Siamese twins ( linguistics ) - wikipedia Siamese twins ( linguistics ) The expression `` hammer and sickle '' is a Siamese twin. The order of the two keywords of this familiar expression can not be reversed. Siamese twins ( also irreversible binomials, binomials, binomial pairs, nonreversible word pairs, or freezes ) in the context of the English language refer to a pair or group of words used together as an idiomatic expression or collocation, usually conjoined by the words and or or. The order of elements can not be reversed. The expressions hammer and sickle ( two nouns ), short and sweet ( two adjectives ), and do or die ( two verbs ) are various examples of Siamese twins. Many Siamese twins are `` catchy '' ( and thus clichés and catchphrases ) due to alliteration, rhyming, or their ubiquity in society and culture. Word combinations like rock and roll, the birds and the bees, mix and match, and wear and tear have become so widely used that their meanings surpass the meaning of the constituent words and are thus inseparable and permanent parts of the English lexicon ; the former two are idioms, whilst the latter two are collocations. Ubiquitous collocations like loud and clear and life or death are fixed expressions, making them a standard part of the vocabulary of native English speakers. Some English words are known to have become obsolete in general but are still found exclusively in an irreversible binomial. In the passage of time since spick and span was coined, the origin and meaning of the word spick has been utterly forgotten ; it has become a fossil word that never appears outside the familiar phrase. In other cases an English word, like vim in vim and vigor or abet in aid and abet, will be found more often in such phrases than on its own ; such a word may be archaic apart from the collocation. Certain Siamese twins are known for their use in legalese. Due to the use of precedent in common law, many lawyers use the same collocations found in documents centuries old. So rather than a person `` enunciating '' a `` narrative '' or recollecting about a situation, a legal brief will instead declare that a person deposes and says something pertinent. Likewise, a person who bequeaths property habitually writes of their heirs and successors and not some alternative construct. While many Siamese twins are literal expressions ( like washer and dryer, rest and relaxation, rich and famous, savings and loan ), some are entirely figurative ( like come hell or high water, nip and tuck, surf and turf ) or mostly figurative ( like between a rock and a hard place, five and dime ). Others are somewhat in between these extremes because they are more subtle figures of speech, synecdoches, metaphors, or hyperboles ( like cat and mouse, sick and tired, barefoot and pregnant, rags to riches ). A few Siamese twins have variations, based on the usage of the phrase. One time - worn expression is time and time again : it is frequently shortened to time and again. A person who is covered in tar and feathers ( noun ) usually gets that way by the action of a mob that tars and feathers ( verb ) undesirable people. Similarly, some Siamese twins mean something different depending on the conjunction between the words. For example a give and take refers to two - way or mutual flexibility, whereas give or take means a numerical approximation. Another example : a person can do something whether it is right or wrong in contrast to knowing the difference between right and wrong ; each word pair has a subtly differing meaning. Contents 1 Origin 2 Conjunction 2.1 With `` and '' as the conjunction 2.2 With `` or '' or `` nor '' as the conjunction 2.3 With no conjunction 3 Structure 3.1 With opposites and antonyms 3.2 With related words and synonyms 3.3 With alliteration 3.4 With rhymes and similar - sounding words 3.5 With repetition 4 Legal terminology 5 People and fictional characters 6 Rhyming slang 7 Variants 7.1 Common trinomials 7.2 Legal triplets 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Origin The term Siamese twins originates with Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins from Siam. In the context of the English language, this word was first used and popularised by H.W. Fowler, 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 alarm and muster alive and kicking alive and well an arm and a leg armed and dangerous apples and oranges back and fill back and forth bacon and eggs Bangers and mash bait and switch bait