The term 'lo and behold' is an idiom and most often it is used by a person to call attention to an annoying or surprising thing. But often you will find that the term is being used quite humourously and not in a very serious way.
The idiom can trace its origin in two words 'lo' and 'behold' and when you separate them the first word 'lo' itself almost conveys the same meaning; the word can be used to call attention to surprising things. But you can hardly come across this word these days as it was being used in old days as an exclamation and it was also used in humourous context. Though the word 'behold' is not as rarely heard as 'lo', this word is also of old use or even if it is used today, mostly in the literary terms. The word is being used as a verb for the idea of looking at something.
The idiom can trace its origin in two words 'lo' and 'behold' and when you separate them the first word 'lo' itself almost conveys the same meaning; the word can be used to call attention to surprising things. But you can hardly come across this word these days as it was being used in old days as an exclamation and it was also used in humourous context. Though the word 'behold' is not as rarely heard as 'lo', this word is also of old use or even if it is used today, mostly in the literary terms. The word is being used as a verb for the idea of looking at something.
