Jump To:

• double cross
  double cross

  noun

  a betrayal or swindle of a colleague.
• double-cross
  double-cross

  verb (used with object)

  to prove treacherous to; betray or swindle, as by a double cross.

double cross

¹ American  

noun

1. a betrayal or swindle of a colleague.

2. an attempt to win a contest that one has agreed beforehand to lose.

3. Genetics. a cross in which both parents are first-generation hybrids from single crosses, thus involving four inbred lines.

---

double-cross ² American  

[duhb-uhl-kraws, -kros] / ˈdʌb əlˈkrɔs, -ˈkrɒs /

verb (used with object)

Informal.

• double-crosses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• double-crossed,
  past participle,  past
• double-crossing
  present participle

1. to prove treacherous to; betray or swindle, as by a double cross.

---

double-cross ¹ British  

verb

1. (tr) to cheat or betray

---

noun

1. the act or an instance of double-crossing; betrayal

double cross ² British  

noun

1. a technique for producing hybrid stock, esp seed for cereal crops, by crossing the hybrids between two different pairs of inbred lines

---

double cross Idioms  

1. A deliberate betrayal; violation of a promise or obligation, as in They had planned a double cross, intending to keep all of the money for themselves. This usage broadens the term's earlier sense in sports gambling, where it alluded to the duplicity of a contestant who breaks his word after illicitly promising to lose. Both usages gave rise to the verb double-cross. [Late 1800s]

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• double-crosser
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• double-crossing
  present
• double-crossed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• double-cross
  simple
• double-crosses
  simple
• have double-crossed
  perfect
• has double-crossed
  perfect
• am double-crossing
  progressive
• are double-crossing
  progressive
• is double-crossing
  progressive
• have been double-crossing
  perfect progressive
• has been double-crossing
  perfect progressive

Past

• double-crossed
  simple
• had double-crossed
  perfect
• was double-crossing
  progressive
• were double-crossing
  progressive
• had been double-crossing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will double-cross
  simple
• will have double-crossed
  perfect
• will be double-crossing
  progressive
• will have been double-crossing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of double cross¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Origin of double-cross²

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

double cross double-cross double-crosses double-crossed double-crossing

Then a double cross happens, and Rachel learns what some viewers might have suspected — that one of her colleagues is in cahoots with Keya!

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2023

Still, the Jefferson dream lives on, in the form of flags — a gold pan and two Xs, a heavy-handed symbol of the double cross — that, during the pandemic, have adorned face masks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2021

Like Pike’s Marla, Pam Grier’s title character is a smart master of the double cross and steers this vastly entertaining crime movie.

From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2021

This hyper-stylization—the heady rhythm of the fast-flying dialogue, the pre-ordained double cross, the cynicism—keeps the overwrought and overearnest in check.

From Slate ● Dec. 4, 2013

Not since the days of George Blake's double cross had the CIA found itself in such a hall of mirrors.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Though he claims to have mellowed some after years of therapy, his mega-temper still flares if you double-cross or cheap out on a client or a colleague.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

I was sure she’d win last year when the third season of “Hacks” ended with her character, Ava, pulling off a delightful double-cross.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025

The action picks up from that double-cross, with the impossible-to-shock Deborah stunned and angry but playing along with Ava’s gambit while her overlords are watching.

From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2025

The man won’t talk, but Lillian is one step ahead with a deal — and a double-cross — which ensures the baby’s safe return and the kidnapper’s swift arrest.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 3, 2023

Wergin was Kappe's collateral, so Haupt wouldn't "double-cross this whole thing."

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

“Lindsey’s the guy who double-crosses everyone to save his own skin.”

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

There’s not much subtext, everything remains on the surface, and the exceptionally wordy script relies on exposition dumps to inform the audience about rumors, twists, deals and double-crosses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024

Metz may envision Steinhauer's story to be a twisty thriller with double-crosses, but the film is edited in ways that defuse the tension and possibly confuse the viewer.

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2022

He was like the character in a spy movie “who double-crosses everyone to save his own skin,” Obama writes.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2020

She figured Sciron would have no trouble believing in double-crosses, being a bandit and all.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

“It was nice for me to make that putt after I double-crossed that drive off the tee,” Lipsky said, “That was wasn’t fun, I’ll be honest.”

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 26, 2024

Bonnet returned to find that Blackbeard had double-crossed him and dumped most of Bonnet's crew, stripped the Revenge of supplies and sailed off with the loot.

From Salon ● May 21, 2022

“At this point, we’re feeling a little bit abandoned and a little bit double-crossed by the community we are trying to serve,” Rupp said.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 26, 2022

After Slone double-crossed you and left you to perish on the Mothership, the cubes that powered it are now free.

From The Verge ● Sep. 13, 2021

“She was one of the agents who double-crossed you, right?”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

She also played a double-crossing hotel detective inspector as well as a member of a wedding party singing purposefully off key lyrics, inspired by “Espresso,” to expose bad behavior at the bachelorette party.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2024

People loathed her double-crossing, despised her blind self-serving moves and they really, really hated her hair.

From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2024

Lyrically, the song's about a double-crossing lover - and there's a scene in one trailer where Bond confronts Madeleine Swann about her betrayal.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2021

He was the never-to-be-trusted adopted brother of the Mighty Thor, always double-crossing the God of Thunder but never losing his love.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 8, 2021

Shakespeare was even cited by Skipper in his attack against the rebellious boxers, accusing Jerry of double-crossing him as Brutus had betrayed Caesar.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela