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and so forth

 - 3 dictionary results

and

  [and; unstressed uhnd, uhn, or, especially after a homorganic consonant, n]
Use and so forth in a Sentence
–conjunction
1. (used to connect grammatically coordinate words, phrases, or clauses) along or together with; as well as; in addition to; besides; also; moreover: pens and pencils.
2. added to; plus: 2 and 2 are 4.
3. then: He read for an hour and went to bed.
4. also, at the same time: to sleep and dream.
5. then again; repeatedly: He coughed and coughed.
6. (used to imply different qualities in things having the same name): There are bargains and bargains, so watch out.
7. (used to introduce a sentence, implying continuation) also; then: And then it happened.
8. Informal. to (used between two finite verbs): Try and do it. Call and see if she's home yet.
9. (used to introduce a consequence or conditional result): He felt sick and decided to lie down for a while. Say one more word about it and I'll scream.
10. but; on the contrary: He tried to run five miles and couldn't. They said they were about to leave and then stayed for two more hours.
11. (used to connect alternatives): He felt that he was being forced to choose between his career and his family.
12. (used to introduce a comment on the preceding clause): They don't like each other—and with good reason.
13. Archaic. if: and you please. Compare an 2 .
–noun
14. an added condition, stipulation, detail, or particular: He accepted the job, no ands or buts about it.
15. conjunction (def. 5b).
—Idioms
16. and so forth, and the like; and others; et cetera: We discussed traveling, sightseeing, and so forth.
17. and so on, and more things or others of a similar kind; and the like: It was a summer filled with parties, picnics, and so on.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE and, ond; c. OS, OHG ant, OFris, Goth and, Icel and-; akin to G und, D en, Skt anti

Usage note:
Both and and but, and to a lesser extent or and so, are common as transitional words at the beginnings of sentences in all types of speech and writing: General Jackson thought the attack would come after darkness. And he was right. Any objection to this practice probably stems from the overuse of such sentences by inexperienced writers. When one of these words begins a sentence or an independent clause within a sentence, it is not followed by a comma unless the comma is one of a pair setting off a parenthetical element that follows: John is popular, and he seems to be well adjusted. But, appearances to the contrary, he is often depressed. See also and/or, et cetera, try.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To and so forth
and   (ənd, ən; ānd when stressed)   
conj.  

  1. Together with or along with; in addition to; as well as. Used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that have the same grammatical function in a construction.

  2. Added to; plus: Two and two makes four.

  3. Used to indicate result: Give the boy a chance, and he might surprise you.

  4. Informal To. Used between finite verbs, such as go, come, try, write, or see: try and find it; come and see. See Usage Note at try.

  5. Archaic If: and it pleases you.


[Middle English, from Old English; see en in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: It is frequently asserted that sentences beginning with and or but express "incomplete thoughts" and are therefore incorrect. But this rule has been ridiculed by grammarians for decades, and the stricture has been ignored by writers from Shakespeare to Joyce Carol Oates. When asked whether they paid attention to the rule in their own writing, 24 percent of the Usage Panel answered "always or usually," 36 percent answered "sometimes," and 40 percent answered "rarely or never." See Usage Notes at both, but, with.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Idioms & Phrases

and so forth

Also, and so on. And more of the same, also, and others. For example, At the mall, we shopped, had lunch, shopped some more, and so forth, or She planned to buy an entire outfit in bluedress, shoes, hat, and so on. The first term dates from the late 1500s, the variant from the early 1700s. Also see and the like.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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