and serial number'' * ''nasty, brutish, and short'' * ''The Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María'' * ''Past, Present, Future'' * ''Planes, Trains, and Automobiles'' * ''(neither) rain, nor sleet, nor snow'' * ''reading, writing and 'rithmetic'' * ''ready, willing, and able'' * ''red, white, and blue'' * ''secure, contain, protect'' * ''sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll'' * ''Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego'' * ''Shake, Rattle, and Roll'' * ''short and sweet and to the point'' * ''signed, sealed, and delivered'' * ''slips, trips, and falls'' * ''small, medium, and large'' * ''Snap, Crackle and Pop'' * ''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'' * ''tic-tac-toe'' * ''Tom, Dick, and Harry''<ref name="modern2"/> * ''the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (so help me/you God)'' * ''up, down, and sideways'' * ''(in no) way, shape, or form'' * ''the way, the truth, and the life'' * ''whats, whys, and wherefores'' * ''win, lose, or draw'' * ''win, place, or show'' * ''your tired, your poor, your huddled masses'' {{Div col end}}

=== Quadrinomials === {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * ''attack, decay, sustain, release'' * ''blood, toil, tears, and sweat'' * ''Create, Read, Update, Delete'' * ''Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony'' * ''John, Paul, George, and Ringo'' * ''Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John'' * ''north, south, east and west'' * ''parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme'' * ''signed, sealed, published, and declared'' * ''soprano, alto, tenor, bass'' * ''spectacles, testicles, wallet, and watch'' * ''suck, squeeze, bang, blow'' * ''time, destiny, fate, eternity'' * ''War, Pestilence, Famine, Death'' {{div col end}}

== See also == {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Adjective order * Anastrophe * Collocation * Fossil word * Hendiadys * Hendiatris * Isocolon * Meme * Merism * Phraseme * Set phrase * Trope * Word order {{Div col end}}

==Notes== {{Reflist|1=30em|group=note}}

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Espenschied">{{cite book | last = Espenschied | first = Lenné Eidson | title = Contract Drafting: Powerful Prose in Transactional Practice | series = ABA Fundamentals0 | date = 2010 | publisher = American Bar Association | location = Chicago | isbn = 978-1-60442-795-0 | pages = 164–165 | chapter = 10.1 Eliminate clutter and redundant language § Eliminate common doublets and triplets | lccn = 2010003298 | oclc = 505017586 | ol = 15443452W | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NRNUshLwjMgC&pg=PA164}}</ref>

<ref name="modern2">{{cite book | last1 = Gramley & Pätzold | title = A Survey of Modern English | edition = 2 | publisher = Routledge | year = 2004 | location = London | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qFZsXfJsa8kC | access-date = 2024-04-28 | isbn = 9781134420469 | page = 58 }}</ref>

<ref name="pairs">[http://www.sightwordsgame.com/vocabulary-words/word-pairs/ Word Pairs]</ref>

<ref name="phrases">Martin, Gary. [http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/spick-and-span.html Spick-and-span], Phrases.org.uk</ref>

<ref name="rd">{{cite web | url = http://www.rd.com/slideshows/8-amusing-stories-behind-common-expressions/6/ | title = 8 Amusing Stories Behind Common Expressions | Reader's Digest | work = Reader's Digest | date = 2011-11-13 | access-date = 2011-12-18 | archive-date = 2015-02-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204031345/http://www.rd.com/slideshows/8-amusing-stories-behind-common-expressions/6/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Yakov Malkiel">Malkiel, Yakov (1959) [http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/myl/Malkiel1959.pdf Studies in irreversible binomials]''Lingua'' '''8''':113–160</ref>

<ref name="Jeremy Butterfield">Butterfield, Jeremy (2015) ''Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage'', 4th edition, {{isbn|0199661359}}, p. 436, ''s.v.'' "irreversible binomials"</ref>

<ref name="ldoceonline">{{cite web |url=https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/life-and-limb |title=life and limb {{!}} meaning of life and limb in Longman Dictionary of contemporary English {{!}} LDOCE |website=Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online |publisher=LDOCE |access-date=7 December 2018 |quote=life and limb formal your life and physical health – used especially when this is threatened in some way}}</ref> }}

==Bibliography==

* Cooper, William E. and Ross, John R. (1975). World order. In Robin E. Grossman et al. (Eds.), ''Papers from the Parasession on Functionalism,'' Chicago Linguistic Society, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, pp. 63–111. * Sarah Bunin Benor, Roger Levy, "The Chicken or the Egg?: A Probabilistic Analysis of English Binomials", ''Language'' '''82''':2:233-278 (June 2006) {{JSTOR|4490157}} [http://idiom.ucsd.edu/~rlevy/papers/binomials-accepted.pdf full text] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419055535/http://idiom.ucsd.edu/~rlevy/papers/binomials-accepted.pdf |date=2008-04-19 }} * Ourania Hatzidaki, "Binomials and the Computer: a Study in Corpus-Based Phraseology", ALLC/ACH Conference, University of Glasgow, July 2000 [http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/allcach2k/Programme/session5.html#513 abstract] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230195044/http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/allcach2k/Programme/session5.html#513 |date=2017-12-30 }}

Category:English language Category:Idioms