Siamese twins in the context of the English language

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 refers to a pair or grouping of words that is used together as an idiom

Idiom

Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...

atic expression or collocation

Collocation

In corpus linguistics, collocation defines a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. In phraseology, collocation is a sub-type of phraseme. An example of a phraseological collocation is the expression strong tea...

, usually conjoined by the words and or or. The order of elements cannot be reversed. The expression short and sweet is an example of Siamese twins.

Origin

The term Siamese twins originates with Chang and Eng Bunker

Chang and Eng Bunker

Chang and Eng Bunker were the conjoined twin brothers whose condition and birthplace became the basis for the term "Siamese twins".-Life:...

, the conjoined twins

Conjoined twins

Conjoined twins are identical twins whose bodies are joined in utero. A rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 50,000 births to 1 in 100,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence in Southwest Asia and Africa. Approximately half are stillborn, and a smaller fraction of...

 from Siam. In the context of the English language, this word was first used and popularised by H. W. Fowler

Henry Watson Fowler

Henry Watson Fowler was an English schoolmaster, lexicographer and commentator on the usage of the English language...

, a renowned lexicographer.

Conjunction

The most common conjunctions used in a phrase that constitutes Siamese twins are and or or.

With "and" as the conjunction

above and beyond airs and graces alive and kicking alive and well an arm and a leg apples and oranges Apples and oranges A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be validly compared.The idiom, comparing apples and oranges, refers to the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable or incommensurable, such as apples and... back and forth beck and call bells and whistles belt and suspenders bit and bridle bits and bobs blood and guts bow and arrow bread and circuses Bread and circuses "Bread and Circuses" is a metaphor for a superficial means of appeasement... bump and grind burger and fries by and large cap and gown car and driver Car and Driver Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011... cat and mouse Cat and mouse Cat and mouse, often expressed as cat-and-mouse game, is an English-language idiom dating back to 1675 that means "a contrived action involving constant pursuit, near captures, and repeated escapes." The "cat" is unable to secure a definitive victory over the "mouse", who despite not being able to...

cats and dogs crash and burn dog and pony show Dog and pony show Dog and pony show is a colloquial term previously used in the United States in the late-19th and early-20th centuries to refer to small traveling circuses that toured through small towns and rural areas... duck and cover Duck and cover Duck and Cover was a suggested method of personal protection against the effects of a nuclear weapon which the United States government taught to generations of United States school children from the early 1950s into the 1980s. This was supposed to protect them in the event of an unexpected nuclear... far and wide fast and loose fingers and thumbs fish and chips Fish and chips Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada... flesh and blood free and clear Free and clear In property law, the term free and clear refers to ownership without legal encumbrances, such as a lien or mortgage. So, for example: a person owns his house free and clear if he has paid off the mortgage and no creditor has filed a lien against it.... good and plenty hale and hearty hammer and sickle Hammer and sickle The hammer and sickle is a part of communist symbolism and its usage indicates an association with Communism, a Communist party, or a Communist state. It features a hammer and a sickle overlapping each other. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry; placing them... hammer and tongs Hammer and Tongs Hammer and Tongs is the second album from the Scottish rock group Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie. It was recorded in Germany in 1989, at Berlin's Hansa Ton Studios just as the Fall of the Berlin Wall occurred... hard and fast high and mighty high and tight High and tight The high and tight is a military variant of the buzz cut. It is a very short hairstyle most commonly worn by men in the armed forces of most countries. Due to the functionality of this hairstyle, it is also popular with law enforcement officers and other public safety personnel... hither and yon home and dry horse and buggy Horse and buggy A horse and buggy or horse and carriage refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses... horse and carriage hot and high Hot and high In aviation, hot and high is a condition of low air density due to high ambient temperature and high airport elevation. Air density decreases with increasing temperature and altitude. Lower air density reduces the amount of lift generated by the wings or the rotors of an aircraft, which may hamper... intents and purposes

ladies and gentlemen lakes and streams law and order Law and order (politics) In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties... lo and behold lock and dam loud and clear make do and mend man and boy man and wife meat and potatoes milk and honey mortar and pestle Mortar and pestle A mortar and pestle is a tool used to crush, grind, and mix solid substances . The pestle is a heavy bat-shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding. The mortar is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, ceramic or stone... mortise and tenon Mortise and tenon The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon... mum and dad names and faces nook and cranny nuts and bolts odds and ends off and away once and for all

