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two

two

∞ 1.0
A number that is one plus one
  • numeral
  • /tuː/
: 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
888 1.0

A Roman symbol for two

uses the modern word form rather than the Roman letter numerals

Idioms

a thing or two
  • Informal
75 3.7

Some useful knowledge or experience about a subject

20 5.6

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

17 2.8

By two different methods or for two reasons

16 3.8

Figure out what happened from obvious facts

To do two things at once with one action

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

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

5 7.1

Both people share the blame for a problem

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
4 7.0

Happens very soon

Progress that bigger problems later undo

A very short time that means something will happen soon

two a penny
  • Archaic
1 8.1

Very common and not worth much

for two pins
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Almost willing to do something because you really want to

To do one thing that solves two problems

Fail to reach either goal because you try to do both

1 9.1

A pleasant person placed between two less pleasant people

A clearly false statement said when people refuse to accept facts

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

9.9

A funny way to say Happy birthday using animal names

4.2

Able to live and support yourself without help from others

Two choices that are about the same and make no difference

To support yourself without help from other people

A small polite comment meant to help someone

two-a-penny
  • Archaic
9.1

Very common and not worth much

Compounds

∞ 1.0

Fourteen days in a row

505 3.7

Someone or something that is second in order

212 1.0

A number equal to 200

211 1.4

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

189 1.6

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

174 1.0

Twice as much or as many

107 1.0

Twenty-four things counted together

87 5.2

A short distance equal to two city blocks

73 3.2

Allowing movement and communication in both directions between two sides

41 5.1

Relating to two sides, often in politics or law

26 3.4

Made of two parts

A road where cars can travel in both directions

18 3.5

A road with one lane for traffic going each way

goody two shoes
  • Offensive
13 8.2

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

12 3.5

A vehicle with two wheels like a bicycle or scooter

two-by-four
  • Specialized
11 3.1

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

two-step
  • Texting
10 3.9

Needing two actions to prove a person's identity online

9 4.4

It has two separate parts that work together

9 3.1

Made of two separate parts

7 4.1

A lively partner dance with quick then slow steps to music

7 3.4

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

6 7.5

A small pistol or rifle that uses .22 bullets

two-time loser
  • Offensive
4 7.9

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

4 2.8

Having two wheels, like a bicycle or cart

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

A method with two steps done one after the other

3 3.1

Two thin layers joined to make something stronger or warmer

3 2.9

Paper money in the United States worth two dollars

two-hitter
  • Jargon
2 7.8

A baseball game in which the pitcher allows only two hits

two-timer
  • Offensive
2 7.2

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

A literary phrase meaning two people having sex together

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

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

1 3.0

A suit with a matching jacket and skirt or trousers

two touch
  • Jargon
1 6.2

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

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

A discussion that shows two opposite views

A small gun that fires light bullets and does not push back much for target practice

1 4.6

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

A small gun that uses .22 bullets for target shooting or hunting small animals

1 3.0

A woman's swimsuit with a separate top and bottom

two-bit crook
  • Offensive
1 7.9

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

1 2.1

A small tent for two people to sleep in

1 3.2

Two people who play music together as a group

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

A method with two levels that do different things

Number two hundred in a list

two-base hit
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A baseball play when the batter reaches second base safely

A horse that is two years old often runs in races only for that age

1 5.3

Having two humps on an animal's back

A person who shows two different sides, for example kind and cruel

An offer selling two items together for two dollars

1 2.8

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

two iron
  • Specialized
1 7.2

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

1 8.9

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

two-body problem
  • Specialized
1 9.2

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

two-bagger
  • Jargon
1 8.1

A hit that lets the batter reach second base

two-chambered
  • Specialized
1 6.0

Having two separate chambers, as in some hearts or machines

two-dimensionality
  • Specialized
1 7.7

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

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

1 5.0

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

two-note call
  • Specialized
1 8.1

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

1 9.3

A person who drinks a lot of alcohol quickly

1 9.9

A small opinion or comment offered in a discussion

1 3.9

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

two ha'penny
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Something sold for a very low price

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

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

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

How Many

hundred
∞ 1.0
ten
334 1.0
seven
114 1.0
five
∞ 1.0
two
∞ 1.0
one
∞ 1.0
zero
465 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'.