This page gives a list of all pairs I could find that are linked by
"and" (or "&", "et", "und", etc.). Many other people or things are
coupled (e.g. Cinderella and Prince Charming, Sears and Roebuck, hip
bone and thigh bone), but unless they have come to be commonly
identified as "[one] and [another]", they are not in this
list. I have arbitrarily limited the phrases to five words, so you
will not here see such worthy examples as "a day late and a dollar
short" or "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition." (This
requirement is relaxed for the trios near the end.)
The list is sorted with common (in the sense of uncapitalized)
words first, followed by proper names. The latter are further
divided into: Titles of artworks, Brand and company names, Names
from myth and folklore, and Other names. This is followed by lists
of trios and lists of phrases separated by "or" and "but".
Sometimes, phrases might fit into two or more of those sections, but
they are put only in one, so if you are checking if a phrase is
present, use your browser's search feature. The lists are sorted
more literally than librarians sort; in particular, "a" and "the"
are alphebetized the same as any other words.
Where alternate versions of the phrase are given (as with "bacon
and eggs, eggs and bacon"), the more common expression comes first,
as measured by Google's Ngram Viewer for 2019. The definitions are
meant simply to give you an idea of what the phrase means, not to
satisfy lexicographers. Many entries have more meanings than I have
noted. A tilde inside a quote in the definitions refers to the
entire and-linked phrase. For example, under "beck and call", the
"at one's ~" in the definition should be read as "at one's beck and
call."
Acknowledgement must be given to AcademicKids.com, whose
encyclopedia has a "List of famous pairs". Most of the
British-centric pairs in the proper names came from their site.
I'm sure there are more of these that I have not found yet. If you
find them first, feel free to let me know. Look at my taxonomy
webpages for how to contact me.
Last modified 5/1/2025.
| aa and pahoehoe, a'a and pahoehoe |
two types of lava flows |
| above and beyond |
far more than the expected amount |
| abscissa and ordinate |
math: cartesian coordinates |
| accuracy and precision, precision and accuracy |
measures of observational error |
| aces and eights |
dead man's hand |
| aches and pains |
bodily unpleasantness |
| addition and subtraction |
basic math operators |
| advice and consent |
an oversight power of the legislature over the executive (see, e.g., Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution) |
| again and again |
repeatedly |
| aid and comfort |
it's treason to give it to the enemy |
| aiding and abetting |
law: helping a crime |
| alas and alack |
regretfully |
| algebra and geometry |
high-school math |
| alive and kicking |
alive and active |
| alive and well |
alive and active |
| all and sundry |
everyone |
| all intents and purposes |
"for ~" or "to ~": essentially |
| all this and more, all that and more |
a teaser for more to come |
| all work and no play |
proverb: "~ makes Jack a dull boy" |
| alpha and omega |
the first and last |
| amphibians and reptiles, reptiles and amphibians |
cold-blooded terrestrial vertebrates |
| analog and digital |
two types of information signals |
| an arm and a leg |
a very expensive cost |
| anima and animus |
Jungian archetypes within men/women |
| anode and cathode |
poles of a battery |
| anticlines and synclines |
"hill" and "valley"-shaped folded strata |
| any and all, any and every |
all, with emphasis |
| anything and everything |
all things, without exception |
| apogee and perigee, perigee and apogee |
furthest and closest points of an orbit |
| appear and disappear |
occur transiently |
| apples and oranges |
not suitable for comparison |
| arbitrary and capricious |
baseless, despotic, Trump-like in actions |
| armed and dangerous |
formulaic caution regarding some criminal suspects |
| arms and ammunition |
projectile weaponry |
| arms and legs |
limbs |
| arrest and conviction |
there are rewards for information leading to it |
| arrivals and departures |
airport schedules |
| arts and crafts |
handiwork, esp. decorative work |
| arts and letters |
arts and literature, implying a study or appreciation thereof |
| arts and sciences |
topics of a well-rounded education |
| ask, and you shall receive; ask, and ye shall receive |
biblical quote from Matt. 7:7, Luke 11:9 |
| asked and answered |
objection to a repeated question |
| assault and battery |
violence in threat and deed |
| a thousand and one |
phrase for a large number; part of Arabian Nights
title; number of and-linked pairs collected here as of
8/13/2024 (plus 72 trios, 36 or-linked) |
| aunt and uncle |
parents' siblings (and their spouses) |
| a wing and a prayer |
"on ~": with little chance of success |
| a wink and a nod, a nod and a wink |
something hinted at and understood |
| back and forth |
oscillating |
| bacon and eggs, eggs and bacon |
common food pairing |
| bag and tag |
collect and document evidence; complete with finality |
| bagel and cream cheese |
common food pairing |
| bait and hook |
tied products business model, aka razor and blades |
| bait and switch |
advertising a bargain and substituting something more expensive |
| ball and chain |
a hinderance to one's freedom |
| ball and socket |
type of joint |
| ball and stick |
chemistry: type of molecule model |
| balls and strikes |
baseball data |
| bangers and mash |
British dish |
| bar and restaurant, restaurant and bar |
place that serves meals and drinks |
| bathroom and W.C. |
restroom (British) |
| battledore and shuttlecock |
early badminton-like sport |
| BC and AD |
Gregorian calendar year designation |
| BCE and CE |
secular version of BC and AD |
| be-all and end-all |
most important reason for something |
| beam and draft |
width and depth of a boat |
| bear and forebear, sustine et abstine |
endure adversity -- motto of Epictetus, a Stoic |
| beard and mustache, beard and moustache |
facial hair |
| beck and call |
"at one's ~": to be ready to obey |
| bed and breakfast |
small inn |
| beer and skittles |
fun (British) |
| before and after |
contrast of something over time |
| be fruitful and multiply |
biblical quote (Gen. 1:28) |
| bells and whistles |
attractive but nonessential additional features |
| best and brightest |
the most capable people |
| bib and tucker |
clothing outfit, usu. in "best ~" |
| big and bad |
impressive |
| big and small |
contrasting sizes; [cap.] 2008 kids' TV series |
| big and tall |
specialty clothing for large men |
| billions and billions |
lots; [cap.] 1997 book by Carl Sagan |
| biscuits and gravy |
common food pairing |
| bits and pieces |
small fragments; [cap.] jigsaw puzzle brand |
| black and blue |
bruised |
| black and tan |
drink combining pale and dark beers |
| black and white |
clearly defined; not in color |
| blind and deaf, deaf and blind |
oblivious |
| block and tackle |
a system or two or more pulleys |
| blood and gore |
blood in quantity, esp. in movies |
| blood and guts |
violence and bloodshed |
| blood and soil, Blut und Boden |
Nazi ideal of a racially-pure people on a settlement area |
| blood and treasure |
the costs of war |
| bob and weave |
move rapidly up and down and side to side |
| body and soul |
with complete devotion |
| boom and bust |
economic cycling |
| boots n cats |
beatbox basic sound |
| bored and stroked |
pistons modified to increase an engine's displacement and thus its power |
| born and raised, born and bred |
product of a place or condition |
| bought and paid for |
bribed |
| bound and determined |
very determined |
| bound and gagged |
typical capture and restraint scenario |
| bow and arrow |
low-tech weapon system |
| bow and scrape |
show excessive politeness; kowtow |
| boys and girls |
[self-explanatory] |
| brace and bit |
type of drill |
| brains and brawn, brain and brawn |
mental and physical capability |
| bread and butter |
basic sustenance, livelihood |
| bread and circuses |
appeasement of the populace, as with food and entertainment |
| bread and water |
impoverished diet |
| break and run |
pocket all the balls before one's pocket billiards opponent gets a turn |
| breaking and entering |
forceful trespass |
| brick and mortar |
building materials; physical presence of a store |
| bride and groom |
couple to be married |
| bright and early |
very early |
| bright-eyed and bushy-tailed |
alert and eager |
| brushing and flossing |
dental hygiene |
| bubble and squeak |
fried potatoes, cabbage, sometimes meat |
| buck and ball |
load for muskets combining one relatively large ball with a few buckshot pellets |
| buck and boost, boost and buck |
step DC voltage down and up |
| buck-and-wing |
a lively solo tap dance, usu. done in wooden shoes |
| bulls and cows |
Wordle-like guessing game |
| bump and grind |
dance style |
| buying and selling, buy and sell |
engaging in commerce |
| by and by |
in a while |
| by and large |
on the whole |
| by gosh and by golly, by gosh and begorrah |
expression of surprise |
| by guess and by golly |
carelessly, relying on guesswork and luck |
| cabbages and kings |
quote from Lewis Carroll |
| cake and ice cream, ice cream and cake |
common food pairing |
| call and response |
interactive communication; musical composition technique |
| calls and puts, puts and calls |
two related types of options trades |
| cans and bottles, bottles and cans |
recyclable containers |
| cap and gown |
academic regalia, especially for commencement |
| cap and trade |
carbon emissions trading |
| cards and dice |
portable gambling game equipment |
| care and feeding |
provision of necessities |
| carriage and pair |
a carriage and two horses to draw it [cf "coach and six"] |
| carriage return and line feed |
new line in typing |
| carrot and stick |
offer of both reward and punishment |
| cars and trucks |
[self-explanatory] |
| cash and carry |
wholesale trade where goods are paid for on the spot |
| cast and crew |
everyone who works on a show |
| cat and mouse |
pursuit involving near-captures and repeated escapes |
| catch and release |
fishing in which caught fish is released unharmed |
| cats and dogs |
"rain ~": rain very hard |
| cattle and sheep, sheep and cattle |
grazing ruminants, historically conflicting, now often synergistic |
| cause and effect |
an action and its consequence |
| cause and manner |
"~ of death": what medical examiners determine |
| cease and desist |
legal warning to discontinue an activity |
| chalk and cheese |
very different from each other |
| chapter and verse |
full authoritative information |
| check and mate |
rarer form of "checkmate" |
| checks and balances |
principle of balanced government |
| cheese and crackers |
common food pairing; minced oath for "Jesus Christ" |
| cherubim and seraphim |
highest ranking angels |
| chew and spew |
a cheap, low-quality fast food restaurant (US and Australia) |
| chew and spit |
tasting behavior associated with eating disorders |
| chicken and dumplings |
common food pairing |
| chopped and screwed |
hip hop music genre |
| church and state |
separated (ideally) social domains |
| churn and burn |
aggressive marketing at the expense of customer and employee retention |
| civil and criminal |
broad categories of law |
| clean and jerk |
two-part weightlifting exercise: floor to shoulder-high to overhead |
| clean and press |
like clean and jerk, but with last part done only with the upper body |
| clear and hold |
counter-insurgency military strategy |
| clear and present |
"~ danger": a serious and imminent threat |
| cloak and dagger |
involving intrigue or espionage |
| coach and six |
stagecoach and six horses to draw it |
| cock and bull |
made up; untrue |
| coffee and donuts |
common food pairing |
| cold and calculating |
unemotional |
| cold and damp |
clammy; lyric from Sounds of Silence (1966) |
| cold and flu |
seasonal illnesses |
| come and get it |
the meal is ready |
| come and go |
occur, but not for long |
| comings and goings |
people's movements |
| command and control |
the running of an organization, esp. military |
| compare and contrast |
note similarities and differences |
| copper and zinc, zinc and copper |
brass |
| cops and robbers |
children's play; [cap.] title of various movies and songs |
| country and western |
music genre |
| cowboys and Indians |
children's play |
| crash and burn |
fail spectacularly |
| cream and sugar |
coffee flavorings |
| creeping and crawling |
furtive movements close to the ground |
| crisp and clear, clear and crisp |
with details easily observed |
| cruel and unusual |
"~ punishment": unacceptably harsh, from eighth amendment |
| cup and saucer |
[self-explanatory] |
| curds and whey |
dairy products, quote from a nursery rhyme |
| curiouser and curiouser |
Lewis Carroll quote |
| curl up and die |
feel very sorry and ashamed |
| customs and excise |
taxes on goods; [cap.] name of various national authorities collecting such taxes |
| cut and choose, divide and choose |
procedure for fair division |
| cut and dried |
already decided |
| cut and paste |
method of moving text |
| cut and run |
leave quickly to avoid trouble |
| cuts and bruises |
minor injuries |
| dark and stormy |
"It was a ~ night": Bulwer-Lytton quote, stereotypical pulp story beginning |
| date and time |
schedule datum |
| day and night |
all the time |
| day in and day out |
regularly for a long time |
| dazed and confused |
[self-explanatory]; [cap.] 1993 American comedy movie |
| dead and buried |
long gone, no longer relevant |
| dead and gone |
long dead |
| deaf and dumb |
deaf and mute |
| death and destruction |
devastation of life and property |
| death and dismemberment |
"accidental ~": common insurance coverage |
| death and resurrection |
what happened to Christ |
| death and taxes |
famous inevitabilities ("Nothing is certain but ~") |
| deciduous and evergreen, evergreen and deciduous |
dropping one's leaves seasonally, and not |
| deep and abiding |
strong and enduring |
| detection and ranging, navigation and ranging |
part of acronyms producing "radar", "lidar", and "sonar" |
| diagnosis and treatment |
identifying and addressing problems, usu. medical |
| diet and exercise |
elements of a healthy lifestyle, esp. for weight loss |
| dine and dash |
skip out on paying a restaurant bill |
| discrete and continuous, continuous and discrete |
types of variables |
| divide and conquer, divide et impera, divide and rule |
military strategy |
| dog and pony |
"~ show": an elaborate presentation |
| dollars and cents |
expressible as money |
| done and done |
mutually accepted |
| donning and doffing |
putting on and taking off |
| doom and gloom |
bad news; [cap.] 2012 Rolling Stones song |
| doors and windows, windows and doors |
architectural openings |
| do's and don'ts, dos and don'ts |
rules of behavior |
| dot and dash |
Morse code elements |
| dotting i's and crossing t's, crossing t's and dotting i's |
paying attention to details |
| down and across, across and down |
crossword directions |
| down and dirty |
unscrupulous; done hastily |
| down and out |
without means for livelihood |
| dragonflies and damselflies |
suborders of Odonata |
| drawn and quartered |
brutally executed and dismembered |
| dribs and drabs |
tiny scattered or sporadic amounts |
| drill and kill |
rote teaching technique, and its effect on motivation |
| Drink and the devil |
"~ had done for the rest": quote from Stevenson's Treasure Island |
| drinking and driving |
a bad mix of alcohol and operating machinery |
| drugs and alcohol, alcohol and drugs |
addictive substances |
| drum and bass |
genre of electronic dance music |
| drum and bugle |
"~ corps": musical marching unit |
| drunk and disorderly |
public intoxication |
| duck and cover |
suggested personal protection against a nuclear attack |
| ducks and drakes |
a game of skimming flat stones on the water's surface |
| ducks and geese |
common waterfowl |
| each and every |
each (with emphasis) |
| Earth and Moon |
nearby planetary system |
| east and west |
contrasting compass directions |
| eat shit and die |
a hostile invective |
| ebb and flow |
regular increase and decrease, esp. of tides |
| ebony and ivory, ivory and ebony |
black and white skin; [cap.] 1982 McCartney song |
| edited and translated, translated and edited |
produced for publication in another language |
| electricity and magnetism |
first two physical forces to be unified |
| ever and anon |
occasionally |
| expansion and contraction |
growing and shrinking |
| eyes and ears |
"one's ~": surrogate information gatherer; "all ~": very attentive |
| fact and fiction |
real and imagined happenings |
| facts and figures |
full and accurate information |
| fair and balanced |
news reporting ideal, most prominently used sarcastically |
| fair and square |
honestly |
| faith and begorrah, faith and begorra |
Irish expression of surprise |
| Faith and Credit |
"Full ~": clause of U.S. Constitution (Art. IV, Sec. 1), re duty of states to respect laws of other states |
| fame and fortune |
cliched aspiration; [cap.] title of 1960 Presley song, other things |
| fantasy and science fiction, F&SF |
broad literature genre; [cap.] "Magazine of ~" founded 1949 |
| far and away |
by a great amount |
| far and wee |
quote from e.e. cummings' "[in Just-]" |
| far and wide |
an extensive area |
| fast and loose |
recklessly |
| fast and slow |
common pairing; [cap.] "Thinking, ~": Kahneman book |
| fat and sassy |
feeling good |
| father and son |
common pairing; [cap.] title of many songs, movies, etc. |
| fear and loathing |
strong aversion; [cap.] "~ in Las Vegas": 1971 Thompson novel |
| fever and chills, chills and fever |
infection symptoms |
| few and far between |
quite rare |
| fife and drum, drum and fife |
musicians esp. in 18th-century military |
| figure and ground |
perceptual organization in Gestalt psychology |
| find and replace, search and replace |
text editing option |
| fine and dandy |
excellent |
| fire and brimstone |
reference to God's wrath |
| fire-and-forget |
missile guidance which does not need updates |
| first and foremost |
most importantly |
| first and last |
fundamentally; always |
| first and only |
one and only |
| first and ten, 1st and 10 |
common American football datum |
| fish and chips |
common food pairing, esp. British |
| fish and game |
fauna; esp. in names of conservation departments |
| fits and starts |
intermittently, usu. "in ~" or "by ~" |
| five and dime, five and ten cent |
inexpensive variety store concept (c. 1890) |
| flash and dash |
flashiness |
| fleas and ticks, flea and tick |
common ectoparasites, notably of pets |
| flesh and blood |
corporeal; related to one biologically |
| flint and steel |
fire starter |
| flora and fauna |
plants and animals |
| flotsam and jetsam |
discarded odds and ends |
| food and drink, food and beverages |
edible stuff |
| food and shelter |
basic human needs |
| foot and mouth, hoof and mouth |
disease esp. of hoofed animals |
| footloose and fancy-free |
having no commitments, esp. romantic ones |
| foreign and domestic |
part of some oaths: "protect against all enemies, ~" |
| forever and a day |
a very long time |
| forever and ever, for ever and ever |
always, with emphasis |
| forgive and forget |
stop blaming and resenting |
| forty acres and a mule |
allotment to freed families during U.S. Civil War |
| forward and back |
square dance move |
| free and clear |
without debt |
| free and easy |
relaxed and informal |
| free and fair |
ideals for elections |
| freeze and fuse |
craft which takes damp, frozen molded glass powder and heats it to fuse it |
| freeze and thaw |
weather change involving water phase change |
| friends and family, friends and relatives, friends and relations |
closest associates |
| friends and neighbors |
[self-explanatory] |
| front and center |
foremost and visible |
| fruits and nuts |
"land of ~": derogatory term for California |
| fruits and vegetables |
healthy foods |
| fun and games |
enjoyable activities |
| gay and lesbian |
[self-explanatory] |
| gee and haw, haw and gee |
commands to turn right and left; (slang) get along |
| gems and jewellery, gems and jewelry |
precious stones and ornaments made from them |
| genus and species |
scientific name |
| get-up-and-go |
initiative, vim |
| ghosts and goblins |
bogeymen |
| ghoulies and ghosties |
part of traditional Scottish prayer: "From ~ and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us." |
| gin and tonic |
common cocktail |
| gin and vermouth |
martini ingredients |
| give and take |
compromise |
| goals and objectives, aims and objectives |
what to aspire towards |
