hale and hearty

Idioms & Phrases

hale and hearty

In robust good health, as in After her long bout with pneumonia, I was glad to see her hale and hearty. This redundant expression, since both hale and hearty here mean "healthy," probably survives owing to its pleasing alliteration. [Mid-1800s]

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