Two's company and three's none.
Meaning: A third person disrupts the intimate dynamic and comfort of a pair.
Origin: John Ray's proverb collection of 1678 has the idea as "One's too few, three too many"; "two is company but three is none" was collected in the 19th century, and later softened to "two's company, three's a crowd." It describes the awkwardness of the third person who tags along with a couple.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A generous confession disarms slander. — Openly admitting faults before others exploit them removes ammunition from malicious goss…
- Counsels in wine seldom prosper. — Alcohol loosens judgment, making decisions made while drinking unlikely to succeed when s…
- Cowards are always cruel. — Fear makes people lash out at those weaker, since they cannot confront genuine threats.
- First creep and then go. — Learning basics before advancing prevents failure and wasted effort on complex skills.
- Every cross has its inscription. — Hidden within each hardship lies a specific lesson or purpose meant uniquely for the suff…
- Cut and come again. — Repeated harvesting of regrowth yields multiple yields from a single planting, rewarding…
From our idioms
- Acheter chat en poche — To buy something sight unseen, and be cheated.
- Il n'y a pas un chat — There is nobody around at all.
- À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents — Do not find fault with a gift.