company

Desert and reward seldom keep company.

Prov. If you deserve a reward, you are not necessarily going to get it. Jill: I worked so hard on that project, and Fred is taking all the credit for it. Jane: You know how it goes; desert and reward seldom keep company.

See also: and, desert, keep, reward, seldom

extend credit (to someone or a company) and extend someone or a company credit

to allow someone to purchase something on credit. I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, but because of your poor record of payment, we are no longer able to extend credit to you. Look at this letter, Jane. The store won't extend credit anymore.

See also: credit, extend

keep someone company

to sit or stay with someone, especially someone who is lonely. I kept my uncle company for a few hours. He was very grateful for someone to keep him company. He gets very lonely.

See also: keep

keep company (with someone)

1. Lit. to spend much time with someone; to associate with or consort with someone. Bill has been keeping company with Ann for three months. Bob has been keeping company with a tough-looking bunch of boys.

2. Fig. to be courting someone. Mary and Bill are keeping company. I heard that Joe is keeping company with Jim Brown's daughter.

See also: keep

man is known by the company he keeps

Prov. A person tends to associate with people who are like him or her. Son, when you go away to school, spend your time with serious people; don't hang around with people who go to parties all the time. A man is known by the company he keeps. If you want to know what kind of person George is, look at his friends. A man is known by the company he keeps.

See also: keep, known, man

Misery loves company.

Prov. Unhappy people like other people to be unhappy too. Jill: Why is Linda criticizing everybody today? Jane: Her boss criticized her this morning, and misery loves company. I should probably feel bad because my sister is so depressed, but I'm pretty depressed myself. Misery loves company.

See also: love, misery

part company (with someone)

Fig. to leave someone; to depart from someone. Tom finally parted company with his brother. They parted company, and Tom got in his car and drove away.

See also: part

Two is company, (but) three's a crowd. and Two's company(, three's a crowd).

Prov. A way of asking a third person to leave because you want to be alone with someone. (Often implies that you want to be alone with the person because you are romantically interested in him or her.) When Lucy followed Mark and Nora into the drawing room, Nora turned to her and said, "Two's company, but three's a crowd." Bill: Can I go to lunch with you and Tom? Jane: Two's company, three's a crowd, Bill.

See also: crowd, two

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be in good company

to have done or experienced something bad which someone who people admire has also done or experienced Don't worry, Einstein did badly at school, so you're in good company.

See also: good

Misery loves company.

something that you say which means that people who are feeling sad usually want the people they are with to also feel sad On a bad day, she isn't satisfied till the entire family is in tears. Misery loves company.

See also: love, misery

present company excepted  (British, American & Australian humorous) also present company excluded (American humorous)

something that you say which means that the criticism you have just made does not describe the people who are listening to you now People just don't know how to dress in this country, present company excepted, of course.

See also: except, present

two's company (three's a crowd)

something that you say when you think two people would prefer to be alone together than be with a third person They asked me to go to the cinema with them but two's company if you know what I mean.

See be ten a penny, in two shakes, be two sides of the same coin, kill two birds with one stone, cut both ways

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in good company

similar to someone who is better known than you are for their achievements or experience Einstein didn't do so well in school, so you're in good company.

Usage notes: often refers to a negative situation or problem, as in the example

See also: good

keep somebody company

to stay with someone so they are not alone I kept him company while he was waiting for the bus.

See also: keep

keep company (with somebody) (slightly formal)

1. to be connected with someone There are rumors that the singer keeps company with some very dangerous criminals.

2. to spend time together in a romantic relationship They've been keeping company for a year and plan to marry in the spring.

Usage notes: often used in this sense for a humorous effect as an old-fashioned expression for beginning a relationship with the intention of marriage

See also: keep

part company (with somebody)

1. to end a relationship Rick and I parted company a long time ago, and I'm seeing someone else now. Related vocabulary: parting of the ways

2. to disagree That is an issue on which many people part company with the president.

See also: part