You’ve probably said it a thousand times. Maybe you were complaining about how decent parking spots in downtown Chicago are few and far between, or perhaps you were talking about those rare moments of total peace and quiet when you have three kids under the age of five. We use it to describe things that are scarce. Rare. Hard to find. But here’s the kicker: almost everyone adds an extra word that doesn't belong there, and the history of the phrase is way more poetic than your standard dictionary entry.
Language is messy. It's fluid. Honestly, if you say "few and far in between," most people will know exactly what you mean, but technically? You're tripping over a linguistic redundant wire.
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The Real Few and Far Between Meaning
Let's get the "correct" version out of the way first. The actual idiom is few and far between. No "in." Just between.
Why does this matter? Well, it’s about logic. If something is "few," there aren't many of them. If they are "far between," the distance (or time) from one instance to the next is significant. When you jam that "in" into the middle, you’re basically creating a grammatical sandwich that doesn't need the extra bread. It’s one of those things linguists call a "pleonasm" or just a common eggcorn—a word or phrase that results from a mishearing.
Think about a desert. If you’re looking for oases, they are few. The miles between them are far. So, they are few and far between. Adding "in" makes it sound like the "far" is located inside the "between," which, if you think about it for more than two seconds, makes your brain hurt.
But hey, we all do it. Language evolves through mistakes. If enough people say "few and far in between," eventually the OED will just shrug its shoulders and list it as a variant. But for now, if you want to sound like you actually know your stuff, drop the "in."
Where Did This Even Come From?
We can actually trace this one back pretty far. It wasn't always a cliché used to describe cheap rent or good Tinder dates.
The phrase gained its real cultural legs thanks to a Scottish poet named Thomas Campbell. In 1799, he wrote a poem called The Pleasures of Hope. There’s a specific line that goes: "What though my winged hours of bliss have been, / Like angel-visits, few and far between?"
It’s a beautiful image. He’s talking about those fleeting moments of pure happiness that don’t come around often. He actually borrowed the "angel visits" part from an earlier writer, Robert Blair, who wrote in 1743 about visits that were "short and far between." Campbell just had a better ear for rhythm and added the "few."
The Evolution of Scarcity
Before Campbell made it famous, people just said things were scarce. But "few and far between" gives you a visual. It implies a map. It implies a timeline. It’s not just that there isn't much of something; it’s that you have to travel a long way—metaphorically or literally—to get from one to the next.
Imagine you're a sailor in the 1800s. Fresh water is few and far between. That "far between" part is the difference between life and death. It’s not just a descriptor; it’s a measurement of distance and desperation.
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Why Do We Keep Adding the "In"?
Honestly? It’s because of the way we speak. We like rhythm. "Far in between" has a certain dactylic flow to it that "far between" lacks. Our brains are wired to fill in gaps. Since we often use the word "in" with "between" (like "stuck in between"), we just naturally slide it in there.
It’s similar to how people say "I could care less" when they actually mean "I couldn't care less." The meaning is technically the opposite of what they intend, but the cadence of the sentence feels right to the ear.
Does it actually change the meaning?
Not really. If you’re writing a business proposal and you talk about "opportunities being few and far in between," your boss isn't going to fire you. But a sharp editor will circle it in red. In the world of high-stakes communication, these tiny shifts in idiom are the "tells" that separate the experts from the hobbyists.
Real-World Examples of Things That Are Few and Far Between
To really get a grip on the few and far between meaning, you have to look at how it applies to modern life. It’s not just about angels anymore.
- Genuine original ideas in Hollywood. Let's be real. We're on Fast and Furious 14 or whatever. A truly unique, standalone blockbuster is rare. They are few and far between.
- Honest mechanics. We’ve all been there. You find that one guy who tells you that you don't actually need a new flux capacitor. You hold onto his business card like it’s made of gold because people like him are few and far between.
- Calm days in the stock market. Volatility is the new normal. Those 24-hour periods where nothing crashes and no one tweets something that wipes out billions? Yeah, those are few and far between.
- Total solar eclipses. If you’re standing in one specific spot on Earth, these events are the literal definition of the phrase. They are few in number and the years between them are far.
The Psychology of Scarcity
Why are we so obsessed with things that are few and far between?
