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double tap

American  
[duhb-uhl tap] / ˈdʌb əl ˈtæp /

noun

  1. the technique or act of shooting a target twice in rapid succession.

    If a double tap to the chest fails to stop an attacker, the next shot is aimed at the head.


double tap British  

noun

  1. an act of firing a gun twice in rapid succession

    a double tap to the head

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of double tap

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“We’re worried about a double tap, for lack of a better term,” Jay said.

From Slate Oct. 27, 2025

Sometimes, I’d rotate my wrist up or double tap the Charge 5 to wake it up, but it just wouldn’t turn on.

From The Verge Sep. 21, 2021

A user can swipe left or right to adjust volume, tap to play, pause and skip music, or double tap to answer and end phone calls.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 9, 2021

"Reposting the tweet is like a double tap for clicks. Not a sincere apology if you leave the link there," wrote one Twitter user.

From Fox News Oct. 18, 2018

He gave the stack of cardboards a solid-sounding double tap on the desk surface, as one taps a deck of cards, then dropped the stack back into the bottom drawer and closed the drawer.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger

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