ones and twos

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Turntables used by DJs.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

During hip hop's early days when the DJ was busy with his ones and twos, MCs (masters of ceremony, microphone controllers, or movers of the crowd) spoke over the records by invoking the spirit of the party gods.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ones and twos” mean?

Turntables used by DJs.

Is “ones and twos” formal or informal?

ones and twos is generally slang.