a.
1. Having, or represented with, two heads.
Two-headed snake or worm, the amphisbæna (AMPHISBÆNA 2), formerly supposed to have two heads, one at each end of the body.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. x. 10. His two-headed dogge that Orthrus hight.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. i. 50. By two-headed Ianus.
1708. Sewel, II. Tweehoofdig, two-headed.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 102. The Amphisbæna has obtained, among the English, the name of the two-headed worm.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 221. The two-headed snake.
1867. Latham, Black & White, 62. A two-headed iron bolt.
1899. T. Nicoll, Rec. Archæol. & Bible, vi. 193. The two-headed eagle of the Hittites survives as the symbol of imperial power in Austria and Russia to-day.
2. fig. Having or governed by two chiefs or rulers.
1885. W. Wilson, Congressional Govt., iv. 220. Doubts as to the advantage of a two-headed legislature.
1888. T. W. Higginson, Women & Men, 93. If two business partners can work successfully on the two-headed plan, why [can] not two married persons do it?