two's company(, three's a crowd)
The presence of a third person would make everyone feel awkward or uncomfortable, especially when the other two are lovers or close friends. I was worried when the new boy moved into the neighborhood and started hanging out with John and his best friend—two's company, but three's a crowd. Thanks for inviting me to hang out with you and Lucy, but I don't want to get in the way. As they say, two is company, three is a crowd.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
three's a crowd
Also,
two's company, three's a crowd. A third person spoils the ideal combination of a couple, as in
No, I won't join you-three's a crowd. This expression, alluding to a third person spoiling the privacy of a pair of lovers, was already a proverb in 1546. For a synonym, see
fifth wheel.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
two's company
used to indicate that two people, especially lovers, should be left alone together. The expression is a curtailed version of the proverb ‘Two's company, three's a crowd’ (or, in an alternative formulation, ‘Two's company, three's none’).
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
two’s ˈcompany (, three’s a ˈcrowd)
(saying) two people, especially two lovers, are happier alone than within a group of three: ‘Do you want to come with us?’ ‘I don’t think so. Two’s company...’Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
two's company, three's a crowd
A couple is an ideal combination, which is spoiled by the addition of a third person. This celebration of duality, much used by lovers, found its way into practically all the early proverb collections, from 1546 on. One later version stated, “Two is company, three is trumpery, as the proverb says” (Edna Lyall, Wayfaring Men, 1897); trumpery means excessive frippery.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer