Alliteration in idioms

Alliteration in idioms

Belt and braces

using more actions in order to provide double insurance

Black and blue

with bruises on the parts of your body

Her face was black and blue.

Born and bread

born, grew up and educated in the same place

He’s a Chicagoan born and bread.

Chalk and cheese

markedly different from each other

I don’t really get along with my cousin. We are like chalk and cheese.

Chop and change

to change your mind or system over and over again

Chopping and changing the method confused us.

Done and dusted

completed successfully

The task was done and dusted.

Down and dirty

behaving unpleasantly towards rivals, especially to achieve what you want

Election campaign got down and dirty.

In debris and drabs

in small numbers or amounts; in a slow way

He repaid the debt in debris and drabs.

Facts and figures

exact details of something

Can you give me the facts and figures of the meeting?

First and foremost

as the most important

He loves to paint, but first and foremost he is a photographer.

Forgive and forget

to stop blaming someone for something wrong they have done to you

After a long time, he decided to forgive and forget.

Hale and hearty

healthy and strong

In spite of his old age, my grandfather is hale and hearty.

Hum and haw

to be unwilling or uncertain and try to delay before deciding to do something

My father hummed and hawed for a month before deciding to buy a car for me.

Mix and match

to choose different things and combine them in a way that fits your needs

I have a lot of clothes that I can mix and match.

Part and parcel

absolutely necessary part or feature of something

Talent is part and parcel of being a musician.

Puff and pant

to breathe noisily and with difficulty, because you are exhausted

Puffing and panting, he ran up the stairs.

(Go to) rack and ruin

fall into decay

The landlord let the building go to rack and ruin.

Rant and rave

to complain in a loud or angry way

He began to rant and rave about his working condition.

Risk life and limb

to do something risky although you might be killed or injured

He risked life and limb to rescue her from the burning building.

Short and sweet

brief but satisfying

His answer was short and sweet.

Spick and span

clean and tidy

He always keeps his room spick and span.

Through thick and thin

without being influenced by difficult situations

They have been close friends through thick and thin.

This and that

several things that are very different from each other

We are talking about this and that.

Top and tail

to slice off both ends of a fruit or vegetable

Please top and tail beans.

Tried and tested

proved to be reliable

He grows tomatoes using a tried and tested method.

Wax and wane

to gradually become stronger and then grow weaker

Idiom Cards