| God and country |
"for ~": American Legion motto (pro Deo et patria) |
| God and mammon |
piety vs. wealth: "Ye cannot serve ~" [e.g. Matt. 6:24] |
| gods and goddesses |
deities |
| gold and silver |
precious metals, esp. for coinage |
| golf and tennis, tennis and golf |
country club sports |
| good and bad |
commonly used contrast |
| good and evil |
religious/philosophical dichotomy |
| good and ready |
completely ready |
| good news and bad news |
reports of mixed import |
| good order and discipline |
core military principle |
| goods and services |
components of economic activity |
| grab a root and growl |
get on with the necessary work |
| grace and aplomb |
poise, composure |
| great and good |
having excellence used for a positive purpose |
| great and small |
of all ranks and sizes; "all creatures ~": hymn quote, book and TV title |
| grin and bear it |
accept troubles without complaint |
| growth and development |
increase in size and abilities, esp. of people |
| gyre and gimble |
spin and make holes, as slithy toves do in a wabe |
| hack and slash |
gameplay style emphasizing close fighting |
| Hail and Farewell, ave atque vale |
military event celebrating change in personnel |
| hair and makeup |
beauty treatment focus |
| hale and hearty |
healthy and fit |
| half and half |
a 50-50 mix, esp. of cream and whole milk |
| ham and eggs |
common food pairing |
| hammer and anvil |
military tactic using pinning and encircling forces |
| hammer and chisel |
sculpting tool set |
| hammer and nails |
carpentry tool and materials |
| hammer and pick |
mining symbol |
| hammer and sickle |
symbol of communism |
| hammer and tongs |
"go at ~": go at with great force or vigor |
| hand and foot |
totally; "wait on ~": provide everything |
| hands and knees |
"on ~": quadrupedal pose for humans |
| happy and sad |
contrasting feelings |
| hard and fast |
inflexible, not to be changed |
| hardcover and paperback, hardback and paperback |
book editions of different durability, weight, and price |
| hardwood and softwood, softwood and hardwood |
wood from slow- vs. fast-growing trees |
| hare and hounds |
strategy board game; outdoor chase game |
| hat and gloves |
formal or cold-weather clothing accessories |
| haves and have-nots |
the wealthy and the poor |
| hawks and doves |
contrasting views of military conflict |
| head and neck |
[self-explanatory] |
| head and shoulders |
beyond comparison |
| heads and tails |
opposite ends, esp. of a coin; solitaire card game |
| health and fitness |
lacking disease and being physically capable |
| health and safety |
physical welfare, much studied and regulated |
| health and welfare, health and human services |
common government department name |
| health and wellness, health and wellbeing |
quality of life |
| hear and obey, listen and obey |
be obedient |
| heart and lung |
essential thoracic organs; [cap.] peer-reviewed "Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care" |
| heart and soul |
entirety; essential core |
| heart disease and cancer, cancer and heart disease |
leading causes of death in developed world |
| hearth and home |
home and family; "for ~" (pro aris et focis, lit. "for altars and hearth"): common motto |
| hearts and flowers |
a show of sentiment; maudlin sentimentality |
| hearts and minds |
emotional and intellectual aspects, esp. in "winning ~" |
| heat and serve |
meals requiring little preparation |
| heating and cooling, heating and air conditioning |
building environmental control |
| heaven and earth |
everything; "move ~": strive mightily |
| heaven and hell |
contrasting afterlives |
| heel-and-toe |
stride in which front heel lands before back toe lifts; advanced driving technique using one foot on throttle and brake simultaneously |
| hell and back |
through a difficult situation |
| hell and damnation |
preaching topic; common expletive |
| helpless and hopeless, hopeless and helpless |
[self-explanatory] |
| hem and haw |
well, maybe, umm, ... |
| herbs and spices |
flavorings |
| here and now |
the present time, esp. in "the ~" |
| here and there |
somewhere or other |
| heroes and villains |
good and bad guys; [cap.] 1967 Beach Boys song |
| hide-and-seek, hide-and-go-seek |
children's game |
| high and dry |
lit., out of reach of water; fig., helpless and abandoned |
| high and low |
everywhere, esp. in "search ~" |
| high and mighty |
arrogant |
| high crimes and misdemeanors |
impeachable misconduct by public officials |
| high school and college |
teen and adult education |
| highways and byways |
all the pathways, large and small |
| hill and dale |
hills and valleys; "over ~": all over; phonograph recording method |
| his and her, his and hers |
label for matching items for paired man and woman |
| hit-and-miss |
sometimes okay, sometimes not |
| hit and run |
causing an accident and not stopping |
| hither and thither |
in many different directions |
| hither and yon |
here and there, to and fro |
| hit it and quit it |
[slang] have sex and part company soon after |
| home and dry |
sure of succeeding |
| hook and eye |
simple clothing fastener |
| hook-and-ladder |
type of firefighter truck |
| hook and loop |
"~ fastener": generic term for Velcro |
| hooting and hollering, whooping and hollering |
raising a ruckus |
| horse and buggy |
horse-drawn carriage |
| horse and rider |
[self-explanatory]; Mizar and Alcor |
| horseshoes and hand grenades |
"Close only counts in ~" |
| horst and graben |
ranges and valleys formed by faulting |
| hot and bothered |
flustered |
| hot and cold |
ambivalently; [Brit] extremely worried |
| hot and heavy |
intense |
| hot and sour |
Chinese cuisine taste combo, esp. "~ soup", "~ noodles" |
| hot and spicy |
picante |
| house and home |
"eat out of ~": eat a lot of the family's food; [cap.] Irish magazine |
| house and senate |
executive branch of government |
| how and why |
cause and means; [cap.] "~ Wonder Books": series of educational children's books in 1960s and '70s |
| huffing and puffing |
breathing noisily; expressing disapproval |
| hugs and kisses |
expressions of affection; XOXO |
| hump and dump |
synonym of "smash and dash" |
| hunger and thirst |
privation of food and water |
| hunt-and-peck |
inexpert typing method |
| hurry up and wait |
being forced to wait after hurrying |
| husband and wife, man and wife |
marriage partners |
| hustle and bustle |
a lot of activity and noise |
| hydrogen and oxygen |
atoms in water and other important stuff |
| if and only if |
(iff) logical biconditional |
| if and when |
when, contingent on the event occurring |
| ifs and buts |
uncertainties (usu. in "no ~") |
| Immunology and Inflammation |
immune system research topic |
| in and out |
entering and leaving; close fences in a steeplechase |
| incubus and succubus |
male and female folkloric sex demons |
| infiltration and inflow, inflow and infiltration |
(I/I) unwanted additions to a sewage system |
| ink and paint |
process of coloring hand-drawn animation frames |
| ins and outs |
the details |
| in sickness and in health |
part of traditional marriage vows |
| integer and floating point |
two numerical formats in computers |
| iron and steel |
industrial metals, raw and alloyed |
| jot and tittle |
smallest detail |
| judge and jury |
"be ~": yourself decide matters important for others |
| ketchup and mustard |
common condiments |
| keyboard and mouse, mouse and keyboard |
main computer input devices |
| kicking and screaming |
against someone's will |
| kill and maim, maim and kill |
cause serious permanent injury, including death |
| king and queen |
royalty |
| kiss and make up |
resolve a lovers' spat |
| kiss and tell |
reveal details about one's romantic encounters |
| kit and caboodle |
the complete amount (usu. "whole ~") |
| kith and kin |
friends and relatives |
| knife and fork |
two pieces of cutlery |
| knob-and-tube, K&T |
an old electrical wiring method |
| know and love |
affection with familiarity |
| ladies and gentlemen |
salutation to a crowd |
| land and sea |
Earth's surface, liquid and solid |
| lands and grooves |
raised and recessed regions of rifling |
| lanthanides and actinides |
inner transition metals, elements with unfilled f orbitals |
| large and in charge |
domineering; commanding respect |
| latest and greatest |
what's new and exciting |
| latitude and longitude |
map coordinates |
| laugh and play |
quote from "Mary had a little lamb"; [cap.] collection of children's stories, c. 1900 |
| law and order |
lack of anarchy; [cap.] TV drama begun 1990 |
| lean and mean |
efficient and parsimonious |
| leaps and bounds |
rapidly |
| left and right, right and left |
contrasting directions |
| lemma and palea |
bracts in a grass floret |
| Let go and let God |
popular spiritual slogan, popularized in mid-19th century Keswick theology |
| liberty and justice |
"~ for all": quote from U.S. pledge of allegiance |
| license and registration |
documentation requested by traffic cops |
| lick and a promise |
a superficial cleaning; any quick and careless effort |
| lick and suck |
erotic oral activity |
| life and death |
"a matter of ~": extremely important |
| life and limb |
life and bodily integrity, usu. with "risk" |
| life and soul |
person who is a lively center of attention |
| life and times |
biography in historical context |
| light and dark |
contrasting shades, often symbolic |
| lights and sirens, lights and siren |
emergency vehicles' warning |
| listen and learn, watch and learn |
learn via observation |
| live and breathe |
be very interested and immersed in; "as I ~": expression of surprise |
| live-and-die |
Mimosa pudica, a thorny tropical subshrub |
| live and die |
extend for a lifetime; "~ by": be completely reliant upon |
| live and learn |
learn from an experience |
| live and let live |
let others behave as they choose |
| live fast and die young |
live intensely; often "and leave a beautiful corpse" is added |
| Live long and prosper |
Vulcan greeting |
| liver and onions |
common food pairing |
| lock and key |
two things that belong together; "under ~": secure |
| lock and load |
prepare a weapon |
| long and hard |
with lots of effort, e.g. in "think ~" |
| long and short, the long and the short |
"~ of it": a comprehensive statement |
| loot and plunder, loot and pillage |
theft amid civil disorder |
| lord and master |
one who must be obeyed |
