Meanings
alternative two birds, one stone · alternative two birds/one stone · alternative two birds—one stone
- idiomaticpluralplural onlyAny two things that were performed or completed at the same time by one action.
They talk about how 'these places' [pornographic bookstores] are gathering spots for homosexuals. The implication is that if you close down 'these places' you get two birds with one stone.
1985 August 17, Janice Irvine, quoting Nan Hunter, “Meese's Crew Looks at Porn”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 6, page 31 more example
On another occasion, when trying to brainstorm things I could do to make myself feel better despite all the pandemic restrictions, Woebot suggested I “try doing something nice for someone in your life,” like make a calming tea for my housemate or check in with a loved one. I poured my mum some chamomile: Two birds, one stone.
2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times
Origin
From the phrase kill two birds with one stone.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic عُصْفُورَان بِحَجَر وَاحِد, طَائِرَان بِحَجَر وَاحِد
- عُصْفُورَان بِحَجَر وَاحِد (ʕuṣfūrān biḥajar wāḥid)two things by one action
- طَائِرَان بِحَجَر وَاحِد (ṭāʔirān biḥajar wāḥid)two things by one action
Danish to fluer med et smæk
- to fluer med et smæktwo things by one action
Dutch twee vliegen in een klap
- twee vliegen in een klaptwo things by one action
French d'une pierre deux coups
- d'une pierre deux coupstwo things by one action
German zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe
- zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappetwo things by one action
Greek μ’ ένα σμπάρο δυο τρυγόνια
- μ’ ένα σμπάρο δυο τρυγόνια (m’ éna smpáro dyo trygónia)two things by one action
Hungarian két legyet egy csapásra
- két legyet egy csapásratwo things by one action
Icelandic tvær flugur í einu höggi
- tvær flugur í einu höggitwo things by one action
Irish dhá éan leis an urchar amháin
- dhá éan leis an urchar amháintwo things by one action
Italian due piccioni con una fava
- due piccioni con una favatwo things by one action
Norwegian Bokmål to fluer i én/ett smekk
- to fluer i én/ett smekktwo things by one action
Spanish carambola, dupleta
- carambolatwo things by one action
- dupletatwo things by one action
- dobletetwo things by one action
Turkish bir taşla iki kuş
- bir taşla iki kuştwo things by one action
Cite this entry
two birds with one stone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20birds%20with%20one%20stone
“two birds with one stone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20birds%20with%20one%20stone. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “two birds with one stone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20birds%20with%20one%20stone.
Source: two birds with one stone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.