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• 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.

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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.

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double-cross ¹ British  

verb

1. (tr) to cheat or betray

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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

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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]

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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

It’s all dangerous deals and double crosses, yet it whiffs on an opportunity for an actually interesting double cross that might have made us sit up and pay attention.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2023

Some have a cross on the stem, for instance, others a double cross.

From New York Times ● Jun. 9, 2016

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

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 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

No-one knows whether they will double-cross their paymasters by secretly voting for another candidate on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2022

But when Bond goes to pay respects to the late Vesper Lynd, he gets wind of a double-cross and a chase sequence follows.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2021

To completely ensure the men didn't double-cross the Nazi regime, they were warned that Gestapo agents had infiltrated the FBI.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

There’s a harder edge to his predicament than in much of “Cinnamon” — Ash especially is one cool customer — and a daisy-chain of double-crosses leaves viewers guessing at Neil’s chances till the final shootouts.

From New York Times ● Jul. 12, 2023

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

The storytelling and plotting feels pulled together from spare parts of recent “Mission: Impossible” and James Bond films, with a disavowal here and some light parkour there and multiple destabilizing double-crosses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2022

And as should be the case with any good heist thriller, No Sudden Move gets both darker and funnier as the betrayals and double-crosses pile up.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2021

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

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

“I just put an awful swing on it. I double-crossed it and it was out-of-bounds by half an inch or an inch or so.”

From Washington Post ● Jul. 18, 2021

Invites lieutenants in his organization known to have double-crossed him to a party.

From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko

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

Within a decade, he was double-crossing the bureau.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2023

If Dado’s “Simpatico” doesn’t provide an equivalent catharsis, it’s only because Shepard’s elaborately mapped tale of double-crossing and horse-racing will never hang together as a consistent story.

From New York Times ● Sep. 26, 2017

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