| lord-and-master, head-and-master |
"~ rule": doctrine that only the husband may manage community property |
| lords and ladies |
male nobility and their female counterparts |
| lords-and-ladies, devils and angels, cows and bulls |
the cuckoopint, Arum maculatum |
| lost and forgotten |
effectively erased |
| lost and found |
repository for items lost by their owners |
| lost and unaccounted for |
(LAUF) the amount that fails to be delivered, esp. of natural gas |
| lots and lots |
many, with emphasis |
| loud and clear |
easily understood |
| love and hate |
frequently paired and/or contrasted emotions |
| love and war |
"all's fair in ~": anything goes; [cap.] 2021 Kodak Black song |
| lox and bagels |
bagel dish |
| lumpers and splitters |
opposing camps of grouping fineness in taxonomy |
| macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese |
common food pairing |
| maintenance and repair, repair and maintenance |
work done to keep things working |
| major and minor |
types of musical keys; chosen academic disciplines |
| make and model |
what type of car |
| math and science, mathematics and science, science and mathematics |
related academic fields |
| meat and potatoes |
the basic part |
| meet-and-greet |
event to allow one person to interact with the public |
| mergers and acquisitions, M&A |
combining companies |
| mice an' men |
Burns 1785 quote: "The best laid plans of ~ / Gang aft agley."; Of Mice and Men: 1937 Steinbeck novel |
| might and main |
power, strength, usu. in "with ~" |
| milk and cookies, cookies and milk |
common food pairing |
| milk and honey |
richness; "land of ~": place where life is easy |
| mind and body, body and mind |
physical and mental aspects of life |
| mix and match |
combine different items to make a coordinated set |
| moaning and groaning, moan and groan |
whining |
| mom and pop |
refers to small, owner-operated business |
| morbidity and mortality |
epidemiology data |
| more and more |
increasingly |
| mortar and pestle |
crushing/grinding tools used since the Stone Age |
| mortise and tenon |
woodworking joint |
| mother and child |
[self-explanatory]; [cap.] "~ Reunion": 1972 Paul Simon song |
| motherhood and apple pie |
core American values (cliché version) |
| Move fast and break things |
Facebook internal motto until 2014; 2017 book by Taplin |
| movers and shakers |
people with power and influence |
| Mr. and Mrs. |
common form of address for a married couple |
| multiplication and division |
common math operators |
| myth and legend |
folklore, excepting fairy tales |
| name and address |
postal identifying information |
| nature and nurture |
influencers of one's psychology |
| near and dear |
beloved |
| near and far, far and near |
an extensive area |
| neat and tidy, clean and tidy, neat and clean, clean and neat |
tidy, neat |
| necessary and sufficient |
true if and only if |
| neck and neck |
very close (esp. in a race) |
| needle and thread |
sewing essentials |
| new and improved |
common advertising hype |
| nice and easy |
carefully |
| nickeled and dimed, nickel and dimed |
damaged via frequent small charges |
| night and day |
opposites; all the time (cf "day and night") |
| nip and tuck |
closely contested; close to failing |
| nodes and edges, nodes and links |
components of a graph |
| nooks and crannies |
small places, effective for hiding things |
| norms and values, values and norms |
society's basic rules and ideals |
| north and south |
contrasting compass directions |
| noughts and crosses |
tic-tac-toe |
| now and again |
occasionally |
| now and then |
occasionally |
| null and void |
invalid |
| numerator and denominator |
parts of a simple fraction |
| nuts and bolts |
the practical aspects |
| obstetrics and gynecology |
women's health medical specialties; [cap.] journal title |
| odds and ends |
miscellaneous bits |
| off and running |
has begun and is progressing well |
| oil and gas |
fossil fuels from drilling |
| oil and vinegar |
salad dressing main ingredients |
| oil and water |
immiscible objects |
| older and wiser |
having gained wisdom over time |
| omelettes and eggs |
shorthand for the maxim that you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs |
| on and off, off and on |
from time to time |
| on and on |
continuously |
| once and for all |
finally |
| once and future |
enduring |
| one and all |
everyone |
| one and only |
only, with emphasis |
| onward and upward, onwards and upwards |
towards something better |
| oohs and aahs, oohing and aahing |
expressions of wonder |
| open-and-shut |
straightforward |
| out and about |
away from home and doing things |
| out-and-out |
complete, usually emphasizing a negative quality |
| over and above |
in addition to |
| over and done with |
completely finished |
| over and out |
radio conversation closing |
| over and over |
again and again |
| pain and suffering |
physical and emotional stress from an injury |
| paint and wallpaper, wallpaper and paint |
popular wall coverings |
| part and parcel |
an essential component |
| parts and accessories |
replacements and improvements for autos |
| parts and labor |
necessities for repair or installation |
| passengers and crew |
everyone aboard a vehicle |
| passport and visa |
travel documents |
| peace and quiet |
peace, quiet |
| peaches and cream |
soft, pale skin with a blush; a situation without problems |
| peanut butter and jelly |
common food pairing |
| pen and ink |
drawing medium |
| pen and paper |
writing combination |
| pencil and paper, paper and pencil |
drawing requirements |
| penny wise and pound foolish |
economical in small things but not large ones |
| physical and mental, mental and physical |
referring to body and mind, esp. re health and fitness |
| pick and choose |
carefully select |
| pick-and-place |
type of assembly robot |
| pick and roll |
basketball defensive move |
| pick and shovel |
digging tools; laborious |
| pimping and pandering |
encouraging and profiting off prostitution |
| pins and needles |
state of anxiety; tingling sensation associated with numbness |
| pipe and tabor |
instruments for solo musician |
| piss and vinegar |
aggressive energy |
| piston and cylinder, cylinder and piston |
engine or pump parts |
| please and thank you |
magic words of politeness |
| pleasure and pain, pain and pleasure |
sensual/emotional opposites |
| plot and plan, plot and scheme, plan and scheme |
engage in intrigue |
| plug and chug |
getting answers by plugging numbers into formulas, without needing to understand them |
| plug and play |
ready for immediate use |
| plug and pray |
skeptical about plug and play; [cap.] 2010 documentary about AI and robotics |
| plug and socket |
AC power connection |
| plus and minus |
common math operators; with variation; (Austr.) more or less |
| pluses and minuses |
advantages and disadvantages |
| point and click |
select with a mouse or similar input device |
| point and shoot |
automatically adjusted photography |
| poke and prod |
examine |
| pork and beans |
common food pairing |
| port and starboard |
maritime left and right |
| post and beam |
construction using horizontal beams on vertical posts |
| pots and pans |
kitchen containers |
| prayer and fasting, fasting and prayer |
religious disciplines |
| prayer and meditation |
eleventh step of 12-step recovery |
| prelude and fugue |
musical form popularized by J.S. Bach |
| present and accounted for |
presence and whereabouts are verified, esp. in "all ~" |
| prim and proper |
neat and formal |
| principal and interest |
finance: loan components |
| profit and loss |
income and outgo, often in "~ statement" |
| pros and cons |
good and bad aspects |
| p's and q's |
"mind your ~": mind your manners |
| public and private |
inclusive and exclusive sectors of society |
| pump and dump, P&D |
artificially inflating value of one's stock and then selling it |
| punch and die |
hole-cutting equipment |
| pure and simple |
with nothing else |
| push and pull |
alternation between opposites |
| push and shove |
force roughly, esp. to get to a goal |
| put and take |
game involving putting and taking from a pot; stocking fish for anglers |
| qualitative and quantitative, quantitative and qualitative |
broad categories of research data |
| quantity and quality, quality and quantity |
two measures of production |
| questions and answers, Q&A |
forum where questions are answered |
| quick and dirty |
hastily done, so crude but effective |
| quick and easy |
requiring little time or effort, esp. meal preparation |
| quips and cranks |
freakish turns of speech |
| race and ethnicity |
social population divisions |
| rack and pinion |
type of linear actuator, with circular and linear gears |
| rack and return |
délestage, a winemaking process in which wine is drained, seeds filtered, and wine returned. |
| rack and ruin |
a state of decay |
| radio and television, radio and TV |
mass communication before the Internet |
| radius and ulna |
forearm bones |
| rag-and-bone |
"~ man": junk dealer |
| rank and file |
ordinary workers, not the leader and officers |
| ranting and raving, rant and rave |
uncontrolled loud, often angry speech |
| razor and blades, razor and blade |
business model of selling an item cheaply to sell its complementary goods |
| Reach out and touch someone |
AT&T slogan in 1980s. |
| read and write |
be literate |
| real and imaginary |
components of complex numbers |
| religion and politics, politics and religion |
famously divisive topics |
| research and development, R&D |
innovation department of companies and nations |
| rest and digest |
parasympathetic response, opposite of fight or flight |
| rest and relaxation, R&R, rest and recuperation, rest and recreation |
taking it easy |
| rhythm and blues, R&B |
music genre, originated in 1940s |
| rice and beans |
common food pairing |
| rich and famous |
celebrities; [cap.] title of various films and music; "Lifestyles of the ~": American reality TV show, 1984-1995 |
| rich and poor |
contrasting social classes |
| right and wrong |
topic of morals and ethics |
| rise and fall |
undulating movement |
| rock and a hard place |
"between a ~": faced with a decision between two bad choices |
| rock and roll |
popular genre of music, evolved c. 1950 |
| rod and reel |
fishing rod and its line winding device |
| rods and cones |
eyes' photoreceptor cells |
| rogues and vagabonds |
