The number 2
They've got two houses.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
two
number
2
in two into two pieces:
The cup fell on the floor and broke in two.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
two
two /tuː/ BrE AmE number
[Language: Old English; Origin: twa]
1. the number 2:
I’ll be away for almost two weeks.
We have to be there by two (=two o'clock).
His family moved to Australia when he was two (=two years old).
2. in twos in groups of two people or things:
I’d like you to line up in twos, please. ⇨ ↑twosome
3. put two and two together to guess the meaning of something you have heard or seen:
I saw him leaving her house and I put two and two together.
4. that makes two of us spoken used to tell someone that you are in the same situation and feel the same way:
‘But I don’t know anything about children!’ ‘Well, that makes two of us.’
5. two can play at that game spoken used to tell someone that they will not have an advantage over you by doing something because you can do it too
6. a year/a week/a moment/an hour etc or two spoken one or a few years, weeks etc
7. two sides of the same coin used to talk about two ways of looking at the same situation
8. two heads are better than one used to say that two people are more likely to solve a problem or think of an idea than one person working alone
9. be in two minds (about something) British English, be of two minds (about something) American English to be unable to decide what to do, or what you think about something:
I was in two minds about whether to go with him.
10. two cents (worth) American English informal your opinion or what you want to say about a subject:
Everyone had to put in their two cents worth.
11. two’s company, three’s a crowd used to say that it is better to leave two people alone to spend time with each other
⇨ don’t care two hoots at ↑hoot1(5), ⇨ two/three etc of a kind at ↑kind1(5), ⇨ be two/ten a penny at ↑penny(11), ⇨ in ones and twos at ↑one1(3), ⇨ it takes two to tango at ↑tango2(2), ⇨ kill two birds with one stone at ↑kill1(13), ⇨ no two ways about it at ↑way1(54), ⇨ fall between two stools at ↑fall1(32)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ pair two things of the same type that you use together. Also used about two people who do something together or who you often see together: a pair of shoes | a pair of socks | Winners will receive a pair of tickets for the show. | The pair were arrested six days after the killing. | They're a funny pair! | The British pair will be playing in the final on Saturday.
▪ a couple (of something) two things of the same type, or a very small number of things: There were a couple of empty seats at the table. | Do you have any stamps? I just need a couple.
▪ couple noun [countable] two people who are married or having a sexual relationship: a married couple | The couple met at university.
▪ twins noun [plural] two children who were born on the same day to the same mother: The twins look very alike. | identical twins
▪ duo noun [countable] two people who perform together or who are often seen together: a comedy duo
▪ duet noun [countable] a piece of music written for two people to play: They played a duet by Brahms.
▪ twice two times adverb: The group meets twice a week. | She sneezed twice.
■ for two people
▪ for two for two people: A table for two, please.
▪ double bed/double room a bed for two people, or a room that has a bed for two people in it: I'd like to book a double room.
▪ twin beds/twin room two separate single beds, or a room with two separate single beds: We asked for a twin room, and they've give us a double room.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
two
two [two twos] [tuː] [tuː] number
2 There are examples of how to use numbers at the entry for five.
more at be in two minds about sth/doing sthbe of two minds about sth/doing sth at mind n., in two shakesin a couple of shakes at shake n.
Idioms: day/moment/pound or two ▪ fall between two stools ▪ in two ▪ in twos and threes ▪ it takes two to do something ▪ not have two beans/brain cells to rub together ▪ put two and two together ▪ that makes two of us ▪ two sides of the same coin
Word Origin:
Old English twā (feminine and neuter) of Germanic origin; related to Dutch twee and German zwei, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin and Greek duo. Compare with twain.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
two / tuː / number
A1 the number 2:
They've got two houses.
He'll be two (years old) in February.
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
two
[tu͟ː]
♦
twos
1) NUM Two is the number 2.
2) PHRASE If you say it takes two or it takes two to tango, you mean that a situation or argument involves two people and they are both therefore responsible for it.
Divorce is never the fault of one partner; it takes two...
It takes two to tango and so far our relationship has been one-sided.
3) PHRASE: V inflects If you put two and two together, you work out the truth about something for yourself, by using the information that is available to you.
Putting two and two together, I assume that this was the car he used.
4) to kill two birds with one stone → see bird
two a penny → see penny
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
two
two /ˈtuː/ noun, pl twos
1 [count] : the number 2
2 [count] : the second in a set or series
• page two
3 [noncount] : two o'clock
• It was two in the morning.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- see bird
a thing or two
- see thing
in two : into two equal parts : in half
• He cut the apple in two.
in twos : in groups of two
• You will be working in twos. [=in pairs]
in two shakes
- see 2shake
it takes two, it takes two to tango
- see 1take
of two minds, in two minds
- see 1mind
put two and two together : to make a correct guess based on what you have seen or heard : to figure something out
• You weren't home so I put two and two together and went back to your office to find you.
put/stick two fingers up at someone
- see 1finger
serve two masters
- see 1serve
two by two : in groups of two : in pairs
• The children lined up two by two.
two cents
- see cent
two left feet
- see 1foot
two's company, three's a crowd
- see company
two sides of the same coin
- see 1coin