put two and two together

verb

To figure something out; to deduce or discern something.

“We didn't tell our friends that we were dating, but I think they put two and two together.”

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Meanings

verbput two and two together (third-person singular simple present puts two and two together, present participle putting two and two together, simple past and past participle put two and two together)

present singular third person puts two and two together · participle present putting two and two together

  1. idiomaticTo figure something out; to deduce or discern something.

    We didn't tell our friends that we were dating, but I think they put two and two together.

    2 more examples

    He prided himself on his power of observation and the accuracy of the deductions which resulted from it—a detail of his business. "It's nothing more than using one's eyes and putting two and two together," he would modestly declare, when he wished to be deprecatory rather than impressive […]

    1914, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados

    “I say,” said Mr. Farringdon, suddenly putting two and two together, “are you the Miss Vane? The novelist . . . You are! […]”

    1935, Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night

Translations

Finnish älytä, hoksata
  • älytäfigure out
  • hoksatafigure out
French faire le rapprochement, faire le lien
  • faire le rapprochementfigure out
  • faire le lienfigure out
  • raccrocher les wagonsfigure out
German eins und eins zusammenzählen
  • eins und eins zusammenzählenfigure out
Greek τα βάζω κάτω
  • τα βάζω κάτω (ta vázo káto)figure out
Hungarian nem most jött a hathúszassal, nem most lépett le a falvédőről
  • nem most jött a hathúszassalfigure out
  • nem most lépett le a falvédőrőlfigure out
  • átlát a szitánfigure out
Norwegian Bokmål legge to og to sammen
  • legge to og to sammenfigure out
Norwegian Nynorsk leggje to og to saman
  • leggje to og to samanfigure out
Polish dodawać dwa do dwóch, dodać dwa do dwóch
  • dodawać dwa do dwóchfigure out
  • dodać dwa do dwóchfigure out
Portuguese juntar dois mais dois
  • juntar dois mais doisfigure out
Swedish lägga ihop två och två
  • lägga ihop två och tvåfigure out
Welsh rhoi dau a dau ynghyd
  • rhoi dau a dau ynghydfigure out
Cite this entry
APA

put two and two together. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20two%20and%20two%20together

MLA

“put two and two together.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20two%20and%20two%20together. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put two and two together,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20two%20and%20two%20together.

Source: put two and two together on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.