Pairs #13

Checks and balances. A principle of separation of powers whereby each of the branches of a government should have the power to limit or check the others, creating a balance among them.

Down and out. (idiomatic) In a condition of poverty or debility, especially as a result of experiencing a financial or personal setback.

Bed and breakfast. A small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast.

Once and for all. (idiomatic) Finally, permanently, conclusively.

Haughty and high minded. Filled with selfish pride; inflated with self-conceit.

Meat and potatoes. (informal) Normal, average, typical, unexceptional, or nondescript.

Near and far. Everywhere; over a very large area or distance.

Pen and ink. 1. A drawing executed with pen and ink. 2. (Cockney rhyming slang) A stink.

Scratch and sniff. A technology whereby a fragrant coating is applied to items such as stickers or paperboard, so that when the coating is scratched it releases an odor that is normally related to the image displayed under the coating.

Live and learn. An exhortation to gain knowledge from lived experiences. Commonly used after a misfortune to indicate a moral lesson.

Hat and gloves. Outdoor wear for cold weather. Before World War II, accessories a respectable woman would never leave the house without.

Beck and call. Summons and control, in a position of servitude or as an attendant. Nearly always used in a prepositional phrasing: “at one’s beck and call.”

The quick and the dead. The living and the dead.

Rest and relaxation. The free time of a soldier or international UN staff serving in unaccompanied (no family) duty stations.

Fingers and thumbs. To be all fingers and thumbs is to be clumsy or awkward in one’s actions.

Lo and behold. Used to express surprise, sometimes ironically or sarcastically.

Arts and crafts. All the handicrafts based upon making decorative and useful things manually. May also refer to the Arts and Crafts movement, a trend in the decorative and fine arts that flourished in Europe and North America between about 1880 and 1920.

Cheese and onion. A largely British food pairing found in, for example, cheese and onion sandwiches and cheese and onion pies. Cheese and onion is also a popular flavoring for crisps (chips).

Guys and gals. An informal way of addressing or referring to a mixed-sex group of individuals.

Wax and wane. To alternate; to increase and diminish in turn.

Drink and drive. To drive under the influence of alcohol.

Meek and mild. Quiet, gentle, and not willing to argue or express opinions in a forceful way.

Onwards and upwards. On to greater things.

Fire and brimstone. The traditional punishments of Hell; the wrath of God.