put two and two together and make five

English

Etymology

Extension of put two and two together.

Verb

put two and two together and make five (third-person singular simple present puts two and two together and makes five, present participle putting two and two together and making five, simple past and past participle put two and two together and made five)

1. To come to the wrong conclusion; to make a false inference.

Usage notes

Also used with larger totals to suggest wilder or more exaggerated incorrectness: "put two and two together and make about five hundred".