Idiom meaning, usage examples, facts

1. Linda didn’t understand why George had done what he did, so she asked him if there was any rhyme or reason for his behavior.
2. I was walking quietly down the street when I saw this dog sitting inside its yard. Then, with no rhyme or reason, the dog jumped over the fence and bit me.

Compare to: method in/to (one’s) madness. The expression rhyme or reason , which is usually used in the negative or in question form, emphasizes the total lack of apparent rationale for some behavior. The phrase originates from William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It , in which the character Orlando responds “Neither rhyme nor reason can express how much” when he is asked if he is really as much in love as his rhymes suggest.