'Two heads are better than one' is a common figurative saying in the English language that can be used to imply the same as the saying 'many hands make light work'. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and correct use of the expression.
Meaning
'Two heads are better than one' is a common figurative saying that is mostly used in the English language.
When someone says that 'two heads are better than one', the phrase is used to mean or imply that more than one person would make the job easier (or faster) to complete.
The phrase can refer to thinking tasks, or can be used to refer to performed actions.
The context of which task or action is being referred to can be taken from the speaker's context, or from the rest of the conversation.
The phrase can be said as a statement, or sometimes used as a response to something.
Sometimes the expression can be serious, though it can also have joking or sarcastic implications.
Sometimes the phrase appears in comedy simply for the effect.
A similar phrase in the English language is to say that 'many hands make light work', and it has close to the same meaning as to say that 'two heads are better than one'.
Example Usage
“Look, I had to call your brother-in-law to come and help out at the diner. Two heads are better than one, and we're not going to cope with the busy lunch shift on our own.”
“The only way the professor is going to get through the night is if he asks my help. Two heads are better than one, and there's not a chance that he's going to find the answer on his own.”
“There's no way we can make this many pizzas on our own before morning. You're going to have to help us. Two heads are just better than one.”
“If we need to code this whole thing by the weekend, then two heads are better than one or it's going to look like an episode of Black fucking Mirror.”
Origin
According to most online language resources, the phrase 'two heads are better than one' was first recorded in a collection of early English sayings by John Heywood in 1546.
The phrase would appear along with several hundreds of others in a text called The Dialogue, after which the phrase is assumed to have entered popular English use – as did much of the other phrases that are given in the same book.
Language resources are not sure where the phrase came from before this, though it is assumed that Heywood must have collected the phrase from somewhere else.
Use of the phrase continued, with heightened popularity in 1800s and 1900s texts.
Figurative meaning of the phrase remains unchanged since its origin.
Phrases Similar to Two Heads Are Better Than One
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Phrases Opposite to Two Heads Are Better Than One
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What is the Correct Saying?
- Two heads are better than one
Ways People May Say Two Heads Are Better Than One Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'two heads are better than one' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning (or context) of the expression.
Use of the phrase can be serious, sarcastic, or with joking context – though it can be easily misinterpreted by someone with no prior reference for the phrase.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Two Heads Are Better Than One
The correct way to use the phrase 'two heads are better than one' is to use the expression to mean that more than one person makes a job easier (or faster) than the job done alone.
The phrase can be used as a serious phrase, but also as a joking or comedic phrase.