There’s a psychological principle at play here. When we perceive something as rare, we value it more. This is why "Limited Edition" marketing works so well. If sneakers were everywhere, no one would pay $500 for them. But because the drops are few and far between, the perceived value skyrockets.
Robert Cialdini, a famous professor of psychology and marketing, talks about this in his book Influence. He notes that the "scarcity principle" makes us want what we can't have. When we use the phrase "few and far between," we aren't just describing frequency; we are often assigning value.
If I say "good leaders are few and far between," I’m not just complaining about the government. I’m telling you that when you find a good leader, you should cherish them because they are a rare commodity.
Common Misconceptions and Errors
People often confuse this phrase with other idioms of scarcity.
- "Once in a blue moon": This refers to something that happens very rarely, but it doesn't necessarily imply a sequence or a distance between events.
- "Thin on the ground": This is more about density. If something is thin on the ground, there isn't much of it in a specific area.
- "Hard to come by": This focuses on the difficulty of acquisition rather than the frequency of occurrence.
"Few and far between" is unique because it combines quantity (few) with the interval (far between). It’s a two-dimensional description of rarity.
The "Far and Few" Variation
Interestingly, Edward Lear (the guy who wrote "The Owl and the Pussy-cat") flipped the script in his poem The Jumblies. He wrote: "Far and few, far and few, / Are the lands where the Jumblies live."
This is a stylistic choice, but it highlights that the phrase is robust. Even when you flip it, the sense of lonely, distant rarity remains. But again, notice there is no "in."
How to Use It Correctly in Your Writing
If you want to use this phrase effectively, you need to ensure it fits the tone. Because it’s an idiom, it’s inherently a bit more casual.
If you’re writing a scientific paper, you probably shouldn't say "data points were few and far between." You’d say "the data set was sparse" or "observations were infrequent."
However, in a feature article, a blog post, or a speech, "few and far between" adds flavor. It creates a rhythm. Just remember:
- Check for the "in": Delete it. Every time.
- Context matters: Use it for things that should be more common than they are. It carries a slight tone of lamentation.
- Don't overdo it: Like the things it describes, the phrase itself should be used sparingly. If you use it three times in one paragraph, you’re defeating the purpose.
Actionable Insights for Using Idioms
Using idioms like "few and far between" correctly is a hallmark of "native-level" or expert writing. It shows you understand the nuance of the language.
Audit Your Vocabulary
Go back through your recent emails or articles. Do you find yourself using "few and far in between"? If so, make a conscious effort to prune that "in." It’s a small change, but it makes your prose tighter.
Practice Word Economy
The reason "few and far between" is better than "rarely occurring at long intervals" is word economy. It packs a lot of meaning into four short words. When you're writing, look for phrases that do the heavy lifting for you.
Understand the History
When you know a phrase comes from a 1799 poem about hope and angels, you use it differently. You start to see the "winged hours of bliss" in your own life. Using idioms with an awareness of their history adds a layer of depth to your communication that AI or a casual writer just won't have.
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Moving Forward with Better Phrasing
Language is a tool. The better you understand your tools, the better work you can produce. Knowing the few and far between meaning isn't just about winning a game of Scrabble or correcting someone at a dinner party (though that can be fun). It's about precision.
In a world full of "content" that all sounds the same, being the person who uses idioms correctly—and understands why they work—sets you apart. It shows you're paying attention.
Next time you’re waiting for a bus that’s running late, or you’re looking for a quiet moment in a busy week, remember Thomas Campbell and his angels. Keep your observations sharp, your grammar tighter, and your "in"s where they belong—which is usually somewhere else.
Next Steps for Better Writing
- Verify your idioms: Use a site like Phrases.org.uk or the Online Etymology Dictionary to check the origin of phrases you use often. You’d be surprised how many we get slightly wrong.
- Read poetry: Even if it’s not your thing, reading the Romantics (like Campbell or Byron) helps you understand the DNA of modern English.
- Vary your sentence length: See how some sentences here are short? Others are much longer. This creates a "breath" in your writing that keeps readers engaged.
- Prune the fluff: If a word like "in" doesn't add meaning, cut it. Your readers will thank you, even if they don't know why.