Idioms and expressions with number 3

September is here and that means that my hols are officially over, unfortunately. Anyway, I can't complain since I've had plenty of time to disconnect from it all and, as you know, I've been keeping my blog updated, even in summer. Last August, I was celebrating the third anniversary of my blog, with a ranking of the most successful entries; a ranking of the least popular entries; and a catalogue including a description of all the entries in the blog so far.

Now, to somehow give closure to this anniversary, I'm writing an entry with idioms and expressions related to number 3 (last year I did it with idioms and expressions involving number 2). Let's begin:

1. Bad luck comes in threes / bad things come in threes / bad luck happens in threes

If you're the superstitious kind of guy, this is your idiom. It basically states that normally bad things happen in a streak of bad luck involving three misgivings, that is, once you're in a bad luck streak, three bad things will happen to you and not just one: 

2. Moving three times is as bad as a fire

Moving house is a tiresome activity, indeed! And not only that: things get broken and lost and you get tired and tired. This is why this idiom speaks about the "dangers" of moving house three times. Do you agree with the idiom?

3. To be the third wheel in a relationship


Can you imagine a bike with three wheels? That wouldn't work, would it? The same thing happens with the third person in a relationship. That person in English is called the third wheel, whereas in Spanish, these people are called "candle holders." The idea is practically the same: an extra person that is always around a couple.

4. Two is a company, three's a crowd

Similar idiom to the previous one. One says this when they want someone else to leave just to be alone with their loved one. At the end of the day, a couple consists just of two people, not three!

5. Three strikes and you are out

This expression coming from baseball highlights the fact that after three wrongdoings, you'll face the consequences, for example, I won't accept anyone else breaking the rules. Remember, three strikes and you're out.

6. A three-ring circus

Can you picture a circus with lions, elephants and tigers on the loose? A complete chaos, right? This is precisely what the expression a three-ring circus means, a situation of utter confusion and chaos. You know, what you can have if you come back home after leaving your children alone for three hours...

7. I didn't exchange more than three words (with someone)
This expression is said when you meet someone but you barely speak to them, or you just exchange the necessary words: 'hello', 'how are you?' and all that stuff.

8. As easy as one, two, three

When something is super-easy you can say, it's a piece of cake; easy peasy lemon squeezy, or simply, as easy as one, two, three. Do you get it?

9. Three hots and a cot


If you use this expression, you are probably an inmate, a prisoner. In jail, all you get is three hots meals and a bed to sleep on. 

10. Clogs to clogs in three generations

This is quite a wise idiom. It basically explains that even if you get rich all of a sudden, your wealth won't make it through three generations of relatives, in other words, wealth doesn't last much. 

Well, did you like the selection of idioms with number 3? Which one was your favourite? Do you know any others? Then, post a comment!