Dos a Dos
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Back to back. Two books share three boards between them and open on opposite sides. Popular in the 17th century for binding books in pairs, such as the Old and New Testaments.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Dos a Dos” mean?
Back to back. Two books share three boards between them and open on opposite sides. Popular in the 17th century for binding books in pairs, such as the Old and New Testaments.
Is “Dos a Dos” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.