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English Lexicon

There-and-then

/ˌðɛər.ənˈðɛn/
adverbCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adverb
  1. 1

    At that very time and in that very place; immediately and on the spot.

    "When he saw the stray dog shivering in the cold, he decided right there-and-then to adopt it."
  2. 2

    Instantly without hesitation or postponement.

    "She resigned from her job there-and-then after discovering the unethical practices."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The idiom combines the locative adverb 'there' and the temporal adverb 'then' linked by the coordinating conjunction 'and', originating in Middle English to denote simultaneous occurrence in a specific time and place. Over centuries, it evolved from literal spatial-temporal reference into a fixed lexicalized phrase signifying immediate action or decision without delay.

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