hither and thither

hither and thither

1. In many different places; everywhere. The kids came in from the beach tracking sand hither and thither. We've looked hither and thither for the cat, but there's no sign of him.
2. In many different directions; this way and that. People ran hither and thither when the store opened its doors for the big sale. They found the lost child wandering around hither and thither.
See also: and, hither, thither
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hither and thither

Also, hither and yon. Here and there, as in I've been wandering about, hither and thither, or Ruth went hither and yon, searching for her sister. These old words for "here" and "there" are rarely heard outside these expressions, which themselves may be dying out. [c. a.d. 725]
See also: and, hither, thither
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ˌhither and ˈthither

(especially literary) in many different directions: When you look down at the square, you see all the people hurrying hither and thither.
Hither and thither are old words for ‘here’ and ‘there’.
See also: and, hither, thither
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hither and thither/yon

Here and there; from here to there. The terms, which today have a somewhat archaic or poetic ring, include words that are rarely used outside these expressions: hither, for here; thither, for there; and yon, for yonder. Edward Fitzgerald’s translation of Omar Khayyam describes destiny (fate) playing a game of chess with human beings: “Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays” (1859). W. Somerset Maugham used the second expression with a similar meaning: “The wan characters of Chekhov’s stories drifted hither and yon at the breath of circumstances.” (Christmas Holiday, 1939).
See also: and, hither, thither, yon
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • hither and thither/yon
  • thither
  • yon
  • hither and
  • hither and yon
  • hither, thither, and yon
  • thither and yon
  • hither
  • come-hither look
  • LOLcat
References in periodicals archive
We will conduct further hearing of the case when responsible officer of AGPR will make payment of Rs 20000 out of his own pocket to those who are wandering hither and thither unattended to.
Govt not allowed to encroach upon some one's rights: SC
The songs flit hither and thither from the start of an affair (Colour Me In) to the I-can't-takethis-anymore gentle explosion of The Box ("I have tried but I don't fit into this box you call a gift").
albums ANDREW GREENHALGH
While my sister-in-law ran hither and thither, looking for special spices and sauces, I was content to stand and stare, mesmerised by the multi-hued tapestry of life itself.
A blast from what will soon be past
In a dismal and decaying urban environment, sick, dirty, or barely alive animals (flea-infested dogs, cats, pigeons) scattered hither and thither are the ultimate evidence of the social disaster affecting late 1970s Italy.
Giorgio Vasta. Time on My Hands
New Rochelle, NY, February 26, 2013 --(PR.com)-- New York-based Hither and Thither Adventures, LLC is pleased to announce an incredible Vinyasa Yoga and Wine Retreat in Tuscany, Italy, May 26 to June 1 (7 nights) for only $1,650 U.S.
Vinyasa Yoga and Wine Retreat in Tuscany, Italy, May 26 to June 1
All the labourers in area are suffering and running hither and thither for help," he added.
Toxic gas leak claims three lives in Uttar Pradesh
Men brazenly occupied seats reserved for ladies, steadily ignoring the fact that hapless women and children were mercilessly pushed around hither and thither by the unruly crowd.
Unending ordeal for women
In the first, Beckett describes how Arsene looks at Watt: " 'The gentleman gazed long at Watt, and then went away, without a word of explanation' " (141); in the second, Joyce describes the bird girl: " 'Long, long she suffered his gaze and then quietly withdrew her eyes from his and bent them towards the stream, gently stirring the water with her foot hither and thither' " (141).
P. J. Murphy. Beckett's Dedalus: Dialogical Engagements with Joyce in Beckett's Fiction
Media reports now and again offer the fleeting hope of the first signs of economic recovery hither and thither, but inasmuch as some Bulgarian officials are concerned, the credit crunch and the economic recession might as well have never happened.
Living in the past
On the other side Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani kept on looking hither and thither under humiliation.
Dance scandal Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to face music
In fact, such has been the manic veering and swerving on the subject of Kauto Star over the past seven days, come King George time I fully expect Nick Luck to show up in the paddock at Kempton with a pair of big wavy arms and a swingometer to explain to us just how the weight of opinion has shifted hither and thither.
Horse Racing: We're all in the swing of it with Kauto Star
But at the same time, we hear from many ruling and opposition lawmakers that in Nagatacho these days, the ''atmosphere is such that you really can't even start to talk about caution against sanctions.'' But it will certainly not do for politicians to merely go hither and thither swayed by the current ''atmosphere.''
Japanese editorial excerpts -3-
Waiters were indeed hurrying hither and thither with glasses of foaming beer, and not hesitate either to step fight over any one so unfortunate as to intervene between themselves and a probable customers, but they looked as if they had been boiling--I tried several times to get out, but was reduced to a state of submission by cries of"sit down, sit down." I got out when the game was over, glad at least the Baltimore had lost and the rooters had hollered themselves hoarse for nothing.
Baseball 1897--a second opinion
There are alarums and excursions featuring a parrot and a defibrilator, and the scene closes with Eddie dragged hither and thither by a fearsomely realistic wild boar, kept by the pair for its nourishing milk.
Bottom returns to the stage