Meanings
phrase
alternative two on ten
- A coded warning among shopkeepers that a potential shoplifter must be watched.
Origin
From the idea of keeping one's two eyes fixed on the shoplifter's ten fingers.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
two upon ten. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20upon%20ten
MLA
“two upon ten.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20upon%20ten. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “two upon ten,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/two%20upon%20ten.
Source: two upon ten on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.