31 March 2015

Prepositions and Prepositional Adverbs as Idioms



www.lousywriter.com







back and forth

www. frozenmerchandiseaustralia.com.au











  • moving in one direction first and then in the opposite one;

     - She skates with a back and forth motion.



betwixt and between


www.talkstandards.com
















  • between two choices or ideas or unwilling or unable to decide between them;

      - Brian couldn't decide whether to play or study; he was betwixt and between.



down - and - out or down and out (adj.; n.)


www.mixcloud.com



















  • having no money, no luck and no opportunities;
      - Nobody loves you when you're down and out.



by and by















  • after a short period;
      - By and by Sarah appeared.




(turn a place) inside out



www.edutopia.org















  • to search a place very thoroughly;
      - Andrew turned this place inside out looking for his keys.




on and off (also off and on)



www.featurepics.com


















  • intermittently;
     - The light kept flashing on and off all night long.



to and fro



www.galleryhip.com















  • back and forth;
     - The dog ran to and fro across the lawn.



round about




















  • approximately;
      - I dropped my keys in the sand round about here somewhere, but I don't know exactly where.



over and out


www.travelweekly.co.uk














  • said when you are talking to someone by radio in order to end the conversation;
     - The air controller signalled the end of his conversation with 'over and out'.



on and on



www.racebannon.com















  • without stopping; continuously;
      - That song plays on and on. I wish they changed it.





Can you think of any other example?


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