rhyme or reason

English

Etymology

Attributed to the poet Edmund Spenser in a conversation with Queen Elizabeth I [1]. Translation from Middle French n'y avoir ryme ne raison (Eustache Deschamps).

Noun

rhyme or reason (uncountable)

(idiomatic) Logic; common sense.
Prices vary considerably from one town to another with no apparent rhyme or reason.

He would often fly into an unexpected rage without rhyme or reason.

Usage notes

Almost always used in a negative form, particularly with no and without. May also occur as rhyme nor reason, e.g. after neither.

Translations

logic or common sense

German: Sinn und Verstand
Italian: nè capo nè coda

Russian: negative ни складу, ни ладу (ni skladu, ni ladu)
Swedish: rim och reson (sv)

Wikipedia page for Edmund Spenser, Rhyme and reason topic

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