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apples and pears

British  

plural noun

  1. Often shortened to: apples. slang:rhyming stairs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Broadly painted still lifes from the 1930s, with apples and pears transformed into flat, declarative shapes, have the physical presence of “The Lace Shawl,” with a very different mood and affect.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 3, 2026

When baking, consider leaving the skin on fruits like apples and pears whenever the texture works for the dish — it’s a small step, but can help retain more fiber and nutrients.

From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2025

They left in the early afternoon from Dulles International Airport with a load of bamboo, apples and pears to munch on during the 19-hour, 9,000 mile flight.

From Reuters ● Nov. 8, 2023

The bewitchingly fragrant fruit — a relative of apples and pears — does go through an ugly duckling phase, Walden acknowledges.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

She fanned fast for a minute, then sank down in Granny’s big rocker, the high-back one with apples and pears carved on it.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

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