Full of vim and vigor
Meaning
To be filled with great energy, enthusiasm, and vitality.
Origin
The words "vim" and "vigor" each carry a punch on their own, but together, they create a powerhouse of energy. "Vim" is the younger sibling, arriving in English in the 17th century straight from the Latin "vis," meaning pure force or power. "Vigor," on the other hand, boasts a longer lineage, making its English debut in the 14th century, also from Latin, "vigor," meaning lively activity. Separately, they described strength, but it was in the 19th century that these energetic twins truly joined forces. This popular pairing isn't just a happy coincidence of alliteration; it's a rhetorical trick called a hendiadys, where two words with similar meanings are used to express a single, intense idea. The result? A vibrant, memorable phrase that perfectly captures a boundless, almost unstoppable spirit, rolling off the tongue with as much bounce as the feeling it describes.
Examples
- After a long vacation, she returned to work full of vim and vigor, ready to tackle new challenges.
- Even in his nineties, the old man remained full of vim and vigor, still tending to his garden every morning.