and tackle ( old ) ball and chain barefoot and pregnant bargain and sale beck and call bells and whistles belt and suspenders big and bold big and tall binge and purge bit and bridle bits and bobs bits and pieces block and tackle blood and guts blood and gore bob and weave bow and arrow bound and determined bound and gagged bow and scrape brace and bit bread and water bread and circuses bread and roses brown and serve bump and grind by and large by guess and by golly cap and gown car and driver cat and mouse checks and balances chop and change clean and sober cloak and dagger coat and tie coffee and doughnuts cock - and - bull crash and burn cream and sugar crime and punishment cup and saucer cut and dried ( dry ) cut and paste cut and run dandelion and burdock day and night dead and buried dead and gone death and taxes divide and conquer dog and pony show down and out duck and cover each and every eyes and ears far and wide fast and furious fast and loose fine and dandy fingers and thumbs fire and brimstone fish and chips ( by ) fits and starts flesh and blood flesh and bone forever and a day forever and ever front and center fun and games fuss and bother goals and aspirations good and plenty goodness and light hale and hearty hard and fast ham and eggs hammer and nail hammer and sickle hammer and tongs hearts and minds here and now hide and watch high and mighty high and dry high and tight hit and run hit it and quit it hither and yon hither and thither home and hosed home and dry hook and eye hook and loop horse and buggy horse and carriage hot and high hot and bothered hugs and kisses ( XOXO ) intents and purposes kiss and tell kiss and makeup kith and kin knife and fork lakes and streams law and order lo and behold lock and dam lock and key look and feel loud and clear make do and mend man and boy meat and potatoes men and women milk and honey mortise and tenon name and address names and faces nice and easy nook and cranny noughts and crosses nuts and bolts odds and ends off and away once and for all out and about over and out peaches and cream Ps and Qs peanut butter and jelly peas and carrots pestle and mortar pickles and ice cream pick and axe piss and vinegar prize and booty pork and beans pure and simple quick and dirty rack and pinion rack and ruin raining cats and dogs rape and pillage religion and politics research and development ( R&D ) rhythm and blues ( R&B ) rich and famous rise and shine ( between a ) rock and a hard place room and board rough and tumble run and jump ( all 's ) said and done salt and pepper scratch and sniff search and rescue seek and destroy shirt and tie short and fat short and sweet short and stout show and tell shuck and jive sick and tired slash and burn slings and arrows slip and fall slow and steady skin and bone ( s ) smash and grab smoke and mirrors snakes and ladders socks and shoes song and dance sound and fury ( in ) spirit and ( in ) truth spit and polish stand and deliver stress and strain suit and tie sunshine and rainbows supply and demand sweetness and light a swing and a miss sword and sandal tables and chairs tall and thin tar ( red ) and feather ( ed ) tar and feathers tea and crumpets ( through ) thick and thin thunder and lightning to and fro tooth and nail touch and go track and field trial and error tuck and roll up and about vim and vigor wait and see warm and fuzzy warp and woof ways and means weak and girlish whinge and whine last will and testament wine and roses words and phrases X 's and O 's a year and a day With `` or '' or `` nor '' as the conjunction all or nothing better or worse big or small black or white business or pleasure the chicken or the egg day or night dead or alive do or die fight or flight ( neither ) fish nor fowl give or take good or bad gentle or simple he or she heads or tails ( come ) hell or high water ( neither ) here nor there ( neither ) hide nor hair his or her hit or miss ( not one ) jot or tittle kill or cure kill or be killed ( neither ) love nor money make or break more or less now or never put up or shut up rain or shine rhyme or reason right or wrong sink or swim sooner or later take it or leave it two or more up or down ( neither ) use nor ornament victory or death win or lose yes or no With no conjunction Hunter gatherer Structure The structure of any Siamese twins phrase has words that are related in some way. The words constituting a Siamese twins phrase may be synonyms, antonyms, include alliterations or similar - sounding words that often rhyme. 