Afro
A naturally bushy, rounded hairstyle worn predominantly by people of African descent. Don't tease your father—everybody had an Afro back in the '70s. Who is that gorgeous woman with the majestic Afro? Can you introduce us? Is the Afro experiencing a resurgence these days?
fro
Short for "Afro," a bushy, rounded hairstyle worn predominantly by African Americans. Dad, I can't believe you used to have a fro! Is the 'fro experiencing a resurgence these days? Don't tease your uncle—everybody had a 'fro back in the '70s.
froyo
Frozen yogurt. (Formed as a portmanteau of the two words.) Do you want to stop and get some froyo for dessert? A: "Wait, you guys went out for froyo too? Like, on a date?" B: "No, like to cool off after playing tennis!" What toppings do you want on your froyo? Chocolate chips? Strawberries?
sway to and fro
1. Literally, to continue moving, swinging, bending, tilting, etc., slowly in one direction and then back in the opposite direction. The structure swayed to and fro, threatening to topple at any given minute. Everyone in the crowd was swaying to and fro in time with the song.
2. By extension, to oscillate between two opposing positions, decisions, inclinations, points of view, etc. Public opinion has swayed to and fro on this issue for decades. You can't keep swaying to and fro over this—you need to make a decision and commit to it!
to and fro
Back and forth; from one place to another; toward and away. She paced to and fro while she waited for the doctors to give her an update on her husband. You need to bring the kids to a place where they can run to and fro without restriction for a while.
toing and froing
1. Traveling between places or locations. Formed from the phrase "to and fro," meaning "back and forth" or "here and there." All this toing and froing between our different stores throughout the state has left me exhausted.
2. Jumping between plans or ideas in an unproductive way. To solve this problem, you need to commit to one plan of attack and stop all this toing and froing.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
toing and froing (on something)
moving back and forth on an issue, first deciding one way and then changing to another. The boss spent most of the afternoon toing and froing on the question of who was to handle the Wilson account. I wish you would stop toing and froing and make up your mind.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
to and fro
Back and forth, as in He was like a caged animal, pacing to and fro. Strictly speaking, to means "toward" and fro "away from," but this idiom is used more vaguely in the sense of "moving alternately in different directions." [First half of 1300s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.