diff --git a/pre_commit/clientlib.py b/pre_commit/clientlib.py
index 4570e107..2fa7b153 100644
--- a/pre_commit/clientlib.py
+++ b/pre_commit/clientlib.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ MANIFEST_HOOK_DICT = cfgv.Map(
     cfgv.Optional('language_version', cfgv.check_string, 'default'),
     cfgv.Optional('log_file', cfgv.check_string, ''),
     cfgv.Optional('minimum_pre_commit_version', cfgv.check_string, '0'),
+    cfgv.Optional('require_serial', cfgv.check_bool, False),
     cfgv.Optional('stages', cfgv.check_array(cfgv.check_one_of(C.STAGES)), []),
     cfgv.Optional('verbose', cfgv.check_bool, False),
 )
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/docker.py b/pre_commit/languages/docker.py
index f3c46a33..bfdd3585 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/docker.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/docker.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.util import CalledProcessError
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'docker'
@@ -97,4 +96,4 @@ def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):  # pragma: windows no cover
 
     entry_tag = ('--entrypoint', entry_exe, docker_tag(prefix))
     cmd = docker_cmd() + entry_tag + cmd_rest
-    return xargs(cmd, file_args)
+    return helpers.run_xargs(hook, cmd, file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/docker_image.py b/pre_commit/languages/docker_image.py
index 6301970c..e7ebad7f 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/docker_image.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/docker_image.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.languages.docker import assert_docker_available
 from pre_commit.languages.docker import docker_cmd
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = None
@@ -16,4 +15,4 @@ install_environment = helpers.no_install
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):  # pragma: windows no cover
     assert_docker_available()
     cmd = docker_cmd() + helpers.to_cmd(hook)
-    return xargs(cmd, file_args)
+    return helpers.run_xargs(hook, cmd, file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/golang.py b/pre_commit/languages/golang.py
index 14354e0c..09e3476c 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/golang.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/golang.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
 from pre_commit.util import rmtree
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'golangenv'
@@ -81,4 +80,4 @@ def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
     with in_env(prefix):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+        return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/helpers.py b/pre_commit/languages/helpers.py
index ddbe2e80..aa5a5d13 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/helpers.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/helpers.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import multiprocessing
+import os
 import shlex
 
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
+from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 def run_setup_cmd(prefix, cmd):
@@ -45,3 +48,21 @@ def basic_healthy(prefix, language_version):
 
 def no_install(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
     raise AssertionError('This type is not installable')
+
+
+def target_concurrency(hook):
+    if hook['require_serial'] or 'PRE_COMMIT_NO_CONCURRENCY' in os.environ:
+        return 1
+    else:
+        # Travis appears to have a bunch of CPUs, but we can't use them all.
+        if 'TRAVIS' in os.environ:
+            return 2
+        else:
+            try:
+                return multiprocessing.cpu_count()
+            except NotImplementedError:
+                return 1
+
+
+def run_xargs(hook, cmd, file_args):
+    return xargs(cmd, file_args, target_concurrency=target_concurrency(hook))
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/node.py b/pre_commit/languages/node.py
index 7b464930..8e5dc7e5 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/node.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/node.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.languages.python import bin_dir
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'node_env'
@@ -71,4 +70,4 @@ def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
     with in_env(prefix, hook['language_version']):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+        return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/python.py b/pre_commit/languages/python.py
index ee7b2a4f..4b7580a4 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/python.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/python.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from pre_commit.parse_shebang import find_executable
 from pre_commit.util import CalledProcessError
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'py_env'
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ def py_interface(_dir, _make_venv):
 
     def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
         with in_env(prefix, hook['language_version']):
-            return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+            return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
 