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 opposites and antonyms addition and subtraction assets and liabilities back and forth balls and strikes beginning to end black and white big and small boys and girls bride and groom brother and sister butt and pass buy and sell catch and release cause and effect church and state cops and robbers come and go coming and going cowboys and Indians days and nights deep and wide dos and don'ts dusk till dawn ebb and flow fire and ice first and last floor to ceiling food and drink fore and aft foreign and domestic forward and backward friend or foe front to back give and take good and evil hail and farewell ( etymologically synonyms ; functionally antonyms ) hand and foot head over heels Heaven and Hell here and there hide and seek hill and dale him and her high and low hips and valleys his and hers hither and thither hot and cold hurry up and wait husband and wife in and out ladies and gentlemen land and sea life or death long and short lost and found love and hate love and war man and wife mom and pop naughty or nice near and far night and day ( difference ) nip and tuck north to south now and then now and later on and off open and shut over and under park and ride pen and ink port and starboard pros and cons rank and file rise and fall savings and loan in sickness and in health soap and water start to finish strike and dip sweet and sour stop and go the quick and the dead thick and thin tip and ring to and fro top to bottom town and country up and down ups and downs uptown and downtown victory and defeat war and peace washer and dryer wax and wane yes and no With related words and synonyms ages and generations aid and comfort body and soul born and raised / bred bright and early brick and mortar by hook or by crook cheek by jowl clean and tidy chapter and verse ( this ) day and age dot the i 's and cross the t 's first and foremost hail and farewell ( etymologically synonyms ; functionally antonyms ) hand over fist haughty and high minded head and shoulders heart and soul herbs and spices house and home hunger and thirst leaps and bounds like father, like son like mother, like daughter neat and tidy six of one, half a dozen of the other nook and cranny null and void over and done with pain and suffering peace and quiet pick and choose ( on ) pins and needles plain and simple prim and proper rocks and shoals nickel and dime dollars and cents rant and rave shock and awe signs and wonders skull and bones Skull and crossbones strait and narrow stress and strain ticks and chiggers whine and complain wind and rain yea and amen With alliteration bag and baggage baubles and beads beams and balance bed and breakfast belt and braces big and bad the birds and the bees bish bash bosh black and blue bold and beautiful bootleggers and Baptists boxers or briefs bread and butter bull and boar cash and carry chalk and cheese cliques and clans command and control cookies and cream deaf and dumb ( between the ) devil and the deep blue sea dine and dash down and dirty dribs and drabs drink and drive drunk and disorderly Dungeons and Dragons fast and furious feast or famine fire and faggot flip - flop flora and fauna forgive and forget form and function footloose and fancy free friend or foe fun and frolics fur and feathers ghosts and goblins grins and giggles guys and gals to have and to hold hearth and home hem and haw Jack and Jill Jew and Gentile juking and jiving king and country kit and caboodle kith and kin last but not least latitude and longitude Lend - Lease life and limb live and learn lock and load love it or leave it mix and match meek and mild name and number part and parcel peas in a pod pen and pencil pen ( cil ) and paper pig in a poke pillar to post pots and pans publish or perish rags to riches ranting and raving read and write ready to rumble rest and relaxation ( a.k.a. R ' n ' R ) ( without ) rhyme or reason right and wrong rock and roll rough and ready rules and regulations safe and secure safe and sound shot and shell signs and symptoms slip and slide spick and span spit and shine Stars and Stripes sticks and stones sugar and spice this or that tic - tac - toe tit for tat top and tail toss and turn trick or treat trials and tribulations tried and tested tried and true truck and trailer wash and wear watching and waiting weep and wail wet and wild whooping and hollering wild and wooly wise and wonderful witches and warlocks wrack and ruin With