vagrants, perhaps involved with petty crime |
| room and board |
lodging and food |
| rough and ready |
crude but effective |
| rough-and-tumble |
disorderly, somewhat violent |
| round and round, around and around |
in circles |
| ruffles and flourishes |
fanfare preceding honors music |
| ruler and compass, straightedge and compass |
sole devices for Euclidean construction |
| rules and regulations |
directives |
| rum and Coke |
highball cocktail, aka Cuba libre |
| run and hide |
conceal oneself |
| sackcloth and ashes |
symbol of mourning or penitence |
| sad and lonely |
[self-explanatory] |
| sadism and masochism, S&M |
painful pleasure, esp. in erotic play |
| safe and sane |
safe, usu. referring to fireworks |
| safe and secure |
safe |
| safe and sound |
safe |
| sales and marketing |
common business division |
| salt and pepper |
common spices; speckled light and dark |
| sand and gravel |
loose construction material |
| savings and loan |
institution which accepts money deposits and offers loans |
| Science and Technology, science and technology |
broad category within education or policy |
| scotch and soda |
mixture of scotch whisky and club soda; cf "whisky and soda" |
| scratch and claw |
fight with determination |
| scratch and sniff |
technology adding odor to printed media |
| scrimp and save |
live on very little in order to save money |
| search and destroy, seek and destroy |
military strategy to search hostile target, destroy it, and withdraw |
| search and rescue |
bring lost or stranded people to safety |
| search and seizure |
legal search of property and confiscation of evidence |
| seduced and abandoned |
briefly used sexually; [cap.] 1964 Italian movie; 2013 American documentary film |
| see and be seen |
participate in social activity, esp. re fashion |
| seek and you will find; seek, and ye shall find |
biblical quote from Matt. 7:7, Luke 11:9 |
| serve and protect, protect and serve |
common police motto |
| seven and seven, 7 and 7 |
cocktail mixing Seagram's Seven Crown and 7 Up |
| sex and violence |
media sort-of taboos; title of various works |
| shapes and sizes |
"all ~": a wide variety of forms |
| share and share alike |
everyone gets an equal split |
| sharks and minnows |
swimming tag game |
| shave and a haircut |
seven-note musical riff, from 1899 at least |
| sheep and goats |
believers and unbelievers (from Matt. 25:31-46) |
| shipping and handling |
product delivery procedures and their cost |
| shirt and tie |
formal or semiformal men's wear (cf "suit and tie") |
| shock and awe |
military strategy using spectacular display of force |
| shoes and socks |
common footwear layers |
| short and stout |
teapot-shaped |
| short and sweet |
pleasantly brief |
| shreds and patches |
"of ~": made of various scraps |
| shrimp and grits |
traditional southern US breakfast dish |
| shuck and jive |
deceive with impromptu talk or behavior |
| sick and tired |
thoroughly weary |
| sights and sounds |
sensory landscape (or most of it) |
| signal and noise |
meaningful bits and distractions obscuring them |
| signed and sealed |
officially finalized |
| sine and cosine |
basic trig functions |
| singing and dancing |
musical activities |
| sit and wait |
nothing else to do; another term for ambush predator |
| size and shape, shape and size |
characterization of something's outer surface |
| skates and rays |
Batoidea (rays) and its sub-clade Rajiformes (skates) |
| skin and bones |
extremely thin |
| skull and crossbones |
symbol of death; warning of poisons, piracy |
| slap and tickle |
sexual play |
| slash-and-burn |
method of clearing land for agriculture; aggressive and merciless |
| slate and stylus |
tools for printing Braille |
| slavery and involuntary servitude |
forced labor |
| sleeping and waking, waking and sleeping |
[self-explanatory] |
| slice and dice |
divide into very small parts |
| slim and none |
bad odds (more often "slim to none") |
| slings and arrows |
Shakespeare Hamlet quote |
| slip and fall, trip and fall |
premise for a liability claim |
| slow and steady |
tortoise's race winning strategy |
| slow-and-go |
of traffic, a little better than stop-and-go |
| smash and dash |
[slang] have sex and leave immediately after |
| smash-and-grab |
burglary preceded by breaking a window |
| smile and nod, nod and smile |
a safe, noncommittal response |
| smile and wave |
stay calm and accept the situation |
| smoke and mirrors |
distractions and/or misrepresentations of the truth |
| snatch and grab, snatch and run |
quickly steal something and run |
| snow and ice, ice and snow |
freezing weather |
| so-and-so |
name placeholder; an unpleasant person |
| soap and water |
washing materials |
| son and heir |
male child who will inherit |
| song and dance |
long and complicated story, often untrue |
| song and story |
conveyors of narrative elements |
| sound and fury |
angry, attention-grabbing words that do nothing |
| soup and salad |
early food courses |
| source and sink |
where stuff (esp. electricity) comes from and goes to |
| spaghetti and meatballs |
common food pairing |
| Speak, friend, and enter; Pedo Mellon a Minno |
riddle on the Doors of Durin (from Tolkein's Lord of the Rings) |
| spic and span |
very clean |
| spit and image |
look-alike (variant of "spitting image") |
| spit and polish |
careful attention to cleanliness |
| spit and vinegar |
euphemism for piss and vinegar? |
| stage and screen |
live performances and movies |
| stalactites and stalagmites |
impressive cave formations |
| stand and deliver |
highwayman's demand; [cap.] 1988 biographical movie; 1987 Mr. Mister song |
| standards and practices |
guidelines for acceptability, esp. "Broadcast ~" |
| stem and leaf |
"~ plot" or "~ display": data display used to show distribution |
| steps and traditions |
essence of a twelve-step program |
| sticks and stones |
children's rhyme against name-calling |
| still and all |
nevertheless |
| stimulus and response |
behavioral cause and effect |
| stocks and bonds |
equity and debt investments |
| stop and frisk |
policy allowing police to detain, question, and search practically anyone |
| stop-and-go |
repeatedly stopping and starting again |
| stop and smell the roses |
relax |
| stop and stare, sit and stare, stand and stare |
pause in wonder |
| stop and think |
pause to consider |
| straight and level |
flight at constant heading and elevation |
| straight and narrow |
honest and moral path |
| straighten up and fly right |
start behaving properly |
| strikes and spares |
bowling accomplishments |
| structure and function, form and function |
interrelationship of arrangement and use |
| stuff and nonsense |
utter foolishness |
| sturm und drang |
turmoil, lit. "storm and stress" |
| subject and object, subject and predicate |
sentence parts |
| sugar and spice |
pleasant and amiable |
| suit and tie |
formal wear |
| supply and demand |
economic forces determining prices |
| surf and turf |
dish containing seafood and meat |
| survival and reproduction, survive and reproduce |
the additive side of natural selection |
| survive and thrive |
prosper, esp. in the face of hardships |
| sweet and sour |
cuisine using sweet and sour flavorings |
| swift and sure |
fast and certain, an ideal for justice |
| sword-and-sandal |
film subgenre of Italian-made historic epics, mainly 1958-1965 |
| sword and shield |
mediaeval military equipment |
| sword and sorcery |
subgenre of fantasy: heroic fantasy |
| syntax and semantics |
grammar and meaning |
| table and chairs |
dining room furniture |
| take and bake |
food (usu. pizza) purchased to take home and bake oneself |
| takeoff and landing |
ends of an airplane trip |
| take the money and run |
be satisfied, don't try for more; [cap.] 1969 Woody Allen film |
| tall and thin |
lanky |
| tar and gravel |
roofing style |
| tar and nicotine |
harmful tobacco ingredients |
| tarred and feathered, tar and feathers |
form of public torture and humiliation |
| tea and coffee, coffee and tea |
popular hot beverages |
| tea and crumpets |
common food pairing |
| teeth and gums |
dental concerns |
| ten and two |
steering wheel hand positions |
| tend and befriend |
stress response more associated with women |
| terms and conditions |
contractual obligations |
| text and graphics |
elements that publication software deals with |
| the birds and the bees |
intro course on human sexuality |
| the cat and the fiddle |
nursery rhyme quote; [cap.] title of various plays etc. |
| the great and the good |
influential people, esp. in quantity |
| the law and the prophets, the Law and the Prophets |
the Hebrew scriptures |
| then and there |
immediately; on the spot |
| the quick and the dead, quick and dead |
living and dead |
| thick and thin |
"through ~": through good and (mainly) bad times |
| thinkers and doers |
contrasting but synergetic creative styles |
| this and that |
various things |
| thoughts and prayers |
political response to gun violence |
| thrills and spills, thrills and chills |
the excitement of danger |
| through and through |
completely |
| thrust and parry |
fencing moves; engage in a verbal duel |
| thunder and lightning |
thunderstorm effects; strongly contrasting colors |
| thus and so |
in a specific manner |
| tibia and fibula |
lower leg bones |
| time and again, time and time again |
over and over |
| time and a half |
greater pay rate for overtime |
| time and effort |
amount of work, esp. regarding its allocation |
| time and expense |
costs of a project, often in need of tracking |
| time and materials, T&M |
contract agreement to pay based on time and materials used, not fixed-price |
| time and space, space and time |
the four dimensions of the universe |
| time and tide |
unstoppable forces |
| tits and ass |
crudely sexual display of women |
| to and fro |
back and forth |
| toe-and-heel |
to dance, esp. tap; tap step clicking toe to heel; heel-and-toe |
| to have and to hold |
part of traditional marriage vows |
| to hell and gone |
very far away |
| to infinity and beyond |
Buzz Lightyear's catchphrase |
| to love and to cherish |
part of traditional marriage vows |
| tongue and groove |
method for edge-to-edge fitting |
| tonsils and adenoids |
oral/nasal lymphoid tissues, often removed together |
| tool and die |
precision tools and metal forms, usu. in "~ maker" |
| tooth and claw |