     def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
         additional_dependencies = tuple(additional_dependencies)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/ruby.py b/pre_commit/languages/ruby.py
index bef3fe38..0330ae8d 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/ruby.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/ruby.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.util import CalledProcessError
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import resource_bytesio
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'rbenv'
@@ -126,4 +125,4 @@ def install_environment(
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):  # pragma: windows no cover
     with in_env(prefix, hook['language_version']):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+        return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/rust.py b/pre_commit/languages/rust.py
index 41053f88..8a5a0704 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/rust.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/rust.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ from pre_commit.envcontext import Var
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'rustenv'
@@ -91,4 +90,4 @@ def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
     with in_env(prefix):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+        return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/script.py b/pre_commit/languages/script.py
index 551b4d80..809efb85 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/script.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/script.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = None
@@ -13,4 +12,4 @@ install_environment = helpers.no_install
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
     cmd = helpers.to_cmd(hook)
     cmd = (prefix.path(cmd[0]),) + cmd[1:]
-    return xargs(cmd, file_args)
+    return helpers.run_xargs(hook, cmd, file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/swift.py b/pre_commit/languages/swift.py
index 2863fbee..c282de5d 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/swift.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/swift.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from pre_commit.envcontext import Var
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
 from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'swift_env'
 get_default_version = helpers.basic_get_default_version
@@ -53,4 +52,4 @@ def install_environment(
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):  # pragma: windows no cover
     with in_env(prefix):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+        return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/system.py b/pre_commit/languages/system.py
index 84cd1fe4..e590d486 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/system.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/system.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
-from pre_commit.xargs import xargs
 
 
 ENVIRONMENT_DIR = None
@@ -11,4 +10,4 @@ install_environment = helpers.no_install
 
 
 def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
-    return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+    return helpers.run_xargs(hook, helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
diff --git a/pre_commit/xargs.py b/pre_commit/xargs.py
index 2fe8a454..3b4a25f9 100644
--- a/pre_commit/xargs.py
+++ b/pre_commit/xargs.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import contextlib
+import math
 import sys
 
+import concurrent.futures
 import six
 
 from pre_commit import parse_shebang
@@ -34,8 +38,13 @@ class ArgumentTooLongError(RuntimeError):
     pass
 
 
-def partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=None):
+def partition(cmd, varargs, target_concurrency, _max_length=None):
     _max_length = _max_length or _get_platform_max_length()
+
+    # Generally, we try to partition evenly into at least `target_concurrency`
+    # partitions, but we don't want a bunch of tiny partitions.
+    max_args = max(4, math.ceil(len(varargs) / target_concurrency))
+
     cmd = tuple(cmd)
     ret = []
 
@@ -48,7 +57,10 @@ def partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=None):
         arg = varargs.pop()
 
         arg_length = _command_length(arg) + 1
-        if total_length + arg_length <= _max_length:
+        if (
+                total_length + arg_length <= _max_length
+                and len(ret_cmd) < max_args
+        ):
             ret_cmd.append(arg)
             total_length += arg_length
         elif not ret_cmd:
@@ -65,12 +77,23 @@ def partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=None):
     return tuple(ret)
 
 
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def _thread_mapper(maxsize):
+    if maxsize == 1:
+        yield map
+    else:
+        with concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor(maxsize) as ex:
+            yield ex.map
+
+
 def xargs(cmd, varargs, **kwargs):
     """A simplified implementation of xargs.
 
     negate: Make nonzero successful and zero a failure
+    target_concurrency: Target number of partitions to run concurrently
     """
     negate = kwargs.pop('negate', False)
+    target_concurrency = kwargs.pop('target_concurrency', 1)
     retcode = 0
     stdout = b''
     stderr = b''
@@ -80,22 +103,28 @@ def xargs(cmd, varargs, **kwargs):
     except parse_shebang.ExecutableNotFoundError as e:
         return e.to_output()
 
