A: Did you go to the restaurant I recommended? B: Yes, I did. I walked into the restaurant around dinner time Saturday evening and, lo and behold, there was my boss with his wife. A: What a coincidence! Note: Literally meaning “look and see,” this is something that you say when you tell someone about something surprising that happened. The very old word “lo” which means “look” or “see,” today survives only in this tautological imperative, which dates from the mid-19th century and is nearly always used humorously. For example: I was in Vienna sitting quietly in a café when, lo and behold, my cousin walked in. |