reference to nature's mercilessness, usu. in "red in ~" |
| tooth and nail |
all-out, often in "fight ~" |
| torches and pitchforks, pitchforks and torches |
equipment for an angry mob |
| tossed and turned |
stayed awake restlessly |
| touch and go |
precarious |
| town and gown |
the different communities within a university town |
| track and field |
running, jumping, and throwing athletic events |
| tragedy and comedy, comedy and tragedy |
broad genres of drama |
| tremble and obey |
pander to authorities, esp. Chinese ones |
| trial and error |
repeated tries, discarding errors |
| trials and tribulations |
bad experiences |
| tried and true |
shown to be reliable |
| true faith and allegiance |
part of many US oaths of office; [cap]. 2016 Clancy novel |
| turn and river |
last two community cards dealt in a poker hand |
| turtles and tortoises |
members of the order Testudines |
| twists and turns |
intricate and/or surprising developments |
| two and two |
"put ~ together": draw the obvious conclusion |
| up and at it, up and at 'em |
get busy |
| up and coming |
likely to succeed |
| up and down |
[self-explanatory] |
| up-and-up |
an honest course ("on the ~") |
| up close and personal |
with intimate detail |
| up hill and down dale |
everywhere |
| upper and lower |
[self-explanatory] |
| uppercase and lowercase |
capital and non-capital letters |
| upside-down and inside-out |
completely changed |
| us and them |
in-group and out-group; [cap.] 1973 Pink Floyd song; 1995 Australian TV series |
| use and disuse |
forces of Lamarckian evolution |
| uses and gratification |
"~ theory": theory of how and why people choose their media sources |
| various and sundry |
of many different kinds |
| vim and vigor |
energy and enthusiasm |
| Vote early and vote often; vote early and often |
tongue-in-cheek allusion to corrupt elections |
| vowels and consonants, consonants and vowels |
word sound types |
| wait and see |
wait to find out |
| walk and chew gum |
exemplar of multitasking difficulty |
| warm and friendly |
congenial |
| warm and fuzzy |
feelings of contentment or affection |
| warp and weft, warp and woof |
lengthwise and crosswise woven threads; underlying structure |
| warts and all |
including the bad parts |
| wash-and-wear |
requiring little or no ironing |
| washer and drier |
laundering machines |
| watch and ward |
continuous vigil and guard; [cap.] 1871 Henry James novel |
| wave and particle, particle and wave |
a quantum duality |
| waxing and waning, wax and wane |
increase and decrease |
| ways and means |
methods and resources for doing something |
| wear and tear |
damage from normal use |
| weeping and gnashing of teeth, wailing and gnashing of teeth |
fate of the unrighteous, per New Testament |
| weights and measures |
units of measurement subject to regulation |
| well and good |
all right |
| well and truly |
completely |
| wheat and barley |
two of the oldest, and still common, cultivated grains |
| wheeling and dealing |
aggressive negotiating |
| when and where, where and when |
location in time and space |
| whining and complaining, whine and complain |
fussing in discontent |
| whisky and soda |
mixture of whisky and club soda; cf "scotch and soda" |
| whys and wherefores |
the explanation |
| wild and crazy |
very wild and/or crazy |
| will and testament |
"last ~": post-death instructions |
| wind and rain |
stormy weather |
| wine and cheese |
common food pairing |
| wined and dined, wine and dine |
entertained with good food and drink |
| win some and lose some |
fatalistic philosophy precis |
| wit and wisdom |
best thoughts, well expressed |
| wither and die, shrivel up and die |
shrivel up and fade, esp. of plants |
| women and children |
"~ first": unofficial rescue priority |
| woofer and tweeter |
low and high frequency speakers |
| word and deed |
speech and action, esp. in moral context |
| words and phrases |
units of meaning |
| x and y, X and Y |
math: traditional cartesian coordinates |
| xylem and phloem |
trees' vascular tissues |
| yes and no |
it's complicated |
| yin and yang |
complementary forces |
| you and me |
[self-explanatory]; "between ~": in confidence |
| young and old |
of all ages |
| zeros and ones, ones and zeros |
binary code |
| zeros and poles |
two related concepts in complex analysis |
| Advise & Consent |
1959 Allen Drury novel and 1962 movie |
| Always and Forever |
title of several songs, albums, and books |
| Amos 'n' Andy |
radio sitcom, 1928-1960 |
| Angels & Demons |
Dan Brown novel; 2009 film |
| Anna and the King of Siam |
1946 movie |
| An Officer and a Gentleman |
1982 American romantic drama movie; 2012 musical |
| Antony and Cleopatra |
Shakespeare play; historic couple |
| archie and mehitabel |
Don Marquis book and characters |
| Arsenic and Old Lace |
1941 play by Kesselring; 1944 film |
| Asterix and Obelix |
characters from comic by Goscinny |
| Bad Luck and Trouble |
2007 Lee Child novel |
| Beany and Cecil |
1962 children's cartoon TV show |
| Beauty and the Beast |
1740 fairy-tale by Villeneuve; many adaptations thereof, e.g. 1991 Disney film |
| Beavis and Butt-Head |
adult animated sitcom begun 1993 |
| Bedknobs and Broomsticks |
1971 Disney movie |
| Betty and Veronica |
comic book series begun 1950 |
| Bootsie and Snudge |
British sitcom, 1960-1963, 1974 |
| Bread and Roses |
1912 political slogan; Boston band; title of various artworks |
| Bright and Beautiful |
"All Things ~": Anglican hymn by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848 |
| Caesar and Cleopatra |
1898 Shaw play |
| Cagney & Lacey |
1982-1987 police TV drama |
| Cakes and Ale |
1930 novel by W. Somerset Maugham |
| Calvin and Hobbes |
comic strip, 1985-1995 |
| Captain John Smith and Pocahontas |
1953 American historical western movie |
| Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons |
British sci-fi TV series, 1967-1968 |
| Cavaliers and Roundheads |
wargaming ruleset by Gygax and Perren, 1973 |
| Chance and Necessity |
biochemistry book by Jacques Monod |
| Conjectures and Refutations |
1963 book by Karl Popper |
| Continuity and Change |
academic sociology journal; [l.c.] a classic dichotomy in history and sociology |
| Cowboys and Aliens |
2011 movie |
| Crime and Punishment |
Dostoyevsky novel; [l.c.] its subject |
| Crimes and Misdemeanors |
1989 Woody Allen movie |
| Cupid and Psyche |
story from Apuleius' "The Golden Ass" |
| Cyanide & Happiness |
webcomic, begun 2005 |
| Davey and Goliath |
American Christian clay-animated children's TV series, 1961-1973 |
| Decline and Fall |
1928 Waugh novel; 2017 British TV series; "~ of the Roman Empire": 1789 history by Gibbon |
| Dempsey and Makepeace |
British TV crime drama, 1985-1986 |
| Dido and Aeneas |
Purcell opera based on Roman myth |
| Dombey and Son |
1848 Dickens novel |
| Dumb and Dumber |
1994 American comedy movie |
| Elephant and Piggie |
series of children's books by Mo Willems, begun 2007 |
| Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close |
2005 novel by J. S. Foer and 2011 American movie |
| Fast and Furious |
media (esp. movie) franchise begun 2001 |
| Fear and Trembling |
1843 Soren Kierkegaard book; 1999 Nothomb novel and 2003 French film |
| Fibber McGee and Molly |
radio comedy series, 1935-1959 |
| Fire and Ice |
1920 Frost poem; title of various films, songs, etc. |
| Fools and Horses |
"Only ~": British sitcom, 1981-2003 |
| Frank and Ernest |
American comic strip, begun 1972 |
| Freaks and Geeks |
American teen comedy-drama TV series, 1999-2000 |
| French and Saunders |
British sketch comedy TV series, 1987-2017 |
| Gargantua and Pantagruel |
Rabelais novels, 1532-1564 |
| Gavin & Stacey |
British TV sitcom, 2007-2024 |
| God & Country |
2024 American documentary film |
| Good Night, and Good Luck. |
2005 American drama movie; Murrow sign-off line beginning 1940 |
| Goofus and Gallant |
comic in "Highlights for Children", begun 1940 |
| Green Eggs and Ham |
1960 Dr. Seuss book |
| Guns N' Roses |
American hard rock band, formed 1985 |
| Guys and Dolls |
musical play, premiered 1950 |
| Hardcastle and McCormick |
American action crime TV drama, 1983-1986 |
| Harold and Maude |
1971 black comedy movie |
| Heckle and Jeckle |
cartoon magpies, premiered 1946 |
| Hi and Lois |
American comic strip, begun 1954 |
| Home and Away |
Australian soap opera, premiered 1988 |
| Hyperbole and a Half |
webcomic blog and book by Allie Brosh, begun 2009 |
| Itchy and Scratchy |
fictional cartoon characters within "The Simpsons" |
| Izzy and Moe |
1985 TV movie; the policemen the movie was based on |
| James and the Giant Peach |
1961 Dahl children's novel; 1996 film |
| Jason and the Argonauts |
1963 fantasy action movie |
| Jules et Jim |
1962 French romance-drama movie |
| Juno and the Paycock |
1930 Hitchcock tragicomedy film; 1924 play by O'Casey |
| Kavalier & Clay |
"The Amazing Adventures of ~": 2000 Michael Chabon novel |
| Kenan & Kel |
American sitcom, 1996-2000 |
| King and Country |
1964 British war movie; "for ~": expression of patriotism |
| Lady and the Tramp |
1955 Disney animated movie, remade 2019 |
| Laverne and Shirley |
American TV sitcom, 1976-1983 |
| Leyla ile Mecnun |
Turkish comedy TV series, 2011-2023 |
| Lilo and Stitch |
2002 Disney animated movie |
| Live and Let Die |
1954 Ian Fleming novel and 1973 movie |
| Love and Death |
1975 American comedy movie |
| Love and Marriage |
1955 song by Cahn (lyrics) and Van Huesen (music) |
| Love and Monsters |
2020 adventure film |
| Lullaby and goodnight |
lyrics commonly used with Brahms' lullaby |
| Mad Dogs and Englishmen |
1931 Noel Coward song |
| Madam and Eve |
South African comic strip, begun 1992 |
| Man and Superman |
1905 George Bernard Shaw play |
| Mario & Luigi |
video game series, since 2003 |
| Marley & Me |
2005 autobiographical novel by Grogan |
| Mason & Dixon |
1997 Pynchon novel |
| Master and Commander |
1969 O'Brian novel |
| McMillan & Wife |
American police procedural TV series, 1971-1976 |
| Me and My Shadow |
popular 1927 song |
| Mork & Mindy |
American TV sitcom, 1978-1982 |
| Mr. Peabody & Sherman |
2014 animated movie; "The ~ Show": TV series, 2015-2017 |
| Mutt and Jeff |
American newspaper comic strip, 1907-1983 |
| Napoleon and Samantha |
1972 Disney adventure movie |
| Once and Again |
television drama series, 1999-2002 |
| One Man and His Dog |
British TV series showing sheepdog trials, premiered 1976 |
| Oryx and Crake |