rhymes and similar - sounding words break and take box and cox chalk and talk charts and darts chips and dip double trouble even Steven fender bender five and dime flotsam and jetsam no fuss, no muss handy - dandy harum - scarum helter skelter high and dry hire and fire hit it and quit hither and thither hocus pocus hoi polloi hot to trot huff and puff hustle and bustle lap and gap lick ' em and stick ' em lout and proud mean, green, fighting machine meet and greet motor voter my way or the highway namby - pamby name and shame name it and claim it near and dear never, ever nitty gritty odds and sods onwards and upwards Orgy Porgy out and about out and proud pell - mell pump and dump rough and tough shout and clout saggy baggy shake and bake slowly but surely smoke and joke stash and dash stop and drop so far, so good surf and turf time and tide town and gown use it or lose it wake and bake wear and tear weed and feed wham, bam, thank you, ma'am willy nilly wine and dine yea or nay ( the ) yeas and ( the ) nays With repetition Some of these are examples of reduplication. actor 's actor ( an ) again and again all in all around and around arm in arm back to back be all and end all billions and billions bit by bit bling - bling bumper to bumper business to business by and by let bygones be bygones cheek to cheek closer and closer come, come ( from ) coast to coast day in, day out day to day day by day for days and days four - by - four ( 4x4 ) elbow to elbow end to end dog eat dog from ear to ear end over end an eye for an eye eye to eye face to face forever and ever go, go, go 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 less and less lies, lies, and more lies little by little live and let live lower and lower louder and louder man to man measure for measure more and more mouth to mouth neck and neck never say never nose and nose nose to nose on and on out and out over and over round and round poet 's poet run, run, run shoulder to shoulder side by side side to side so and so ( and ) so forth and so on ' 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 Legal terminology Known as legal doublets, there are many collocations and merisms which are repetitively used in a legal or official context. Many of these can be found in legal documents dating back centuries ; their habitual use has been decried by some legal scholars as superfluous in modern legal briefs. There are also legal triplets, which are listed below in their own section. accord and satisfaction aid and abet all and sundry acknowledge and confess alter or change appropriate and proper assault and battery bind and obligate breaking and entering by and between butts and bounds care and attention cease and desist covenant and agree deem and consider demise and lease depose and say due and payable eastings and northings expressed or implied final and conclusive fit and proper free and clear from now and henceforth full faith and credit furnish and supply goods and chattels have and hold heirs and successors high crimes and misdemeanors hue and cry indemnify and hold harmless infangthief and outfangthief keep and perform kind and nature legal and valid let or hindrance lewd and lascivious conduct liens and encumbrances make and enter into marque and reprisal metes and bounds mind and memory No quarter. No mercy. null and void over and above perform and discharge power and authority profit and loss sac and soc sale or transfer search and seizure signed and sealed sole and exclusive successor and assigns terms and conditions toll and team true and correct waif and stray People and fictional characters Further information : Category : Duos Abbott and Costello Adam and Eve Antony and Cleopatra Ant & Dec Batman and Robin Bert and Ernie Bonnie and Clyde French and Saunders Gilbert and Sullivan Jacob and Esau Jack and Jill Laurel and Hardy Lennon and McCartney Lewis and Clark Mel and Sue Morecambe and Wise Penn & Teller Pinky & The Brain Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hammerstein Romeo and Juliet Sonny & Cher Tom & Jerry Tristan and Isolde Tim & Eric Vic & Bob Rhyming slang Main article : Rhyming slang Adam and Eve 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. If the variant has three words occurring together, it is also known as a trinomial. Another name for this collocation is tricolon when the three parts are of the same or consistent grammatical form. Many of these could be considered triplets and satisfy the rule of three in