Antithetical Pairs
Words of Opposite Meanings
1. Sweet and sour
seasoned with a sauce containing sugar and vinegar
or lemon juice
Eg It sounds like no sweet-and-sour chicken for
dinner.
2. In sickness and in health
Whether in an ill state or in a healthy mode (used in a
wedding vow)
Eg I, (name), take you (name), to be my lawfully
wedded (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this
day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for
poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.
3. a matter of life and death
something that is extremely important and often
involves decisions that will determine whether
someone lives or dies
Eg Being prepared for severe weather can be a matter
of life and death.
4. Friend or foe
An ally or an enemy.
Eg Is this character in the story friend or foe? They
really haven't given us enough details about him.
5. Through thick and thin
through good and bad times.
Eg She's always been there for me through thick and
thin, so I can't turn my back on her now.
6. Make or break
used to describe a decision, event, or period of time
that is very important because it can make
something succeed or fail completely:
Eg Christas is often a make-or-break time for smaller
retailers.
7. By fair means or foul
If you try to achieve something by fair means or foul,
you use any method you can to achieve it, even if it is
not honest or fair.
Eg The press feels that if it can get away with writing a
story by fair means or foul it will write it.
8. Hit and run
denoting or relating to a motor accident in which the
vehicle involved does not stop.
Eg a man on a bicycle had been struck and killed by a
hit-and-run driver
9. Hearts and minds
used in reference to emotional and intellectual
support or commitment.
Eg a campaign to win the hearts and minds of
America's college students
10. For better or for worse
whether good or bad things happen : no matter what
happens
Eg We've made our decision and now we have to stick
to it for better or worse.
Complete the sentences using correct antithetical pairs.
As my lawfully wedded husband, ________, till death parts us.
Why didn't you make ___________ pork?
A good friend stands by us _________.
It is __________. You shouldn't be careless.
Judging whether China is the region's _________ isn't so easy.
They will win the election ___________.
This movie will __________ him as a director.
The pickup driver pleaded guilty to _______ and manslaughter.
Understand that ___________, you create your own life.
We must touch the __________ of our citizens.
As my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till
death parts us.
Why didn't you make sweet-and-sour pork?
A good friend stands by us through thick and thin.
It is a matter of life and death. You shouldn't be careless.
Judging whether China is the region's friend or foe isn't so easy.
They will win the election by fair means or foul.
This movie will make or break him as a director.
The pickup driver pleaded guilty to hit and run and
manslaughter.
Understand that for better or worse, you create your own life.
We must touch the hearts and minds of our citizens.