2003 Margaret Atwood novel |
| Oscar and Lucinda |
1988 Peter Carey novel; 1997 Australian movie |
| Parks and Recreation |
common city department; American sitcom, 2009-2015 |
| Pat and Mike |
1952 American romantic comedy movie |
| Peg + Cat |
children's educational animated TV series, 2013-2016 |
| Pelléas et Mélisande |
1893 Maeterlinck play; various musical works based on it |
| Peter and the Wolf |
1936 Prokofiev composition |
| Phrase and Fable |
"Brewer's Dictionary of ~": reference book describing phrases |
| Piled Higher and Deeper |
webcomic by Cham, 1997-2018; [l.c.] joke meaning of "PhD" |
| Pinky and Perky |
British children's TV series, 1957-1971, revived 2008 as "The ~ Show" |
| Pinky and the Brain |
animated TV sitcom, 1995-1998 |
| Pomp and Circumstance |
Elgar marches, 1901-1907 |
| Porgy and Bess |
Gershwin opera, 1935 |
| Press and Journal |
Pennsylvania newspaper, 1854-2020 |
| Prevention & Treatment |
psychology journal established 1997 |
| Pride and Prejudice |
1813 Austen novel |
| Queen and Country |
2014 British drama movie (cf "King and Country") |
| Quill and Dagger |
Cornell Univ. honor society |
| Quill and Scroll |
honor society for high school journalism, founded 1926 |
| Rainy Days and Mondays |
1971 song by the Carpenters |
| Reach Out and Touch |
title of several songs, most famously by Diana Ross, 1970 |
| Ren & Stimpy |
characters of animated sitcom, 1991-1996 |
| Rick and Morty |
animated sci-fi sitcom, 2013- |
| Rizzoli & Isles |
American crime drama TV series, 2010-2016 |
| Rocky and Bullwinkle |
stars of animated TV cartoon, 1959-1964 |
| Romeo and Juliet |
1597 Shakespeare play |
| Saints & Sinners |
American TV soap opera, 2016-2022 |
| Samson & Goliath |
American animated TV series, 1967-1968 |
| Sand and Fog |
"House of ~": 1999 Andre Dubus III novel |
| Sanford & Son |
American sitcom, 1972-1977 |
| Sapphire & Steel |
British sci-fi/fantasy TV series, 1979-1982 |
| Scarecrow and Mrs. King |
American TV drama, 1983-1987 |
| Sense and Sensibility |
1811 Austen novel |
| Sex and the City |
1998-2004 American TV drama-comedy |
| Shadows and Fog |
1991 Woody Allen movie |
| Simon & Simon |
American TV crime drama, 1981-1989 |
| Skull and Bones |
secret student society of Yale, from 1832 |
| Smith and Jones |
"Alias ~": American western TV series, 1971-1973 |
| Snakes and Ladders, Chutes and Ladders |
ancient board game |
| Sons and Lovers |
1913 D.H. Lawrence novel |
| Starsky & Hutch |
American crime thriller TV series, 1975-1979 |
| Steptoe and Son |
British sitcom, 1962-1974 |
| Stop and Stare |
2007 song by OneRepublic |
| Sweet and Low |
1849 Tennyson poem, set to music by Barnby in 1865 |
| Tango & Cash |
1989 American buddy cop movie |
| Tenspeed and Brown Shoe |
American TV comedy detective series, 1980 |
| The Agony and the Ecstasy |
1961 Irving Stone novel |
| The Ant and the Aardvark |
theatrical short cartoon series, 1969-1971 |
| The ant and the grasshopper |
Aesop fable celebrating industry |
| The Beautiful and Damned |
1922 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel |
| The Blue and the Gray |
sides of US Civil War; 1950 Civil War history by Henry Steele Commanger |
| The Cross and the Switchblade |
1963 autobiography by David Wilkerson |
| The Devil and Daniel Webster |
1936 Benet short story |
| The Falcon and the Snowman |
1985 spy movie based on Lindsey's 1979 book |
| The Ghost and Mrs. Muir |
1947 American movie, based on 1945 R.A. Dick novel; 1968-70 TV sitcom |
| The High and the Mighty |
1954 American aviation adventure film |
| The Holly and the Ivy |
traditional English Christmas carol |
| The Iliad and the Odyssey, Iliad and Odyssey |
Homer's epics of Greek myth |
| The King and I |
1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical |
| The Owl and the Nightingale |
12th or 13th-century Middle English poem |
| The Owl and the Pussycat |
1871 Edward Lear poem |
| The Pig and Whistle |
Canadian musical TV series, 1967-1977 |
| The Pit and the Pendulum |
1842 Poe story |
| The Plough and the Stars |
1937 American drama film; 1926 O'Casey play |
| The Press and Journal |
Scotland daily newspaper, established 1747 |
| The Prince and the Pauper |
1881 Twain novel |
| The Raw and the Cooked |
1964 Levi-Strauss book |
| The Red and the Black, Le Rouge et le Noir |
1830 Stendhal novel |
| The Sound and the Fury |
1919 Faulkner novel; cf "sound and fury" |
| The Spy and the Traitor |
2018 espionage nonfiction book by Ben Macintyre |
| The tortoise and the hare |
Aesop fable |
| The Walrus and the Carpenter |
1871 Lewis Carroll poem |
| The Wind and the Lion |
1975 historical adventure movie |
| The Young and the Restless |
American TV soap opera, premiered 1973 |
| Thelma & Louise |
1991 American crime drama movie |
| There and Back Again |
subtitle of The Hobbit |
| Think and Grow Rich |
1938 self-improvement book by Napoleon Hill |
| Tippecanoe and Tyler Too, Tip and Ty |
1840 Whig party campaign song |
| Toccata and Fugue |
various works by J.S. Bach, esp. BWV 565 |
| To Have and Have Not |
1937 Hemingway novel; 1944 American movie |
| Turner & Hooch |
1989 buddy cop movie, and 2021 TV series |
| Twist and Shout |
1961 Medley and Berns song |
| Under and Over |
British TV sitcom, 1971 |
| War and Peace |
1869 Tolstoy novel |
| Weebl and Bob |
flash-animated cartoon series, from 2002; renamed "Wobbl and Bob" for DVD |
| Will & Grace |
American sitcom, 1988-2006, 2017-2020 |
| Words and Pictures |
2013 American romantic drama movie |
| Works and Days |
ancient Greek poem by Hesiod |
| You and Me, Me and You |
titles of dozens of songs and other works |
| Young and Innocent |
1937 Hitchcock crime thriller film |
| Zeus and Roxanne |
1997 family adventure movie |
| Abbott and Costello |
comedy team, 1940s-1950s |
| Abelard and Heliose |
12-century romantic couple |
| A Hawk and a Hacksaw |
American folk duo, active 2002-present |
| Air and Space |
above-the-ground realm, e.g. "~ Museum" |
| Alcock and Brown |
makers of first nonstop transatlantic flight |
| Alien and Sedition |
"~ Acts": U.S. restrictions on immigration in 1798 |
| Allied and Associated |
"~ Powers": Germany's foes in WWI |
| Allied and Axis |
opponents in WWII |
| Ant & Dec |
British TV host pair, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, 1993-2022 |
| Antigua and Barbuda |
Caribbean island nation |
| Ashford & Simpson |
American musical couple, active 1964-2011 |
| Baddiel and Skinner |
British comedian pair, 2000-2005 |
| Baroque and Rococo |
comparable art styles |
| basin and range |
topography/geology of region of US west of the Rockies (cf horst and graben) |
| Batman and Robin |
comics/TV superhero and sidekick |
| Beaumont and Fletcher |
English dramatist collaborators, early 17th century |
| Bert and Ernie |
Sesame Street characters |
| Bill and Ted |
from 1989's "~'s Excellent Adventure" movie |
| Boardwalk and Park Place |
expensive Monopoly properties |
| Bonnie and Clyde |
1930s bank robbers |
| Boris and Gleb |
first saints (canonized 1071) of Kievan Rus' |
| Boris and Natasha |
Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, antagonists of Rocky and Bullwinkle |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
country in southern Europe |
| Brighton and Hove |
city (unitary authority with city status) in East Sussex, England |
| Buck and Bubbles |
vaudeville duo, 1919-1953, first black artists on US TV |
| Burke and Hare |
Scottish serial murderers, 1828; 1972 UK horror movie |
| Burke and Wills |
leaders of 1860-61 expedition across Australia |
| Burns and Allen |
comedy team, 1920s-1950s |
| Butch and Sundance |
characters of 1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and its 1979 prequel. |
| Cannon & Ball |
English comedy team, 1974-2020 |
| Captain and Tennille |
American pop singers, active 1972-2013 |
| Castile and León |
autonomous community in northern Spain |
| Catholic and Protestant, Protestant and Catholic |
major branches of Christianity |
| Cav and Pag |
double opera bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci |
| Chang & Eng |
the eponymous Siamese twins |
| Chas 'n Dave |
English pop-rock duo, 1972-2018 |
| Cheech and Chong |
comedy team, 1970s-1980s |
| Chip 'n' Dale |
Disney cartoon chipmunk duo |
| Christmas and Easter |
most important Christian holidays |
| Christmas and New Year |
major nearly adjacent holidays |
| Citizenship and Immigration Services |
"U.S. ~": successor to Immigration and Naturalization Service |
| Click and Clack |
Tom and Ray Magliozzi, hosts of "Car Talk" radio program, 1997-2012 |
| Crips and Bloods |
warring American gangs, object of 2008 documentary |
| Customs and Border Protection |
US law enforcement agency in charge of trans-border stuff |
| Cyril and Methodius |
brother missionaries to the Slavs, ninth century |
| Dick and Jane |
Title characters of basal readers, 1930-1965 |
| Donner and Blitzen, Dunder and Blixem |
Two of Santa's reindeer, per C. C. Moore, 1823 (The Dutch names were original; they later changed to German.) |
| Donny and Marie |
TV variety show headlined by Donny and Marie Osmond, 1976-1979, 1998-2000 |
| Elsie and Elmer |
mascots of Bordon Dairy Company |
| Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon |
crossword-writing couple, active 1977-2023 |
| England and Wales |
one of the UK's three legal jurisdictions |
| Evan and Jaron |
American musicians, identical twins, first album in 1994 |
| Fat Man and Little Boy, Little Boy and Fat Man |
atomic bombs used in WWII; 1989 American war drama |
| Felix and Oscar, Oscar and Felix |
the "Odd Couple" from the 1960s-70s play, movie, and TV series |
| Ferdinand and Isabella |
Catholic monarchs of Spain, 1474-1504 |
| Ferrante & Teicher |
duo of pianists, active 1947-1989 |
| Fish and Wildlife |
purview of some nature management agencies, e.g. "U.S. ~ Service" |
| Flanagan and Allen |
British singing and comedy double act, most active 1930s-40s |
| Flanders and Swann |
British comedic song duo, active 1956-1967 |
| Food and Drug |
"~ Administration": US agency tasked with keeping foods and medical supplies safe |
| Fred and Barney |
character from The Flinstones (begun 1960) |
| Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers |
dance and film partners, 1933-1949 |
| Frick and Frack |
comedic ice skating duo, active in US ~1936-1953 |
| Frodo and Sam |
hobbit companions |
| Gallagher and Lyle |
Scottish music duo, 1972-1980, 2010-2018 |
