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two

two

1.0
A number that is one plus one
  • numeral
  • /tuː/
translation icon : dos
  • There were two apples on the kitchen counter.
  • two years
  • two decades
  • two groups

That probably means one of two things, or both.

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Examples

  • That probably means one of two things, or both.

  • Other downtown businesses included a grocery store, two gas stations, three banks, and a coffee shop.

    Academic text (2011)
  • And we have to have these two things match.

  • Every morning, there are two people in the bathroom.

  • Every morning there are two people in the bathroom.

  • On Earth, we only find two major body types.

  • Do you two know each other from school?

  • We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing.

  • Are there any differences between these two types of needs in the current year?

    Academic text (2011)
  • Those two fellows will be up to help you tomorrow.

Synonyms

2
vstwo
1.0

The number after one and before three

is the word form used instead of the digit symbol
II
vstwo
799 1.0

A Roman symbol for two

uses the modern word form rather than the Roman letter numerals

Idioms

a thing or two
  • Informal
35 3.7

Some useful knowledge or experience about a subject

18 5.6

A choice that is less harmful when you have two bad options

15 3.8

Figure out what happened from obvious facts

12 4.2

Able to live and support yourself without help from others

10 2.8

By two different methods or for two reasons

To do two things at once with one action

To support yourself without help from other people

Much more prepared and able to guess what will happen than other people

of two minds
  • Informal
4 6.7

Feeling unsure about which choice to make

To try to please two people or groups who want different things and fail to please either

in two shakes
  • Informal
3 7.0

Happens very soon

A very short time that means something will happen soon

To say someone is the most outstanding person who has ever lived

Fail to reach either goal because you try to do both

for two pins
  • Archaic
9.9

Almost willing to do something because you really want to

To be ready to leave a place or situation for the smallest reason

To do one thing that solves two problems

9.9

A funny way to say Happy birthday using animal names

7.1

Both people share the blame for a problem

A pleasant person placed between two less pleasant people

Progress that bigger problems later undo

Two choices that are about the same and make no difference

two a penny
  • Archaic
8.1

Very common and not worth much

A small polite comment meant to help someone

A clearly false statement said when people refuse to accept facts

two-a-penny
  • Archaic
9.1

Very common and not worth much

Compounds

1.0

Fourteen days in a row

223 1.0

A number equal to 200

182 1.6

An amount equal to two of three equal parts of a whole

135 3.7

Someone or something that is second in order

89 1.0

Twenty-four things counted together

80 1.4

A child, animal, or thing that is two years old

64 5.2

A short distance equal to two city blocks

46 1.0

Twice as much or as many

31 3.2

Allowing movement and communication in both directions between two sides

28 3.4

Made of two parts

25 5.1

Relating to two sides, often in politics or law

12 3.5

A road with one lane for traffic going each way

two-by-four
  • Specialized
9 3.1

A piece of wood about two inches by four inches used for building

goody two shoes
  • Offensive
9 8.2

A person who always tries to be good and follow rules, annoying others

5 3.4

A small car with seats for two people, like a sports car

A road where cars can travel in both directions

two-time loser
  • Offensive
4 7.9

A person who has failed twice, for example in love or at work

3 4.4

It has two separate parts that work together

two-step
  • Texting
3 3.9

Needing two actions to prove a person's identity online

A method with two steps done one after the other

2 2.9

Paper money in the United States worth two dollars

2 3.0

A woman's swimsuit with a separate top and bottom

2 3.5

A vehicle with two wheels like a bicycle or scooter

2 3.0

A suit with a matching jacket and skirt or trousers

2 4.1

A lively partner dance with quick then slow steps to music

A bicycle with two seats and two sets of pedals for two riders

two-hitter
  • Jargon
1 7.8

A baseball game in which the pitcher allows only two hits

1 3.1

Two thin layers joined to make something stronger or warmer

two-timer
  • Offensive
1 7.2

A person who has a romantic or sexual relationship with someone else while still with their partner

1 2.8

Having two wheels, like a bicycle or cart

1 4.6

A form of football where another player stops someone by touching them with both hands

1 3.1

Made of two separate parts

A system with two different levels, for example basic and premium

A literary phrase meaning two people having sex together

two-bit crook
  • Offensive
1 7.9

A person who steals or tricks people in small, unimportant ways

1 7.5

A small pistol or rifle that uses .22 bullets

A slow tree animal from Central and South America with two long claws on each front foot

1 2.8

Shops sell two items together for a set price, often two dollars

two-bagger
  • Jargon
1 8.1

A hit that lets the batter reach second base

A backhand shot you make while holding the racket with both hands

Number two hundred in a list

1 2.1

A small tent for two people to sleep in

A set of matching jacket and trousers or skirt that people wear for work

1 3.2

Two people who play music together as a group

two-second rule
  • Informal
1 5.3

A belief that food dropped on the floor for less than two seconds is still safe to eat

game of two touch
  • Australian
8.4

Touch football where another player touches someone twice to tackle them

A person who belongs to a group of Teton Sioux Native American people

9.9

A small opinion or comment offered in a discussion

An offer selling two items together for two dollars

two ha'penny
  • Archaic
9.9

Something sold for a very low price

two iron
  • Specialized
7.2

A golf club with a flat face used to hit long shots

two-base hit
  • Specialized
4.2

A baseball play when the batter reaches second base safely

two-baser
  • Specialized
7.9

A baseball hit that lets the batter reach second base safely

5.5

A practice where soccer players control and pass the ball using two touches

two touch
  • Jargon
6.2

A football exercise where each player may touch the ball only twice before passing

3.9

A flat shape like a square or circle with length and width but no depth

two-dimensionality
  • Specialized
7.7

Something flat like a picture that has length and width but no depth

two-body problem
  • Specialized
9.2

A physics question about how two objects move when they pull on each other, for example by gravity

8.9

A difficulty when two partners both need jobs in the same place, making moving hard

two-chambered
  • Specialized
6.0

Having two separate chambers, as in some hearts or machines

A small wild flower with white petals touched by yellow and deep purple

two-furrow plow
  • Specialized
8.0

A farming tool with two blades that turns over soil when pulled by a tractor

two-grain spelt
  • Specialized
9.9

A hard red wheat grown in Russia and Germany used mostly to feed farm animals

9.3

A person who drinks a lot of alcohol quickly

9.9

A size for printed letters that printers often use for headings, about 36 points

A long saw with handles at both ends used by two people to cut wood

Having two humps on an animal's back

two-note call
  • Specialized
8.1

A bird sound that has two different notes played one after the other

A large cutting tool with handles at both ends that two people use to cut wood

two-mover
  • Jargon
9.9

A chess puzzle where White must checkmate Black in two moves

two-needled
  • Specialized
9.1

Leaves are in pairs of thin, pointy needles like some pines

A small red beetle with one black spot on each wing cover

A discussion that shows two opposite views

How Many

hundred
1.0
ten
311 1.0
seven
4 1.0
five
1.0
two
1.0
one
1.0
zero
1.0

Surface Forms

two cardinal word
2 cardinal digit

Etymology

Two comes from an old English word twa, which meant 'two' or 'pair'. It is the same root as twin, so it literally means 'one plus one'.