Skip to main content
Cheap; of bad quality.
I was expecting a tale of fun and excitement, but instead I listened to a two-bit story about Rick's trip to his grandmother's.
Two-Bit by Diggity Monkeez April 22, 2005
Words you can keep
In the U.S, the bit is equal to 1/8 of a dollar or 12.5 cents. In the U.S., the "bit" as a designation for money dates from the colonial period, when the most common unit of currency used was the Spanish dollar, also known as "piece of eight", which was worth 8 Spanish silver reales. One eighth of a dollar or one silver real was one "bit".

With the adoption of the decimal U.S. currency in 1794, there was no longer a coin worth of a dollar but "two bits" remained in the bit and 15¢ a long bit.

Robert Louis Stevenson describes his experience with bits in Across the Plains, p. 144:1
In the Pacific States they have made a bolder push for complexity, and settle their affairs by a coin that no longer exists – the BIT, or old Mexican real. The supposed value of the bit is twelve and a half cents, eight to the dollar. When it comes to two bits, the quarter-dollar stands for the required amount. But how about an odd bit? The nearest coin to it is a dime, which is, short by a fifth. That, then, is called a SHORT bit. If you have one, you lay it triumphantly down, and save two and a half cents. But if you have not, and lay down a quarter, the bar-keeper or shopman calmly tenders you a dime by way of change; and thus you have paid what is called a LONG BIT, and lost two and a half cents, or even, by comparison with a short bit, five cents.
Can I borrow two-bits man, im short on change
two-bit by Cobruh October 23, 2014
Smartass;somebody who always has to get the last word in
We didn't need a sarcastic remark Two-Bit.
Two-Bit by Austin November 16, 2004
Shut up about it already, Two-Bit.
Two-Bit by Austin November 27, 2004
crack fiend reply meaning "i give 2 flying fucks about what you are saying right now.
jim-"what time is it"
bill-" ah, two bit"
Two-Bit by squid February 3, 2003
A character in the book and movie "The Outsiders" that is a drunk lil hoe
Real name is Keith Matthews
Two-Bit stfu no one cares
Two-Bit by toomooroo February 13, 2020
two bit is a character from the outsiders (very good book/movie btw) two bit is fun, crazy and he’s low key an alcoholic, we still love him though even if he looks like a Teletubby <3
dally: where is two bit?
ponyboy: oh! he’s just out drinking
two bit by outsiders fan girl <3 November 3, 2019
More from Urban Dictionary

Back when I lived in upstate new york 

A meaningless, unimpressive, self-serving introduction. An indicator that the story about to be shared will be pointless and dumb.
Back when I lived in upstate new york, I also had to park on the street - on two occasions, we got enough snow, mixed with just the right plowing, that my car was lifted off the ground from so much snow being jammed underneath it.
Word of the Day on August 31, 2026
Next