| Gallagher and Shean |
vaudeville and Broadway musical comedy double act, 1910-1925 |
| George and Harold |
George Beard and Harold Hutchins, fictional creators of Pilkey's Captain Underpants and Dogman |
| George and Ira |
"~ Gershwin": song composers, active 1910s-1930s |
| Gilbert and George |
British collaborative artists, collaborating since ~1970 |
| Gilbert and Sullivan |
theatrical partners, 1871-1896 |
| Greek and Latin |
classic languages |
| Greek and Roman |
dominant European civilizations, c. 1200 BCE - 476 CE |
| Hagbard and Signe |
lovers from Scandinavian legend |
| Hale and Pace |
English comedy double-act, and TV show 1988-1998 |
| Hall and Oates, Daryl Hall & John Oates |
American pop rock duo, formed in 1970 |
| Hannity & Colmes |
commentator show on live TV, 1996-2009 |
| Hatfields and McCoys |
sides of famous 1863-1891 feud in WV and KY |
| He-Man and She-Ra |
Filmation animated cartoon duo |
| Hinge and Bracket |
British drag comedy act performed by Logan and Fyffe, 1972-2002 |
| Hiroshima and Nagasaki |
targets of WWII atomic bombing |
| Hobbs and Sutcliffe |
professional cricketeer partners, 1924-1930 |
| Hollywood and Vine |
street intersection, center of entertainment business |
| Holmes and Watson |
Doyle characters, 1887-1927; American mystery comedy movie, 2018 |
| Homer and Jethro |
American country music duo, 1936-1971 |
| Hook and Cod |
"~ wars": series of conflicts in Holland, 1350-1490 |
| Hugo and Nebula |
major science fiction awards |
| Immigration and Customs |
"~ Enforcement": US law enforcement agency addressing cross-border crime |
| Immigration and Nationality |
"~ Act": US laws passed 1952, 1965 (reformed 1990) |
| Immigration and Naturalization |
"~ Service": US agency, 1933-2003 |
| Jan and Dean |
American rock duo, active 1958-2004 (with gaps) |
| Jarndyce and Jarndyce |
fictional probate case in Dickens' Bleak House |
| Jay and Silent Bob |
fictional characters in View Askewniverse, created by Kevin Smith |
| Jeeves and Wooster |
1990-1993 British TV drama based on Wodehouse characters |
| Jekyll and Hyde, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde |
Stevenson 1886 novella; a two-sided character |
| Jukes and Kallikaks, The Jukes and the Kallikaks |
subjects of pro-eugenics case studies |
| Kernighan and Ritchie |
authors of The C Programming Language (1978, 1988) |
| Kirk and Spock |
"Star Trek" main characters |
| Kruder & Dorfmeister |
Austrian music duo, 1993-2013, 2020-present |
| Laurel and Hardy |
British-American comedy duo, 1927-1955 |
| Lennon and McCartney |
songwriting partnership from the Beatles |
| Leopold and Loeb |
partners in murder in "the crime of the century", 5/21/1924 |
| Les Paul and Mary Ford |
husband-wife musical duo, active 1945-1963 |
| Lewis and Clark |
leaders of expedition into Louisiana Territory |
| Lewis and Harris |
largest island in Scotland |
| Little and Large |
British comedy duo, active 1962-2003, 2018-2020 |
| Loggins and Messina |
American pop rock duo, active 1971-76, 2005, 2009 |
| Lone Ranger and Tonto |
fictional Western masked hero and sidekick |
| Lucy and Desi |
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, mid-1900s entertainment couple; title of documentary movie about them |
| Mantle and Maris,Maris and Mantle, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris |
baseball teammates, 1960-1966 |
| Mars and Venus, Venus and Mars |
Roman god and goddess commonly paired |
| Martin and Lewis, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis |
American comedy team, 1946-1956 |
| Marx and Engels |
expounders of classical Marxism, authors of 1848 The Communist Manifesto |
| Masters and Johnson |
sex research team, 1957-1990s |
| Mecca and Medina |
holiest cities in Islam |
| Merrick and Rosso |
Australian comedy duo, active 1996-2009 |
| Michelson and Morley |
physicists who measured speed of Earth relative to the ether, 1887 |
| Mickey and Minnie |
Disney mouse couple, since 1928 |
| Mizar and Alcor |
pair of stars in the handle of the Big Dipper |
| Monitor and Merrimack |
ships in Battle of Hampton Roads, 1862 |
| Montagues and Capulets, Capulets and Montagues |
rival houses in Romeo and Juliet, dance in Prokofiev's ballet |
| Moose and Squirrel |
Boris Badenov's term for Rocky and Bullwinkle |
| Morecambe and Wise |
British comedy duo, 1941-1984 |
| Napoleon and Josephine |
historical French couple |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
NASA, the US government agency responsible for the civil space program and research |
| Nick and Nora |
popular characters in the Thin Man movies, c. 1934-1947 |
| Orkney and Shetland |
UK Parliament constituency |
| Peace and Freedom |
socialist political party in the US |
| Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm |
babies Flintstone and Rubble, stars of "The ~ Show", 1971-72 |
| Penn & Teller |
American magicians/entertainers |
| Pierrot and Harlequin, Harlequin and Pierrot |
commedia dell'arte stock characters; 1890 Cezanne painting |
| Pompeii and Herculaneum |
cities destroyed by Vesuvius |
| Popeye and Olive Oyl |
cartoon sailor and girlfriend, debuted 1929 |
| Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl |
active volcanoes overlooking the Valley of Mexico |
| Punch and Judy |
traditional puppet show, from 1662 |
| Punt and Dennis |
British comedy duo, active intermittently 1980s-present |
| Raggedy Ann and Andy, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy |
doll characters of Johnny Gruelle books, and physical dolls, since 1920 |
| Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
"Colony of ~": one of US's original 13 colonies |
| Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz |
Puero Rican musical duo, formed 1963 |
| Rodgers and Hammerstein |
composer-lyricist pair, most active in 1940s-50s |
| Rodgers and Hart |
composer-lyricist pair, working 1919-1943 |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern |
characters from Hamlet; "~ are Dead": 1966 Stoppard play, 1990 movie |
| Rowan and Martin |
comedy team; "~'s Laugh-In": TV show 1968-1973 |
| Roy and HG |
Australian comedy duo, begun 1986 |
| Roy Rogers and Dale Evans |
cowboy spouses and entertainment team, 1946-1988 |
| Sacco and Vanzetti |
immigrant anarchists controversially executed for murder, 1927 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
Caribbean country |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
French overseas collectivity near Newfoundland |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
eastern Caribbean island country |
| Sam & Dave |
American soul/R&B duo (Sam Moore and Dave Prater), 1961-1981 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe |
island country off the west equatorial coast of Africa |
| Seals and Crofts |
American soft rock duo, 1969-81, 1989-92, 2004 |
| Serbia and Montenegro |
Balkan country, 1992-2006, following Yugoslavia's breakup |
| Sergius and Bacchus |
martyred 4th-century Syrian soldiers and Christian saints |
| Shaggy and Scooby, Scooby and Shaggy, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy |
stars of (mostly) cartoon TV/film franchise, 1969- |
| Siegfried and Roy |
magician-entertainer pair, ~1967-2003 |
| Simon & Garfunkel |
folk rock music duo, ~1956-2010 |
| Siskel and Ebert |
American film critics, active 1975-1999 |
| Smith and Dale |
American comedy team, 1920s-1971 |
| Sodom and Gomorrah |
wicked biblical cities |
| Sodor and Man |
"Diocese of ~": Church of England diocese covering Isle of Man |
| Somerville and Ross |
Anglo-Irish writing team, 1889-1915 |
| Sonny and Cher |
American singer/entertainer duo, 1964-1977 |
| Square and Compasses |
Freemasonry symbol |
| Stanley and Livingstone |
explorers of Africa; 1939 American adventure movie |
| Stars and Bars |
first flag of the Confederate States of America |
| Stars and Stripes |
nickname of US flag; newspaper of US armed forces |
| Statler and Waldorf |
Muppet hecklers, since 1975 |
| Strunk and White |
authors of The Elements of Style, 1959 |
| Substance Abuse and Mental Health |
"~ Services Administration": branch of U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services |
| Sunni and Shia |
major branches of Islam |
| Sylvester and Tweety, Tweety and Sylvester |
Looney Tunes canary and cat characters, first paired in 1947 |
| Tarzan and Jane |
Burroughs' jungle hero and his love |
| The Jets and the Sharks |
fictional gangs from West Side Story |
| Theravada and Mahayana |
major branches of Buddhism |
| Tom and Jerry |
animated media franchise, since 1940 |
| Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn |
Twain title characters, 1870s-90s; 2014 movie |
| Tommy and Tuppence |
Agatha Christie detective characters, 1922-1973 |
| Tony Orlando and Dawn |
American pop music group, 1970-77, on and off thru 2024 |
| Torvill and Dean |
British ice dancers, retired 1998 |
| Tracy and Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy |
cinematic couple, starring together 1942-1967 |
| Trinidad and Tobago |
Caribbean country |
| Truth and Reconciliation |
esp. "~ Commission": response to human rights violations |
| Trylon and Perisphere |
monumental sculptures at 1939 New York World's Fair |
| Turks and Caicos |
"~ Islands": British overseas territory in the West Indies |
| Tweedledum and Tweedledee |
nursery rhyme characters appearing in Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass |
| Tyne and Wear |
county in northern England |
| Van and Schenck |
American entertainers, 1910s and 1920s |
| Venus and Serena |
Williams sisters, pro tennis players, from ~1998 |
| Vic and Bob, Reeves and Mortimer |
British double act, begun 1986 |
| Victoria and Albert |
UK queen and her husband, 1819-1901; "~ Museum": London museum of arts and design, established 1852 |
| Wallace and Gromit |
British claymation characters, premiered 1989 |
| Watson and Crick |
scientists credited with finding structure of DNA |
| Wayne and Shuster |
Canadian comedy duo, 1941-1990 |
| Weber and Fields |
American comedy duo, 1885-1904 |
| Whigs and Tories, Whig and Tory |
18th century opposing political parties in England |
| Whitehead and Russell, Russell and Whitehead |
mathematicians, authors of 1913 Principia Mathematica |
| Woodward and Bernstein |
Washington Post Watergate reporters |
| York and Lancaster |
rival branches of the House of Plantagenet |
| Zager and Evans |
American rock-pop duo, 1960s-early 1970s |