blues and twos
(mainly, UK, Ireland, informal) [of an emergency vehicle] with the blues and twos switched on.
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Born ~1960 · no dated citations yetDefinitions
(mainly, UK, Ireland, informal) [of an emergency vehicle] with the blues and twos switched on.
He glanced at his watch. “Blues and twos,” he said. “I want to get there before the train.” [...] They pulled out of the forecourt at the rear of the police office and drove straight across into Vauxhall Bridge Road, ignoring the one-way…
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(mainly, UK, Ireland, informal) The flashing lights and loud siren of an emergency vehicle.
Five minutes later, Bella, efficient as ever, radioed him back with an address near Hove station, about ten minutes drive away, going soberly, or ninety seconds with the blues and twos on.
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Semantically related
- 71%
(countable) A flashing light, usually fitted to an emergency vehicle.
- 66%
(slang) A police car.
- 65%
Slang for a police car, referencing the classic livery of blue-and-white paintwork worn by patrol vehicles in many countries, including the UK and parts of the US. The term strips the vehicle down to its most visible feature — the colour scheme — in the way street slang often reduces authority figures to their most recognisable symbol. Spotting a blue-and-white can signal anything from casual neighbourhood watch awareness to urgent 'heads up' warnings among people who'd rather not be stopped.
- 63%
(informal, Australia, Northern US) The turn signal of an automobile.