to and fro

to and fro
to and fro
[of movement] toward and away from something. •

The puppy was very active—running to and fro— wagging its tail.

The lion in the cage moved to and fro, watching the people in front of the cage.

* * *
{adv. phr.} Forward and back again and again. * /Father pushed Judy in the swing, and she went to and fro./ * /Busses go to and fro between the center of the city and the city limits/ * /The man walked to and fro while he waited for his phone call./ Compare: BACK AND FORTH.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • to-and-fro — I. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ noun ( s) Etymology: from the adverb phrase to and fro 1. a. : fluctuation, vacillation …   Useful english dictionary

  • to and fro — {adv. phr.} Forward and back again and again. * /Father pushed Judy in the swing, and she went to and fro./ * /Busses go to and fro between the center of the city and the city limits/ * /The man walked to and fro while he waited for his phone… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • To and fro — To To (?, emphatic or alone, ?, obscure or unemphatic), prep. [AS. t[=o]; akin to OS. & OFries. t[=o], D. toe, G. zu, OHG. zuo, zua, z[=o], Russ. do, Ir. & Gael. do, OL. do, du, as in endo, indu, in, Gr. ?, as in ? homeward. [root]200. Cf. {Too} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To-and-fro — To To (?, emphatic or alone, ?, obscure or unemphatic), prep. [AS. t[=o]; akin to OS. & OFries. t[=o], D. toe, G. zu, OHG. zuo, zua, z[=o], Russ. do, Ir. & Gael. do, OL. do, du, as in endo, indu, in, Gr. ?, as in ? homeward. [root]200. Cf. {Too} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • to-and-fro — /tooh euhn froh /, adj., n., pl. to and fros. adj. 1. back and forth: to and fro motion. n. 2. a continuous or regular movement backward and forward; an alternating movement, flux, flow, etc.: the to and fro of the surf. [1820 30; adj. and n. use …   Universalium

  • to and fro — to and fro1 [ ,tu ən frou ] adverb in one direction and then back again: BACKWARD AND FORWARD: The swing rocked to and fro. to and fro to and fro 2 [ ,tu ən frou ] noun singular a continuous movement of people or things between different places:… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • to and fro — I UK [ˌtuː ən ˈfrəʊ] / US [ˌtu ən ˈfroʊ] adverb in one direction and then back again The swing rocked to and fro. II UK [ˌtuː ən ˈfrəʊ] / US [ˌtu ən ˈfroʊ] noun [singular] a continuous movement of people or things between different places the… …   English dictionary

  • to and fro — to and fro1 [ˌtu: ən ˈfrəu US ˈfrou] adv if someone or something moves to and fro, they move in one direction and then back again >to and fro adj to and fro 2 to and fro2 n [U] informal continuous movement of people or things from place to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • to\ and\ fro — adv. phr. Forward and back again and again. Father pushed Judy in the swing, and she went to and fro. Busses go to and fro between the center of the city and the city limits The man walked to and fro while he waited for his phone call. Compare:… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • to and fro — 1 adverb if someone or something moves to and fro, they move in one direction and then back again: People walking to and fro on the promenade. to and fro adjective 2 noun (U) informal continuous movement of people or things from place to place… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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