double-duty

American  

[duhb-uhl-doo-tee, -dyoo-] / ˈdʌb əlˈdu ti, -ˈdyu- /

adjective

1. designed to fill two functions.

   double-duty tools.

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double duty Idioms  

1. Fulfilling two functions at the same time, as in Our pickup truck does double duty, since it is used for the business and for family outings.

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Example Sentences

This means vessels are doing double-duty with increasing risk of breakdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

They can do double-duty as both home heaters and AC units and are pretty good at maintaining a constant temperature inside a home without the blast-then-cool-off cycle typical of a furnace.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

McIlroy and Bridgeman finished their rounds on Thursday, while Penge and Aaron Rai had to pull double-duty on Friday.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Prior to Santos' latest maneuver to publicly play double-duty by stepping into this role, there has been question as to whether or not he'd already done that in a roundabout way.

From Salon • May 20, 2023

In the corridor a few weak-kneed, pasty-faced students were making their way to and from the bathrooms, and a group of silent Helpers worked double-duty to keep the floors mopped.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart