and

Less common meanings

4. 4
   very (after nice)conjunctioncolloquial

   Used between nice, good, fine or lovely and another describing word, so the two together mean very or pleasantly.

   Wear your big coat so you stay nice and warm.

   I'll leave when I'm good and ready.

   UsageKeep the order fixed with no comma: nice and warm, good and ready.

   Note
5. 5
   instead of toconjunctioncolloquial

   Used instead of 'to' to join two verbs, especially after come, go or try.

   Come and see what I found.

   Go and ask your mother.

   UsageSay come and see. In writing, try to is safer than try and.

   Note
6. 6
   endless repeatconjunction

   Used between the same word twice to show that something keeps going on.

   The phone rang and rang, but nobody answered.

   We walked for miles and miles.

7. 7
   plusconjunction

   Used between numbers to add them, meaning 'plus'.

   Six and four make ten.

   What is seven and eight?

   UsageSay two and two is four.

   Similarplus

   Note
8. 8
   conjunction

   Used to add a comment or explanation to what was just said.

   She refused, and quite rightly, to sign it.

   He was tired, and no wonder, after such a day.

9. 9
   within numbersconjunction

   Used inside numbers, as in 'a hundred and one' or 'two and a half'.

   The book has two hundred and ten pages.

   It took three and a half hours.

   Note
10. 10
    conjunction

    Used between the same word twice to say that not all of them are alike.

    There are teachers and teachers, and she was one of the good ones.

    You can't say all pizza is the same: there's pizza and pizza.

    UsageThere are friends and friends means some friends are better than others.

    Note
11. 11
    conjunctiondialectalUS

    Used to mean 'if', an old use still heard in some American dialects.

    "And he went slower," Mike said softly, "he go better."

    1958, Shirley Ann Grau, The Hard Blue SkyHere, and means if.

    Peter answered, and sayde: master, and thou be he, bidde me come unto the on the water.

    1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt (Tyndale Bible)Here, and means if, introducing a condition.

    Similarif

    Note
12. 12
    logicconjunction

    In logic, used to join two statements that must both be true.

    'It is raining and it is cold' is true only if both parts are true.

    In the search box, cats AND dogs finds only pages that have both words.

    Note
13. 13
    half beatnouncolloquialcountable

    In music, the second half of a beat, counted as 'one and two and'.

    Play the chord on the and of two.

    In this song, the drummer hits the cymbal on every and.

    UsageMusicians say play on the and: between the beats.

    Similaroffbeat

    Oppositedownbeat

    Note
14. 14
    conjunctionobsolete

    An old use meaning 'but' or 'yet'.

    Hee said, I goe sir, and went not.

    1611, The Holy Bible, King James VersionHere, and means but or yet.

    Note
15. 15
    conjunctionobsolete

    An old use meaning 'as if'.

    I will roare you, and 'twere any Nightingale.

    c. 1595, William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”Here, and means as if.

    As they will set an house on fire, and it were but to roast their eggs.

    1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Innovations”Here, and means as if, comparing to something imagined.

    Note
16. 16
    noundialectalUKcountable or uncountable

    Breath, in some British dialects.

    Similarbreath

    Note
17. 17
    noundialectalUKuncountable

    In some British dialects, the mist that rises from the sea in cold weather.

    Similarfog, mist

    Note
18. 18
    verbdialectalUKintransitive

    In some British dialects, to breathe, or to whisper, plan, or imagine.

    Similarbreathe, whisper

    Note