It takes two to tango

Two people dancing a tango in Buenos Aires
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It takes two to tango is a common idiomatic expression which suggests something in which more than one person or other entity are paired in an inextricably-related and active manner, occasionally with negative connotations.[1]

The tango is a dance which requires two partners moving in relation to each other, sometimes in tandem, sometimes in opposition.[2] The meaning of this expression has been extended to include any situation in which the two partners are by definition understood to be essential—as in, a marriage with only one partner ceases to be a marriage.

  1. ^ Hirsch, Eric. (2002). The new dictionary of cultural literacy, p. 52,
  2. ^ Howell, Anthony. "Tango with an axe to grind," The Times Literary Supplement. April 19, 2006.