double

[ duhb-uh l ]

/ ˈdʌb əl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR double ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

twice as large, heavy, strong, etc.; twofold in size, amount, number, extent, etc.: a double portion; a new house double the size of the old one.

composed of two like parts or members; twofold in form; paired: double doors; a double sink.

of, relating to, or suitable for two persons: a double room.

twofold in character, meaning, or conduct; dual or ambiguous: a double interpretation.

deceitful; hypocritical; insincere.

(of musical instruments) producing a tone an octave lower than the notes indicate.

duple, as time or rhythm.

folded in two; having one half folded over the other.

(of a bed or bedclothes) full-size: a double blanket.

Botany. (of flowers) having many more than the normal number of petals: double petunias; double hollyhocks.

noun

anything that is twofold in size or amount or twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc.

a duplicate or counterpart; something exactly or closely resembling another: This dress is the double of that. He is the double of his cousin.

Also called double room. a type of hotel accommodation with two beds, or sometimes a double bed, for occupancy by two persons.Compare twin¹(def 4).

a fold or plait.

an alcoholic drink containing twice the usual amount of alcohol.

a sudden backward turn or bend, as of a fox on the run in fox hunting; reversal.

a trick or artifice, as of argument in a formal debate.

a substitute actor or singer ready to take another's place, especially onstage; understudy.

Movies, Television.

a substitute who performs feats or actions too hazardous or difficult for a star.
body double.

Baseball. two-base hit.

Military. double time.

doubles, (used with a singular verb) a game or match in which there are two players on each side, as in tennis.

(in bridge or other card games)

a challenge by an opponent that the declarer cannot fulfill the designated contract, increasing the points to be won or lost.
a hand that warrants such a challenge.

Bridge. a conventional bid informing one's partner that a player's hand is of a certain strength.

Bowling. two strikes in succession: He needed a double in the tenth frame to win.

daily double.

any of certain feasts in the Roman Catholic Church, marked by a doubled antiphon and taking precedence over lesser feasts.

Music Rare. a variation.

a former coin of France, the sixth part of a sol, issued in silver in the 14th century, later made of copper.

verb (used with object), dou·bled, dou·bling.

to make double or twice as great; to add an equal amount to: The baby doubled its weight in a year.

to bend or fold with or as with one part over another (often followed by over, up, back, etc.): Double the edge over before sewing.

to clench: He doubled his fists.

to be or have twice as much as: Income doubled expenditure.

Nautical.

to sail around (a projecting area of land): to double Cape Horn.
to add a new layer of planking or ceiling to (an old wooden hull).

to pair; couple: The players were doubled for the tournament.

Music. to reduplicate by means of a tone in another part, either at the unison or at an octave above or below.

(in bridge and other card games)

to challenge (the bid of an opponent) by making a call that increases the value of tricks to be won or lost.
to challenge the bid of (an opponent): He doubled me into game.

Baseball.

to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a two-base hit: He doubled him to third.
to cause (a run) to be scored by a two-base hit (often followed by in): He doubled in the winning run.
to put out (a base runner) as the second out of a double play (often followed by up).

verb (used without object), dou·bled, dou·bling.

to become double: My money doubled in three years.

to bend or fold (often followed by up or over): to double over with pain.

to turn back on a course or reverse direction (often followed by back): He doubled back by another road and surprised us.

Military. to march at the double-time pace.

to serve in two capacities or in an additional capacity: She doubles as producer and director.

to act as a double in a play, motion picture, or the like.

Music. to play an instrument besides one's regular instrument (usually followed by on): The saxophonist doubles on drums.

(in bridge and other card games) to double the bid of an opponent.

Baseball. to make a two-base hit.

to double-date.

adverb

to twice the amount, number, extent, etc.; twofold; doubly.

two together: There are only a few beds, so some of the children will have to sleep double for the night.

Verb Phrases

double down,

(in blackjack) to double an initial bet, on the condition that one can be dealt only one more card: Will you double down and beat the dealer?
to increase one’s efforts or hold to a position or opinion, especially when vulnerable or taking a risk: He has continued to defend his controversial interpretation of the document, doubling down on what he sees as the truth.

double up,

to share quarters planned for only one person or family: Because of the room shortage, we had to double up.
to bend over, as from pain: He doubled up in agony.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby double

douai, douala, douane, douanier, douay bible, double, double achievement, double agent, double altar, double ax, double back

Idioms for double

at the double, British Informal. on the double.

double in brass, Informal. to serve in two capacities; be able to do work different from one's own: It is a small firm, and everyone doubles in brass when emergencies arise.

double or nothing, a bet having as its outcome either the doubling of a previous loss or debt or the canceling of that loss or debt.Also double or quits.

on the double, Informal.

without delay; rapidly: The fire engines came on the double.
in double time, as marching troops.

