在英语当中两个近义和相对的词用and或or连接构成成对的英语短语,它们经常出现在一起,因此它们的位置固定下来,有些同汉语的位置相同,有些同汉语不同,意义上有的和汉语相同,少量的同汉语有些差别,下面是笔者收集的一些此类的短语。
1. 同汉语位置相同的短语
aches and pains痛苦 affable and kind和善
ancient and modern古今 arts and science文理
bag and baggage提包和行李 black and white黑白
bucket and spade 桶和锹 brothers and sisters兄妹
bow and arrow弓和箭, bread and butter面包和黄油
crack and roar咆哮 cup and saucer杯子碟子
drunk and sober酒汉与清醒者 fair and square公正
far and away远离 far and near远近
fire and sword火与箭 first and foremost首先
first and last先后 fish and chips炸鱼和薯条
free and easy轻松自在 friend and foe朋友和敌人
forward and backward 前后 fun and pleasure娱乐
wife and children妻子和儿童 good or ill好歹(善恶)
great and small大小 hale and hearty健壮
ham and egg火腿鸡蛋 hammer and sickle锤子与镰刀
hand an foot手脚 head and shoulder头与肩
heart and soul心灵 heaven and earth天地
heavy and light重轻 high and low高低
hill and dale山谷 home and abroad 国内外
horse and cart马车 house and home家居
hue and cry喊叫 husband and wife夫妻
hustle and bustle熙熙攘攘, ifs and buts假设和转折
in and out进出 whole and all全体
import and export进出口 internal and external内外
judge and jury法官与陪审团, king and queen国王与皇后
ladies and gentlemen女士与先生 knife and pork刀叉
kith and kin亲戚 land and sea陆海
law and order治安 lean and lanky瘦长
leaps and bounds跳跃 light and shade光阴
long and short长短 lord and lady贵族与小姐
male and female男女 man and beast人与兽
man and woman男女 meek and mild温和
sweet and sour糖醋 more or less或多或少
mother and child母子 null and void无效
odds and ends零碎 officers and soldiers官与兵
old and trial久经考验 Oxford and Cambridge牛津剑桥
out and away出走 past and present过去与现在
weight and measures重量与尺寸 pick and choose选择
pots and pans坛坛罐罐 puffing and blowing吐烟吹气气
profit and loss盈亏 pros and cons正反
rack and ruin损坏 right and wrong正误
rough and tumble杂乱 rules and regulations规章制度
true or false真假 safe and sound安全
short and sweet少而精 skin and bone皮包骨
slow and sure慢而准 sooner and later早晚
sports and games运动与游戏 stocks and shares股票
stuff and nonsense胡说八道 tea and coffee清茶和咖啡
then and there当时当地 thick and thin厚薄
this and that这那 thunder and light雷电
time and tide岁月 to and fro来回
town and country乡村 twists and turns曲折
up and down上下 ups and downs盛衰
vice and virtue罪恶与美德 ways and means方法
wear and tear磨损 wind and weather风与天
come and go 来去 poems and essays 诗文
2. 同汉语的位置不相同的短语
back and forth前后 bed and breakfast食宿
cap and gown(coat)衣帽 fire and water水火
flesh and blood骨肉 heat and cold冷热
heavy and light轻重 iron and steel钢铁
land and water水陆 love and money金钱与爱情
might and main主力 night and day白昼
north and south南北 off and on开关
old and grey苍老 old and new新旧
one and only唯一 pen and paper纸和笔
rain or shine阴晴 rich and poor,穷富
right and left左右 sword and shield剑与盾
twos and threes三三两两 you and I你我
young and old老少 pin and needle针毯
part and parcel重要部分 give and take合作与让步
mock and satire 讽刺嘲笑 rain and wind 风雨