adj. (old colloquial).—Doubly: e.g., TWO FOOLS = twice foolish; TWO KNAVES = doubly knavish.
1571. EDWARDS, Damon and Pithias [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), i. 189].
| A villaine for his life, a varlet died in graine, | |
| You lose money by him if you sell him for one knave, for hee serves for TWAINE. |
[1595. SHAKESPEARE, Two Gentlemen of Verona, iii. 1. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think my master is a kind of knave; but that’s all one, if he be but one knave.]
c. 1625. FLETCHER, The Elder Brother, ii. 1.
| I grieve to find; | |
| You are a fool, and an old fool, and that’s TWO. |
d. 1631. DONNE, Works (BELL), ii. 16, ‘The Triple Fool.’
| I am TWO FOOLS, I know, | |
| For loving, and for saying so | |
| In whining poetry. |
TWO THIEVES BEATING A ROGUE, subs. phr. (old).—A man’s arms when beating his sides for warmth; BEATING THE BOOBY (q.v.), CUFFING JONES (q.v.) (GROSE).
See BOW.