peaches and cream Peaches and Cream Peaches and Cream is a dessert made of peaches and cream. It is often served at ice cream stands and float shops. Many types of hard candy, such as Creme Savers, also come in a peaches and cream flavor.... Ps and Qs peanut butter and jelly peas and carrots pickles and ice cream pick and axe pork and beans Pork and beans Pork and beans is a culinary dish that uses pork and beans as its main ingredients. Numerous variations exist from Fabada Asturiana to Olla podrida to American canned pork and beans.-American canned pork and beans:... pure and simple rack and pinion Rack and pinion A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby... religion and politics rice and beans Rice and beans Rice and beans is a very popular dish in Latin America, the Caribbean, and in communities of Latino, Caribbean or Sephardic... rise and shine rough and tumble run and jump (all's) said and done salt and pepper Salt and Pepper Salt and Pepper is a 1968 comedy film starring Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Michael Bates, Ilona Rodgers and John Le Mesurier. The film was directed by Richard Donner, who later would direct such blockbuster successes as Superman and Lethal Weapon.It spawned a 1970 sequel, One More Time,... seek and destroy Seek and Destroy Seek and Destroy is an action game for the PlayStation 2. It is a 1-2 player vehicular combat game, with over 100 tanks and upgrades to choose from.- Story :... shits and giggles short and sweet sick and tired

silver and gold skin and bone song and dance Song and Dance Song and Dance is a musical comprising two acts, one told entirely in "Song" and one entirely in "Dance", tied together by a love story.The first part is Tell Me On A Sunday, with lyrics by Don Black and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, about a young British woman's romantic misadventures in New York... spit and polish supply and demand Supply and demand Supply and demand is an economic model of price determination in a market. It concludes that in a competitive market, the unit price for a particular good will vary until it settles at a point where the quantity demanded by consumers will equal the quantity supplied by producers , resulting in an... sweetness and light Sweetness and light Sweetness and light is an English idiom that indicates a person's friendliness and ease. Today, it is generally used ironically to describe insincere courtesy. For example: The two had been fighting for a month, but around others it was all sweetness and light. Jonathan Swift coined the term in... tea and crumpets thunder and lightning tooth and nail touch and go track and field Track and field Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area... trial and error Trial and error Trial and error, or trial by error, is a general method of problem solving, fixing things, or for obtaining knowledge."Learning doesn't happen from failure itself but rather from analyzing the failure, making a change, and then trying again."... up and about up, up, and away vim and vigor warm and fuzzy ways and means last will and testament wine and roses X's and O's

With "or" or "nor" as the conjunction

all or nothing better or worse big or small day or night dead or alive do or die

fight or flight (neither) fish nor fowl give or take heads or tails (come) hell or high water

(neither) here nor there (neither) hide nor hair hit or miss Hit or Miss Hit or Miss is a solitaire card game which uses a deck of 52 playing cards. It is one of the unique solitaire card games because the player only deals the cards one at a time.... (not one) jot or tittle kill or cure (neither) love nor money

make or break more or less (no) ifs, ans, or buts one way or another rain or shine

sink or swim sooner or later take it or leave it two or more up or down use nor ornament yes or no Yes or No Yes or No is a version of Deal or No Deal airing in South Korea. The prizes range from as little as 10 won to as much as 100,000,000 won...

Structure

The structure of any Siamese twins phrase has words that are related in some way. The words comprising a Siamese twins phrase may be synonyms, antonyms, include alliterations or similar-sounding words that often rhyme

Rhyme

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...

. Other varieties of Siamese twins may also be possible.

Examples below are split into various tables; some may belong in more than one table but are listed only once.

