... and ... Pair Phrases Flashcards
to arrive / turn up / leave in dribs and drabs
to arrive, etc in small numbers / quantities and at irregular intervals
e.g. We’re receiving food, but it is only arriving in dribs and drabs.
bright and early
(to wake up / get up / leave) very early in the morning (has a positive connotation)
e.g. If we leave bright and early tomorrow morning, we should get there by midday.
by and large
generally
e.g. By and large, most people would prefer to have a badly paid job that they liked rather than a well paid job that they disliked.
to be few and far between
not to be very common / to be very difficult to find
e.g. Good jobs are few and far between in days of high unemployment.
to grin and bear it
to accept an unpleasant situation without complaining (probably because there is no choice)
e.g. A shorter lunch break is new company policy, so we’ll just have to grin and bear it.
ins and outs
the details of a complicated situation / problem / system / proposal
e.g. We have yet to discuss all the ins and outs of his proposal.
to make a song and dance about
to complain too much about sth, in a way that seems unnecessary
e.g. I was only 10 minutes late. Why are you making such a song and dance about it?
odds and ends
small unimportant objects
e.g. Everything had been packed away in boxes except for a few odds and ends.
once and for all
definitely and finally so that you end all doubt and uncertainty
e.g. He set out to prove once and for all that Deakin’s alibi was nothing but a tissue of lies.
one’s own flesh and blood
a relative
e.g. We’re talking about my family here, my own flesh and blood. Of course I trust them.
an out-and-out lie
a complete lie (used in reply to sb who has accused you of sth)
e.g. That is an out-and-out lie; you’ve made it all up!
to be part and parcel of
a basic and fundamental part of (life / a job / a problem)
e.g. Having your private life splashed across the front pages of newspapers and glossy magazines is part and parcel of being a celebrity.
peace and quiet
calm and tranquillity
e.g. We took a couple of days off and went to the country for a bit of peace and quiet.
pride and joy
sth / sb that a person is very proud of and which / who is very important to them
e.g. His car / daughter / garden is his pride and joy.
prim and proper
very conservative and easily offended (used to describe people)
e.g. She’s far too prim and proper to have written anything as scandalous as that.
pushing and shoving
pushing (used with reference to crowded places)
e.g. After a lot of pushing and shoving, I finally made it to the counter where everything had been reduced by 50%.
safe and sound
safe and unharmed (used when sb has not been harmed despite being in a potentially dangerous situation)
e.g. The two children, who had been missing for three days, were found safe and sound hiding in an abandoned mine shaft.
spick and span
very clean
e.g. When I get back, I want this place looking spick and span.
touch and go
doubtful (used with reference to important or life-threatening situations)
e.g. It was touch and go whether they would allow us to leave the country.
up-and-coming
sb who shows a lot of promise and will probably be very successful in the future
up-and-coming artist / tennis player / pianist / writer
e.g. The government has introduced a scheme whereby up-and-coming young athletes will receive financial support.
to have ups and downs
to have good times and bad times
e.g. What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?
wear and tear
damage caused to furniture / clothes / equipment, by daily use
e.g. Even allowing for wear and tear, these chair covers should last for at least fifteen years.
well and truly
completely (often used with lost and beaten)
e.g. After walking for three hours, we realised that we were well and truly lost.
As we had been well and truly beaten the Saturday before, the manager decided to make wholesale changes to the team.
to win fair and square
to win fairly (often used when you have been accused of cheating)
e.g. What do you mean I cheated? I won fair and square, and you know it.
