Pairs #14

Head and shoulders. 1. (idiomatic) To a considerable degree. 2. (as Head & Shoulders) A brand of anti-dandruff shampoo.

Pen and pencil. A pair of writing implements needed by many students.

Thick and thin. 1. Both thickets and thin woodland; (through) all obstacles in a path. 2. (idiomatic) Both good and bad times.

Bells and whistles. (idiomatic) Extra features added for show rather than function.

Meet and greet. A social gathering primarily for purposes of networking.

Five and dime. (US) A store selling inexpensive items.

Heart and soul. The core of a thing; the most essential or important part.

Belt and braces. Redundancy affording mutual backup in the event of one system failing.

Over and out. (procedure word, idiomatic) Used in films and TV to signal the end of a conversation, especially one conducted by CB radio or the like. (Not used in real-life radio communications, since “over” means other parties are free to speak and “out” means you do not expect a reply.)

Mike and Ike. A brand of oblong fruit-flavored chewy candies introduced in 1940 and still manufactured as of 2023.

Form and substance. The structure and content of something, such as a creative work.

Search and rescue. The search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.

Chips and dip. A dish usually served as a snack or appetizer and consisting of potato, tortilla, corn, bean, vegetable, pita, plantain or other chips (crisps) and one or more dips, e.g., French onion dip, salsa, guacamole.

Open and shut. (informal) Simple and obvious; easily decided.

Lock and dam. A system that enables a large ship to move from a body of water at one level to another body of water at another level.

Rhythm and blues. A genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s.

Duck and dive. (UK, colloquial) To operate in a skilfully shifty or evasive manner.

Fish and chips. A hot dish featuring batter-fried fish and chips (French fries), which originated in Britain and is today popular in English-speaking and Commonwealth nations.

Rich and famous. 1. A description of wealthy celebrities. 2. A 1981 film starring Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen.

Hearth and home. Traditional family values and home life.

New and improved. A phrase often used in advertising to describe the latest version of a product or service that is more robust than previous versions; or a new product or service that is more robust than previously offered ones.

Cheese and crackers. A food pairing often served as a snack or as an hors d'oeuvre.

Nice and easy. In a way that is slow, careful, gentle, or easy.

Before and after. A description of a pair of images showing the difference made by a specified treatment.