With antonyms

back and forth balls and strikes beginning to end black and white big and small boys and girls the chicken or the egg cops and robbers coming and going cowboys and Indians dawn till dusk days and nights

east to west floor to ceiling food and drink foreign and domestic front to back give and take good or bad Heaven and Hell here and there hide and seek Hide and seek Hide-and-seek or hide-and-go-seek is a variant of the game tag, in which a number of players conceal themselves in the environment, to be found by one or more seekers.-Variants:Numerous variants of the game can be found around the world... hill and dale high and low

his and hers hither and thither hot and cold hurry up and wait in and out land and sea Land and Sea Land and Sea is a locally-produced Canadian documentary television show broadcast in Newfoundland and Labrador on CBNT in St. John's, and on all CBC Television outlets throughout the province... life or death long and short mom and pop naughty or nice near and far night and day (difference) north to south now and then

old and new over and under park and ride Park and ride Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip... pros and cons rank and file Rank and file In politics and labor unions the rank and file are the individual members of an organization, exclusive of its leadership. The phrase originated in the military, denoting the horizontal "ranks" and vertical "files" of individual foot-soldiers, exclusive of the noncommissioned officers.... in sickness and in health start to finish sweet and sour Sweet and sour Sweet and sour is a generic term that encompasses many styles of sauce, cuisine and cooking methods. It has long been popular in North America and Europe, where it is stereotypically considered a component of standard Chinese cuisine... stop and go thick and thin to and fro top to bottom

town and country up and down uptown and downtown victory and defeat war and peace War and Peace War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. The work is epic in scale and is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature... wax and wane win or lose yes and no

With synonyms

ages and generations by hook or by crook By hook or by crook "By hook or by crook" is an English phrase meaning "by any means necessary", suggesting that one need not be concerned with morality or other considerations when accomplishing some goal.... cease and desist cheek by jowl

clean and tidy first and foremost hand over fist haughty and high minded heart and soul house and home

leaps and bounds neat and tidy six of one, half a dozen of the other nook and cranny

null and void peace and quiet pick and choose plain and simple prim and proper

nickel and dime dollars and cents rant and rave strait and narrow

With alliteration

bag and baggage baubles and beads bed and breakfast Bed and breakfast A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments... belt and braces the birds and the bees The birds and the bees "The birds and the bees" is an English-language idiomatic expression that refers to courtship and sexual intercourse, and is usually used in reference to teaching someone, often a young child, about sex and pregnancy... big and bad black and blue Black and Blue Black and Blue is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1976. It was the band's first studio album released with Ronnie Wood as the replacement for Mick Taylor... bold and beautiful bread and butter cash and carry chalk and cheese cliques and clans Dungeons and Dragons fast and furious

feast or famine forgive and forget form and function footloose and fancy free friend or foe fun and frolics fur and feathers ghosts and goblins guys and gals hearth and home hem and haw Jack and Jill Jew and Gentile kit and caboodle

kith and kin laugh out loud life and limb lock and load love it or leave it Lend-Lease Lend-Lease Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in... mix and match part and parcel peas in a pod pen(cil) and paper pillar to post pig in a poke Pig in a poke The idioms pig in a poke and sell a pup refer to a confidence trick originating in the Late Middle Ages, when meat was scarce, but cats and dogs were not... rack and ruin

rest and relaxation (a.k.a. R 'n' R) rock and roll Rock and roll Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music... read and write ready to rumble (without) rhyme or reason rough and ready rules and regulations safe and sound signs and symptoms sixes and sevens spick and span spit and shine

Stars and Stripes Flag of the United States The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows... sticks and stones sugar and spice tit for tat top and tail tic-tac-toe Tic-tac-toe Tic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and noughts and crosses , is a pencil-and-paper game for two players, X and O, who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The X player usually goes first... this or that trick or treat Trick or Treat Trick or Treat is a 1952 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon, which takes place on Halloween night, follows a series of pranks between Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie who are aided by Witch Hazel... tried and tested tried and true truck and trailer wash and wear witches and warlocks

With similar-sounding words

box of rocks box and cox chalk and talk charts and darts even Steven five and dime flotsam and jetsam Flotsam and jetsam In maritime law, flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict describe specific kinds of wreck.The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage.... fun in the sun handy-dandy helter skelter high and dry

hither and thither hocus pocus Hocus Pocus (magic) Hocus Pocus or hocus-pocus is a generic term that may be derived from an ancient language and is presently used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change. It was once a common term for a magician, juggler, or other similar entertainer.The origins of the... hoi polloi Hoi polloi Hoi polloi , an expression meaning "the many", or in the strictest sense, "the majority" in Greek, is used in English to denote "the masses" or "the people", usually in a derogatory sense. Synonyms for "hoi polloi" include "..... hot to trot huff and puff hustle and bustle mean, green, fighting machine meet and greet my way or the highway

