double
double: adj., adv., n., & v. --adj.
1 a consisting of two usu. equal parts or things; twofold. b consisting of two identical parts.
2 twice as much or many (double the amount; double the number; double thickness).
3 having twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc. (double whisky).
4 designed for two people (double bed).
5 a having some part double. b (of a flower) having more than one circle of petals. c (of a domino) having the same number of pips on each half.
6 having two different roles or interpretations, esp. implying confusion or deceit (double meaning; leads a double life).
7 Mus. lower in pitch by an octave (double bassoon). --adv.
1 at or to twice the amount etc. (counts double).
2 two together (sleep double). --n.
1 a a double quantity or thing; twice as much or many. b colloq. a double measure of spirits.
2 a a counterpart of a person or thing; a person who looks exactly like another. b an understudy. c a wraith.
3 (in pl.) Sport (in lawn tennis) a game between two pairs of players.
4 Sport a pair of victories over the same team, a pair of championships at the same game, etc.
5 a system of betting in which the winnings and stake from the first bet are transferred to a second.
6 Bridge the doubling of an opponent's bid.
7 Darts a hit on the narrow ring enclosed by the two outer circles of a dartboard, scoring double.
8 a sharp turn, esp. of the tracks of a hunted animal, or the course of a river. --v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become twice as much or many; increase twofold; multiply by two.
2 tr. amount to twice as much as.
3 a tr. fold or bend (paper, cloth, etc.) over on itself. b intr. become folded.
4 a tr. (of an actor) play (two parts) in the same piece. b intr. (often foll. by for) be understudy etc.
5 intr. (usu. foll. by as) play a twofold role.
6 intr. turn sharply in flight or pursuit; take a tortuous course.
7 tr. Naut. sail round (a headland).
8 tr. Bridge make a call increasing the value of the points to be won or lost on (an opponent's bid).
9 Mus. a intr. (often foll. by on) play two or more musical instruments (the clarinettist doubles on tenor sax). b tr. add the same note in a higher or lower octave to (a note).
10 tr. clench (a fist).
11 intr. move at twice the usual speed; run.
12 Billiards a intr. rebound. b tr. cause to rebound. at the double running, hurrying. bent double folded, stooping. double acrostic see ACROSTIC . double agent one who spies simultaneously for two rival countries etc. double axe an axe with two blades. double back take a new direction opposite to the previous one. double-banking 1 double-parking.
2 Austral. & NZ riding two on a horse etc. double-barrelled 1 (of a gun) having two barrels.
2 Brit. (of a surname) having two parts joined by a hyphen.
3 twofold. double-bass 1 the largest and lowest-pitched instrument of the violin family.
2 its player. double bill a programme with two principal items. double bind a dilemma. double-blind adj. (of a test or experiment) in which neither the tester nor the subject has knowledge of identities etc. that might lead to bias. --n. such a test or experiment. double bluff an action or statement intended to appear as a bluff, but in fact genuine. double boiler a saucepan with a detachable upper compartment heated by boiling water in the lower one. double bond Chem. a pair of bonds between two atoms in a molecule. double-book accept two reservations simultaneously for (the same seat, room, etc.). double-breasted (of a coat etc.) having two fronts overlapping across the body. double-check verify twice or in two ways. double chin a chin with a fold of loose flesh below it. double-chinned having a double chin. double concerto a concerto for two solo instruments. double cream thick cream with a high fat-content. double-cross v.tr. deceive or betray (a person one is supposedly helping). --n. an act of doing this. double-crosser a person who double-crosses. double dagger Printing = double obelus. double-dealer a deceiver. double-dealing n. deceit, esp. in business. --adj. deceitful; practising deceit. double-decker 1 esp. Brit. a bus having an upper and lower deck.
2 colloq. anything consisting of two layers. double-declutch see DECLUTCH . double decomposition Chem. a chemical reaction involving exchange of radicals between two reactants: also called METATHESIS. double density Computing designating a storage device, esp. a disk, having twice the basic capacity. double dummy Bridge play with two hands exposed, allowing every card to be located. double Dutch Brit. colloq. incomprehensible talk. double-dyed deeply affected with guilt. double eagle 1 a figure of a two-headed eagle.
2 US Golf = ALBATROSS.
3 US a coin worth twenty dollars. double-edged 1 having two functions or (often contradictory) applications.
2 (of a knife etc.) having two cutting-edges. double entry a system of bookkeeping in which each transaction is entered as a debit in one account and a credit in another. double exposure Photog. the accidental or deliberate repeated exposure of a plate, film, etc. double-faced 1 insincere.
2 (of a fabric or material) finished on both sides so that either may be used as the right side. double fault (in lawn tennis) two consecutive faults in serving. double feature a cinema programme with two full-length films. double figures the numbers from 10 to 99. double first Brit.
1 first-class honours in two subjects or examinations at a university.
2 a person achieving this. double-fronted (of a house) with principal windows on either side of the front door. double-ganger = DOPPELGNGER. double glazing 1 a window consisting of two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce loss of heat and exclude noise.
2 the provision of this. double Gloucester a kind of hard cheese orig. made in Gloucestershire. double header 1 a train pulled by two locomotives coupled together.
2 US two games etc. in succession between the same opponents.
3 Austral. colloq. a coin with a head on both sides. double helix a pair of parallel helices with a common axis, esp. in the structure of the DNA molecule. double-jointed having joints that allow unusual bending of the fingers, limbs, etc. double-lock lock by a double turn of the key. double negative Gram. a negative statement containing two negative elements (e.g. didn't say nothing). Considered ungrammatical in standard English. double obelus (or obelisk) Printing a sign used to introduce a reference. double or quits a gamble to decide whether a player's loss or debt be doubled or cancelled. double-park park (a vehicle) alongside one that is already parked at the roadside. double play Baseball putting out two runners. double pneumonia pneumonia affecting both lungs. double-quick very quick or quickly. double refraction Optics refraction forming two separate rays from a single incident ray. double rhyme a rhyme including two syllables. double salt Chem. a salt composed of two simple salts and having different crystal properties from either. double saucepan Brit. = double boiler. double shuffle Dancing a shuffle executed twice with one foot and then twice with the other. double standard 1 a rule or principle applied more strictly to some people than to others (or to oneself).
2 bimetallism. double star two stars actually or apparently very close together. double-stopping Mus. the sounding of two strings at once on a violin etc. double take a delayed reaction to a situation etc. immediately after one's first reaction. double-talk verbal expression that is (usu. deliberately) ambiguous or misleading. double-think the mental capacity to accept contrary opinions or beliefs at the same time esp. as a result of political indoctrination. double time 1 payment of an employee at twice the normal rate.
2 Mil. the regulation running-pace. double-tonguing rapid articulation in playing a wind instrument. double top Darts a score of double twenty. double up 1 a bend or curl up. b cause to do this, esp. by a blow.
2 be overcome with pain or laughter.
3 share or assign to a room, quarters, etc., with another or others.
4 fold or become folded.
5 use winnings from a bet as stake for another. doubler n. doubly adv. [ME f. OF doble, duble (n.), dobler, dubler (v.) f. L duplus DUPLE]
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