writing. Common trinomials Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Animal, Vegetable, Mineral beans, bullets, and bandages beg, steal, or borrow blood, sweat and tears Eagle, Globe, and Anchor eat, drink, and be merry bewitched, bothered and bewildered bird, ball, and chain calm, cool, and collected could 've, would 've, should 've ear, nose, and throat fat, dumb, and happy Father, Son, Holy Ghost fear, uncertainty, and doubt fraud, waste, and abuse Friends, Romans, countrymen Get it ? Got it ? Good. gold, silver, and bronze good, bad, and indifferent the good, the bad, and the ugly guns, germs, and steel hand, foot, and mouth healthy, wealthy, and wise here, there, and everywhere hook, line, and sinker lather, rinse, repeat lie, cheat, or steal lights, camera, action location, location, location win, place, or show hop, skip, and a jump I came, I saw, I conquered ( no ) ifs, ands, or buts judge, jury, and executioner left, right and center life, liberty, and property lock, stock and barrel mad, bad, and dangerous me, myself, and I nasty, brutish, and short planes, trains, and automobiles ( neither ) rain, nor sleet, nor snow reading, writing and ' rithmetic ready, willing, and able red, white, and blue sex, drugs, and rock ' n ' roll shake, rattle, and roll short and sweet and to the point slips, trips, and falls small, medium, and large stop, drop, and roll stop, look, and listen soup, soap, and salvation sugar and spice and everything nice tall, dark, and handsome this, that, and the other Tom, Dick and Harry up, down, and sideways way, shape, or form whats, whys, and wherefores win, lose, or draw Legal triplets cancel, annul, and set aside convey, transfer, and set over give, devise, and bequeath grant, bargain, sell name, constitute, and appoint ordered, adjudged, and decreed remise, release, and forever quit claim rest, residue, and remainder right, title, and interest signed, sealed and delivered See also Collocation Fossil word Hendiadys Hendiatris Isocolon Meme Merism Phraseme Set phrase Word order Anastrophe References ^ Jump up to : Gramley & Pätzold ( 2004 ). A Survey of Modern English ( 2 ed. ). London : Routledge. p. 58. ISBN 0 - 415 - 30034 - 7. Retrieved 2012 - 10 - 04. -- via Questia ( subscription required ) ^ Jump up to : Word Pairs ^ Jump up to : Spick - and - span, Gary Martin, Phrases.org.uk ^ Jump up to : `` 8 Amusing Stories Behind Common Expressions Reader 's Digest ''. Rd.com. 2011 - 11 - 13. Retrieved 2011 - 12 - 18. ^ Jump up to : Espenschied, Lenné Eidson ( 2010 ). `` 10.1 Eliminate clutter and redundant language § Eliminate common doublets and triplets ''. Contract Drafting : Powerful Prose in Transactional Practice. ABA Fundamentals0. Chicago : American Bar Association. pp. 164 -- 165. ISBN 978 - 1 - 60442 - 795 - 0. LCCN 2010003298. OCLC 505017586. OL 15443452W. ^ Jump up to : Ingels, Mia B. ( 2006 ). `` 2.2. 1.3. Doublets and triplets ''. Legal English Communication Skills. Learning English. Leuven, Belgium : Academische Coöperatieve Vennootschap. pp. 60 -- 61. ISBN 90 - 334 - 6112 - 9. OCLC 150389897. Jump up ^ `` Doublets ''. TransLegal. 12 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2013 - 09 - 08. Jump up ^ Garner, Bryan A. ( 2011 ). Garner 's Dictionary of Legal Usage. Rev. ed. of : A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage ( 3rd ed. ). New York : Oxford University Press. p. 577. ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 538420 - 8. LCCN 2011004242. OCLC 671709669. OL 24973858M. External links The Chicken or the Egg ? : A Probabilistic Analysis of English Binomials The column Know Your English in the Indian newspaper The Hindu dated November 1, 2005. The Siamese twins of language - Article in the Education section of The Hindu dated 8 July 2003 Frases Binomiales Some examples of Siamese twins employing the same word twice Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siamese_twins_(linguistics)&oldid=824355786 '' Categories : English language Clichés Idioms Hidden categories : Subscription required using via Pages containing links to subscription - only content Articles containing Dutch - language text Pages using div col with deprecated parameters Talk Variants Contents About Wikipedia Boarisch Deutsch Edit links This page was last edited on 6 February 2018, at 21 : 23. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where does the term siamese twins come from
Answer: Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins from Siam