namby-pamby name it and claim it near and dear never, ever odds and sods onwards and upwards out and about pell mell pedal to the metal pump and dump Pump and dump "Pump and dump" is a form of microcap stock fraud that involves artificially inflating the price of an owned stock through false and misleading positive statements, in order to sell the cheaply purchased stock at a higher price.... rough and tough shout and clout saggy baggy

silly billy stash and dash surf and turf Surf and turf Surf and turf or surf 'n' turf is a main course in American cuisine which combines seafood and meat. It is particularly common in British or Irish pubs in North America and North American steakhouses, and typically includes lobster, Dublin Bay prawn, or shrimp, which may be grilled or breaded and... time and tide wear and tear wham, bam, thank you, ma'am willy nilly wine and dine yea or nay

With repetition

Some of these are examples of Reduplication

Reduplication

Reduplication in linguistics is a morphological process in which the root or stem of a word is repeated exactly or with a slight change....

.

again and again all in all around and around arm in arm back to back billions and billions bit by bit bling-bling Bling-bling Bling is a slang term popularized in hip hop culture, referring to flashy, ostentatious or elaborate jewelry and ornamented accessories that are carried, worn or installed, such as cell phones or tooth caps.... bumper to bumper by and by let bygones be bygones cheek to cheek come, come day in, day out

day to day day by day for days and days four-by-four (4x4) elbow to elbow dog eat dog from ear to ear end over end an eye for an eye An eye for an eye The meaning of the principle, an eye for an eye, is that a person who has injured another person receives the same injury in compensation. The exact Latin to English translation of this phrase is actually "The law of retaliation." At the root of this principle is that one of the purposes of the... eye to eye face to face forever and ever hand in hand hand to hand

head to head heart to heart higher and higher home sweet home horror of horrors kill or be killed king of kings little by little live and let live lower and lower man to man measure for measure more and more

mouth to mouth neck and neck never say never nose to nose on and on out and out over and over round and round shoulder to shoulder side by side side to side so and so step by step

strength to strength such and such through and through time after time time and time (again) (from) time to time two by two toe to toe (on the) up and up wall to wall for weeks and weeks (from) wire to wire woman to woman

Rhyming slang

Adam and Eve Adam and Eve Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews... apples and pears bottle and glass

Brahms and Liszt dog and bone frog and toad

hand and blister north and south rabbit and pork

tit for tat trouble and strife two and eight

whistle and flute

Variants

Siamese twins occurring as a pair (that is, having two words occurring together) are also known as binomials

Binomial pair

In linguistics, a binomial pair or binomial is a sequence of two or more words or phrases belonging to the same grammatical category, having some semantic relationship and joined by some syntactic device such as and or or...

. If the variant has three words occurring together, it is also known as a trinomial.

Examples of trinomials

beans, bullets, and bandages blood, sweat and tears Eagle, globe, and anchor Eagle, Globe, and Anchor The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor is the official emblem and insignia of the United States Marine Corps. The current emblem traces its roots in the designs and ornaments of the early Continental Marines as well as the British Royal Marines. The present emblem, adopted in 1966, differs from the emblem of... bird, ball, and chain cool, calm and collected ear, nose and throat here, there and everywhere hanged, drawn and quartered hook, line and sinker

first, second, and third gold, silver, and bronze win, place, or show hop, skip and jump judge, jury and executioner lock, stock and barrel mad, bad and dangerous nasty, brutish and short planes, trains, and automobiles ready, willing and able

reading, writing and 'rithmetic red, white and blue sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll sugar and spice and everything nice tall, dark and handsome the good, the bad and the ugly The Good, the Bad and the Ugly The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone... Tom, Dick and Harry Tom, Dick and Harry The phrase "Tom, Dick and Harry" is a placeholder for multiple unspecified people; "Tom, Dick or Harry" plays the same role for one unspecified person. The phrase most commonly occurs as "every Tom, Dick and Harry", meaning everyone, and "any Tom, Dick or Harry", meaning anyone, although Brewer...

neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow shake, rattle and roll short and sweet and to the point small, medium, and large stop, drop and roll Stop, drop and roll Stop, drop and roll is a simple fire safety technique taught to children, emergency services personnel and industrial workers as a component of health and safety training.... this, that, and the other up, down, and sideways way, shape, or form win, lose, or draw