What are binomial pairs?
[SCROLL DOWN FOR A LIST OF BINOMIAL PAIRS WITH MEANING]
Binomial pairs are expressions that consist of two elements that are usually connected by a conjunction. Usually the conjunction is ‘and’ or ‘or’:
- Win or lose
- Bread and butter
- Now or never
- Sick and tired
- My way or the highway
Sometimes, there is no conjunction at all:
- No fuss, no muss
- Like father, like son
The order of the two words is almost always fixed, we can’t reverse them. You won’t normally hear people who say “lose or win”, or “butter and bread”, so it’s important to remember the words in the correct order.
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Binomial pairs have their own rhythm as well. The primary stress is usually on the stressed syllable of the second word, and the conjunction word (or/and) will often be reduced:
- Win ‘r LOSE
- Bread ‘n BUtter
- Bigger ‘n BEtter
Many binomial pairs are extremely catchy because of their musicality. This happens mostly with alliteration (when two elements begin with the same letter) or rhyming (when two elements end the same). For example:
Alliteration:
- Mix and match
- Black and blue
- Trick or treat
Rhyming:
- Loud and proud
- Hustle and bustle
- Wine and dine
Other binomial pairs contain elements that are related in meaning, such as synonyms and opposites:
- Safe and sound
- Come and go
- Friend or foe
- Life or death
Watch the video to learn about binomial pairs:
Here are the definitions of some of the most common Binomial Pairs:
- Win or lose – whether someone succeeds or not
- Bread and butter – something that is fundamental to something else
- Sick and tired – very bored or annoyed, fed up
- My way or the highway – either do what I say or get lost
- No fuss, no muss – no complications
- Black and blue – having bruises
- Hustle and bustle – a lot of activity and noise
- Wine and dine – entertain someone with a good meal
- Safe and sound – not in danger and not injured. Unharmed
- Loud and clear – in a way that is very easy to understand
- Give or take – approximately
- Thick and thin – both good and bad times
- By hook or by crook – by any means possible
- Like father, like son – A son will turn out like his father
- Bed and breakfast – a guesthouse that provides only overnight accommodation and a breakfast
- Come and go – repeatedly appear and disappear
- Ride or die – very committed and supportive
- Sink or swim – to fail or succeed
- Law and order – a situation in which people respect the law, and crime is controlled by the authorities
- Take it or leave it – used when you don’t care whether someone accepts your offer or not
If you want to see how these are used in sentences, type these phrases in YouGlish!
11 Responses
Wow that’s Amazing expression about binormial pairs and i do appreciate you for your heart and soul.
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I liked so much this topic. I had no idea about the title “Binomial Pairs”, although I heard that expressions several times.
Mentioning another one: “now or never” like in Elvis’ music. I saw in the examples you gave “no fuss, no muss”. So, is the expression “no pain, no gain” a Binomial pair too?
Thank you a lot for your amazing and “loud and clear” vídeos!
See you in the next one!
Anna
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