Two (t?), a. [OE. two,
twa, properly fem. & neut., twei, twein,
tweien, properly masc. (whence E. twain), AS.
twā, fem. & neut., twēgen, masc.,
tū, neut.; akin to OFries. twēne, masc.,
twā, fem. & neut., OS. twēne, masc.,
twā, fem., twē, neut., D. twee, OHG.
zwēne, zwō, zwei, G. zwei, Icel.
tveir, tvær, tvau, Sw. två, Dan.
to, Goth. twai, twōs, twa; Lith.
du, Russ. dva, Ir. & Gael. da, W. dau,
dwy, L. duo, Gr. dy`o, Skr. dva.
√300. Cf. Balance, Barouche, Between, Bi-
, Combine, Deuce two in cards, Double,
Doubt, Dozen, Dual, Duet, Dyad,
Twain, Twelve, Twenty, Twice, Twilight,
Twig, Twine, n., Twist.] One
and one; twice one. "Two great lights." Gen. i. 16.
"Two black clouds." Milton.
☞ Two is often joined with other words, forming compounds
signifying divided into, consisting of, or having,
two parts, divisions, organs, or the like; as
two-bladed, two-celled, two-eared, two-
flowered, twohand, two-headed, two-horse, two-
leafed or two-leaved, two-legged, two-lobed,
two-masted, two-named, two-part, two-petaled,
two-pronged, two-seeded, two-sided, two-story,
two-stringed, two-foothed, two-valved, two-
winged, and the like.
One or two, a phrase often used indefinitely for a
small number.