Pairs #58

fuss and feathers. Unnecessary embellishments or pomp.

meat and two veg. (primarily UK) A basic, traditional meal, consisting of a portion of meat and two different types of vegetables.

hewers of wood and drawers of water. Those who are used solely for manual labor or menial tasks at the behest of others. An allusion to Joshua 9:21.

pace up and down. To walk back and forth (in or around some place), as in fear, anger, anxiety, frustration, etc.

four score and seven years ago. Eighty-seven years ago. The iconic first line of US President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the speech he delivered at the dedication of the national cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Lincoln gave this speech in 1863—87 years after 1776, the year of the founding of the United States.

all my eye and Betty Martin. (primarily UK) Nonsense talk.

let go and let God. To give up one's self-determination and yield to the teachings, designs, or instructions of God or the church.

take one's ball and go home. To be so petulant in dealing with adversity, loss, or rejection that one quits or leaves abruptly, often disrupting other participants in the process. The image is of a child who leaves with the ball, thus preventing others from continuing to play the game.

Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. (primarily UK) And a large number of other people; et al. Used to indicate that a list of people is frustratingly long. An allusion to a folk song called "Widecombe Fair," the chorus of which lists a large number of people ending with "Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all." Sometimes spelled "Cobley."

year in, and year out. Every year; year after year.

nearest and dearest. The people with whom one has the closest relationships; one's closest and most beloved family members and friends.

raise the flag and see who salutes. To suggest something in order to gauge interest in it.

kicks and giggles. Fun or amusement only, without any serious purpose or motivation.

odd and curious. Strange and intriguing.

down to chili and beans. Broke or destitute.

verve and élan. Great enthusiasm and vigor.

cheese and kisses. (primarily Australia) Rhyming slang for “missus,” i.e., wife.

sadder and wiser. More knowledgeable or experienced after having gone through something unpleasant or unfortunate. Also, sadder but wiser.

chew the meat and spit out the bones. To separate good or valuable information from that which is unsound or invalid.

blues and twos. (primarily UK) An emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance or police car, that has blue flashing lights and a siren that sounds two notes.

go abroad and you'll hear news of home. (proverb) Once one is no longer at home, one becomes more interested or invested in news of home and family as it circulates second-hand.

all mouth and no trousers. (primarily UK) Full of boastful, arrogant, or shallow talk and unable to deliver on stated claims.

a wink and a nod. A sly, subtle signal used to communicate a piece of information that one doesn't want to state aloud, publicly, or directly.

blood and iron. Military action as opposed to non-violent methods. Associated with an 1862 speech by German statesman Otto von Bismarck.