Spelling dilemma

[Hettster]

How do I spell toing and frowing. .I hope you know what I mean?

cheers

[B00]

toing and froing

Still looks odd, but there ya go :-)

[scotman]

Chambers has 'toing and froing'

[starone]

I think you might have to put a hyphen in - to-ing and fro-ing. Could be wrong - just a suggestion.

[Postdog]

I'd hyphenate to-ing amd fro-ing, or better yet,, to and fro-ing.

[TheWinner]

I'd have said to-ing and fro-ing

[sara3]

I'm with Starbuck.. it's probably not right, but at least it looks sensible!

[yogasun]

Beat me to it Starbuck, I just think it looks better with a hyphen correct or not!

[Hettster]

Thanks everyone . . . . is there an easier phrase that I could use that would mean the same thing?

[Postdog]

back and forth

[sara3]

going back and forth?

[sara3]

Postdog, you queue jumped!

[starone]

What's the sentence - might be able to get a better idea of what you require.

[venator]

The hyphen every time! Most readers would stop and look at toing & froing, which may be more "correct", but is awkward.

It's like people using clumsy constructions to avoid split infinitives.

Hettster - you should boldly go ahead with the hyphen!

[sandyRoe]

Dithering?

[Hettster]

you guys are making me smile . . well duh mr hettster . . . the answer is so easy after all thank you . . guess it was either an age related thing or just a mental block . . whatever it was thank you for helping me through it . . . . "Back and forth" . . obvious !!!

[scotman]

Collins also has 'toing and froing'

[venator]

Pedantic killer post!

Oxford English Dictionary entry -

D. adj.
Thesaurus »

(Usu. with hyphens). Executed, as movement, in opposite directions alternately; alternating, reciprocating; characterized by, or characterizing, such movement; passing to and fro.

1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure I. 212 The sweet urgency of this to-and-fro friction.
1839 H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall xv. 580 This to-and-fro motion.
1856 S. T. Dobell Eng. in Time of War 70 The to and fro storm of the never-done hurrahing.
1878 T. H. Huxley Physiogr. 146 The regular to-and-fro motion of the water in its estuary.
1898 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. V. 755 As a rule pericardial friction-sound has a double, or to-and-fro rhythm.
(Hide quotations)

E. v.
(only in pres. pple. and vbl. n. toing and froing, rarely to-and-froing).
Thesaurus »
Categories »

a. intr. To pass to and fro, to go hither and thither.

1847 Le Fanu T. O'Brien 108 The clatter and bustle, the‥toing and froing of the soldiery.
1872 J. S. Le Fanu In a Glass Darkly I. 272 There were clerks to-ing and fro-ing.
1888 Morris King's Lesson (1890) 137 Unto him the King gave the job of toing and froing up and down the hill with the biggest dung-basket.
1904 Westm. Gaz. 28 Nov. 2/2 Why all this secrecy about these to-ings and fro-ings?

[venator]

That sure killed the thread!

Must keep the OED handy!

[Postdog]

you do that. We don't need one while you have it.

[Quizmonster]

As your extract from the OED (Section E.v. and its quotes) makes perfectly clear, Venator, toing and froing is just as acceptable as to-ing and fro-ing, so Hettster can boldly go ahead with OR without the hyphens!
The problem with back and forth is that you can't use backing and forthing.