Origin of double

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin duplus, equivalent to du(o) two + -plus -fold

OTHER WORDS FROM double

dou·ble·ness, noundou·bler, nounqua·si-dou·ble, adjectivequa·si-dou·b·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for on the double

double

/ (ˈdʌbəl) /

adjective (usually prenominal)

as much again in size, strength, number, etca double portion

composed of two equal or similar parts; in a pair; twofolda double egg cup

designed for two usersa double room

folded in two; composed of two layersdouble paper

stooping; bent over

having two aspects or existing in two different ways; ambiguousa double meaning

false, deceitful, or hypocriticala double life

(of flowers) having more than the normal number of petals

maths

(of a root) being one of two equal roots of a polynomial equation
(of an integral) having an integrand containing two independent variables requiring two integrations, in each of which one variable is kept constant

music

(of an instrument) sounding an octave lower than the pitch indicated by the notationa double bass
(of time) duple, usually accompanied by the direction alla breve

adverb

twice over; twofold

two together; two at a time (esp in the phrase see double)

noun

twice the number, amount, size, etc

a double measure of spirits, such as whisky or brandy

a duplicate or counterpart, esp a person who closely resembles another; understudy

a wraith or ghostly apparition that is the exact counterpart of a living person; doppelgänger

a sharp turn, esp a return on one's own tracks

an evasive shift or artifice; trick

an actor who plays two parts in one play

bridge a call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract

billiards snooker a strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket

a bet on two horses in different races in which any winnings from the horse in the first race are placed on the horse in the later race

(often capital) mainly RC Church one of the higher-ranking feasts on which the antiphons are recited both before and after the psalms

music an ornamented variation in 16th and 17th century music

Also called: double time a pace of twice the normal marching speed

tennis See double fault

the narrow outermost ring on a dartboard
a hit on this ring

at the double or on the double

at twice normal marching speed
quickly or immediately

verb

to make or become twice as much

to bend or fold (material, a bandage, etc)

(tr sometimes foll by up) to clench (a fist)

(tr; often foll by together or up) to join or couplehe doubled up the team

(tr) to repeat exactly; copy

(intr) to play two parts or serve two roles

(intr) to turn sharply; follow a winding course

nautical to sail around (a headland or other point)

music

to duplicate (a voice or instrumental part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it
(intr usually foll by on) to be capable of performing (upon an instrument additional to one's normal one)the third trumpeter doubles on cornet

bridge to make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract

billiards snooker to cause (a ball) to rebound or (of a ball) to rebound from a cushion across or up or down the table

chess

to cause two pawns of the same colour to be on the same file
to place both rooks of the same colour on the same rank or the same file

(intr foll by for) to act as substitute (for an actor or actress)

(intr) to go or march at twice the normal speed

See also double back, doubles, double up

Derived forms of double

doubleness, noundoubler, noun

Word Origin for double

C13: from Old French, from Latin duplus twofold, from duo two + -plus -fold

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

Idioms and Phrases with on the double (1 of 2)

on the double

Very quickly, as in You'd better get here on the double. This expression, also put as at the double, came from the military, where it means “double time”—that is, marching twice as fast as normally. [Early 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with on the double (2 of 2)

double

In addition to the idioms beginning with double

double back
double bill
double cross
double date
double Dutch
double duty
double feature
double in brass
double life
double standard
double take, do a
double talk
double up

also see:

lead a double life
on the double
see double

double

adjective

noun

verb (used with object), dou·bled, dou·bling.

verb (used without object), dou·bled, dou·bling.

adverb

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

Words related to double

Words nearby double

Idioms for double

Origin of double

OTHER WORDS FROM double

British Dictionary definitions for on the double

adjective (usually prenominal)

adverb

noun

verb

Derived forms of double

Word Origin for double

Idioms and Phrases with on the double (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with on the double (2 of 2)