-    for run_cmd in partition(cmd, varargs, **kwargs):
-        proc_retcode, proc_out, proc_err = cmd_output(
-            *run_cmd, encoding=None, retcode=None
-        )
-        # This is *slightly* too clever so I'll explain it.
-        # First the xor boolean table:
-        #     T | F |
-        #   +-------+
-        # T | F | T |
-        # --+-------+
-        # F | T | F |
-        # --+-------+
-        # When negate is True, it has the effect of flipping the return code
-        # Otherwise, the retuncode is unchanged
-        retcode |= bool(proc_retcode) ^ negate
-        stdout += proc_out
-        stderr += proc_err
+    partitions = partition(cmd, varargs, target_concurrency, **kwargs)
+
+    def run_cmd_partition(run_cmd):
+        return cmd_output(*run_cmd, encoding=None, retcode=None)
+
+    threads = min(len(partitions), target_concurrency)
+    with _thread_mapper(threads) as thread_map:
+        results = thread_map(run_cmd_partition, partitions)
+
+        for proc_retcode, proc_out, proc_err in results:
+            # This is *slightly* too clever so I'll explain it.
+            # First the xor boolean table:
+            #     T | F |
+            #   +-------+
+            # T | F | T |
+            # --+-------+
+            # F | T | F |
+            # --+-------+
+            # When negate is True, it has the effect of flipping the return
+            # code. Otherwise, the returncode is unchanged.
+            retcode |= bool(proc_retcode) ^ negate
+            stdout += proc_out
+            stderr += proc_err
 
     return retcode, stdout, stderr
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 7c0a958f..dd3eb425 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ setup(
         'toml',
         'virtualenv',
     ],
-    extras_require={':python_version<"3.7"': ['importlib-resources']},
+    extras_require={
+        ':python_version<"3.2"': ['futures'],
+        ':python_version<"3.7"': ['importlib-resources'],
+    },
     entry_points={
         'console_scripts': [
             'pre-commit = pre_commit.main:main',
diff --git a/tests/languages/helpers_test.py b/tests/languages/helpers_test.py
index ada2095b..e7bd4702 100644
--- a/tests/languages/helpers_test.py
+++ b/tests/languages/helpers_test.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import multiprocessing
+import os
 import sys
 
+import mock
 import pytest
 
 from pre_commit.languages import helpers
@@ -28,3 +31,34 @@ def test_failed_setup_command_does_not_unicode_error():
     # an assertion that this does not raise `UnicodeError`
     with pytest.raises(CalledProcessError):
         helpers.run_setup_cmd(Prefix('.'), (sys.executable, '-c', script))
+
+
+def test_target_concurrency_normal():
+    with mock.patch.object(multiprocessing, 'cpu_count', return_value=123):
+        with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True):
+            assert helpers.target_concurrency({'require_serial': False}) == 123
+
+
+def test_target_concurrency_cpu_count_require_serial_true():
+    with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True):
+        assert helpers.target_concurrency({'require_serial': True}) == 1
+
+
+def test_target_concurrency_testing_env_var():
+    with mock.patch.dict(
+            os.environ, {'PRE_COMMIT_NO_CONCURRENCY': '1'}, clear=True,
+    ):
+        assert helpers.target_concurrency({'require_serial': False}) == 1
+
+
+def test_target_concurrency_on_travis():
+    with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {'TRAVIS': '1'}, clear=True):
+        assert helpers.target_concurrency({'require_serial': False}) == 2
+
+
+def test_target_concurrency_cpu_count_not_implemented():
+    with mock.patch.object(
+            multiprocessing, 'cpu_count', side_effect=NotImplementedError,
+    ):
+        with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True):
+            assert helpers.target_concurrency({'require_serial': False}) == 1
diff --git a/tests/repository_test.py b/tests/repository_test.py
index 8d578f39..f1b0f6e0 100644
--- a/tests/repository_test.py
+++ b/tests/repository_test.py
@@ -837,6 +837,7 @@ def test_manifest_hooks(tempdir_factory, store):
         'minimum_pre_commit_version': '0',
         'name': 'Bash hook',
         'pass_filenames': True,
+        'require_serial': False,
         'stages': [],
         'types': ['file'],
         'exclude_types': [],
diff --git a/tests/xargs_test.py b/tests/xargs_test.py
index bf685e16..ed65ed46 100644
--- a/tests/xargs_test.py
+++ b/tests/xargs_test.py
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import sys
+import time
 
+import concurrent.futures
 import mock
 import pytest
 import six
@@ -35,11 +37,11 @@ def linux_mock():
 
 
 def test_partition_trivial():
-    assert xargs.partition(('cmd',), ()) == (('cmd',),)
+    assert xargs.partition(('cmd',), (), 1) == (('cmd',),)
 
 
 def test_partition_simple():
-    assert xargs.partition(('cmd',), ('foo',)) == (('cmd', 'foo'),)
+    assert xargs.partition(('cmd',), ('foo',), 1) == (('cmd', 'foo'),)
 
 
 def test_partition_limits():
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ def test_partition_limits():
             '.' * 5,
             '.' * 6,
         ),
+        1,
         _max_length=20,
     )
     assert ret == (
@@ -67,21 +70,21 @@ def test_partition_limit_win32_py3(win32_py3_mock):
     cmd = ('ninechars',)
     # counted as half because of utf-16 encode
     varargs = ('😑' * 5,)
-    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=20)
+    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, 1, _max_length=20)
     assert ret == (cmd + varargs,)
 
 
 def test_partition_limit_win32_py2(win32_py2_mock):
     cmd = ('ninechars',)
     varargs = ('😑' * 5,)  # 4 bytes * 5
-    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=30)
+    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, 1, _max_length=30)
     assert ret == (cmd + varargs,)
 
 
 def test_partition_limit_linux(linux_mock):
     cmd = ('ninechars',)
     varargs = ('😑' * 5,)
-    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=30)
+    ret = xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, 1, _max_length=30)
     assert ret == (cmd + varargs,)
 
 
@@ -89,12 +92,39 @@ def test_argument_too_long_with_large_unicode(linux_mock):
     cmd = ('ninechars',)
     varargs = ('😑' * 10,)  # 4 bytes * 10
     with pytest.raises(xargs.ArgumentTooLongError):
-        xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, _max_length=20)
+        xargs.partition(cmd, varargs, 1, _max_length=20)
+
+
+def test_partition_target_concurrency():
+    ret = xargs.partition(
+        ('foo',), ('A',) * 22,
+        4,
+        _max_length=50,
+    )
+    assert ret == (
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 6,
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 6,
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 6,
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 4,
+    )
+
+
+def test_partition_target_concurrency_wont_make_tiny_partitions():
+    ret = xargs.partition(
+        ('foo',), ('A',) * 10,
+        4,
+        _max_length=50,
+    )
+    assert ret == (
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 4,
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 4,
+        ('foo',) + ('A',) * 2,
+    )
 
 
 def test_argument_too_long():
     with pytest.raises(xargs.ArgumentTooLongError):
-        xargs.partition(('a' * 5,), ('a' * 5,), _max_length=10)
+        xargs.partition(('a' * 5,), ('a' * 5,), 1, _max_length=10)
 
 
 def test_xargs_smoke():
@@ -132,3 +162,34 @@ def test_xargs_retcode_normal():
 
     ret, _, _ = xargs.xargs(exit_cmd, ('0', '1'), _max_length=max_length)
     assert ret == 1
+
+
+def test_xargs_concurrency():
+    bash_cmd = ('bash', '-c')
+    print_pid = ('sleep 0.5 && echo $$',)
+
+    start = time.time()
+    ret, stdout, _ = xargs.xargs(
+        bash_cmd, print_pid * 5,
+        target_concurrency=5,
+        _max_length=len(' '.join(bash_cmd + print_pid)),
+    )
+    elapsed = time.time() - start
+    assert ret == 0
+    pids = stdout.splitlines()
+    assert len(pids) == 5
+    # It would take 0.5*5=2.5 seconds ot run all of these in serial, so if it
+    # takes less, they must have run concurrently.
+    assert elapsed < 2.5
+
+
+def test_thread_mapper_concurrency_uses_threadpoolexecutor_map():
+    with xargs._thread_mapper(10) as thread_map:
+        assert isinstance(
+            thread_map.__self__, concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor,
+        ) is True
+
+
+def test_thread_mapper_concurrency_uses_regular_map():
+    with xargs._thread_mapper(1) as thread_map:
+        assert thread_map is map
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index d4b590bf..52f3d3ee 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ env =
     GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=test@example.com
     GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL=test@example.com
     VIRTUALENV_NO_DOWNLOAD=1
+    PRE_COMMIT_NO_CONCURRENCY=1