double

1. not comparableMade up of two matching or complementary elements.

   The closet has double doors.

   2 more examples

   “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Such is not the usage of civilized warfare. Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

   1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.

   2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, archived from the original on 30 Sep 2020

   Synonyms: binary

2. not comparableOf twice the quantity.

   Give me a double serving of mashed potatoes.

   3 more examples

   Britain's population density used to be double that of China.

   The 40-year-old [Mike Skinner] is happy to put his body on the line in other ways, swapping a mug of tea for a fan's double pint of lager and messily necking it in one.

   2019 January 26, Kitty Empire [pseudonym], “The Streets review – the agony and ecstasy of a great everyman”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Apr 2019

   The Shanghai-based company reported Wednesday that net profit soared 246% to 28 billion yuan ($3.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, more than double the average analyst estimate of 12.62 billion yuan ($1.7 billion), according to LSEG data.

   2024 May 23, Laura He, “Bargain-hungry Americans are flocking to Temu and making its Chinese owner very rich”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2024

   Synonyms: duplicate

3. not comparableOf a family relationship, related on both the maternal and paternal sides of a family.

   He's my double cousin as my mother's sister married my father's brother.

4. not comparableDesigned for two (people, cars, etc.).

   a double room

   1 more example

   a double garage

5. not comparableFolded in two; composed of two layers.
6. not comparableStooping; bent over.
7. not comparableHaving two aspects; ambiguous.

   a double meaning

   1 more example

   Assuming the accuracy of his information, the curious fact was established that Mr Rigby Lacksome, ostensibly in England to attend the book sales, had prompted a convenient organization to carry out a raid on a certain historic building, while he himself immediately appeared on the scene with an arrangement to make good the damage. […] Was there, indeed, some double purpose here at work?

   1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

   Synonyms: twofold

8. not comparableFalse, deceitful, or hypocritical.

   a double life

   1 more example

   A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell Then Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel; Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write,

   c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.

9. not comparableOf flowers, having more than the normal number of petals.
10. not comparableentertainmentOf an instrument, sounding an octave lower.

    a double bass

11. not comparableentertainmentOf time, twice as fast.

1. not comparableTwice over; twofold; doubly.

   February 7 1736, Jonathan Swift, letter to Alexander Pope I was double their age.

   Synonyms: doubly

2. not comparableTwo together; two at a time.

   When I met the twins, I thought I was seeing double.

   1 more example

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

3. not comparableInto two halves or sections.

   The old man was bent double under his heavy burden.

plural doubles

1. Twice the number, amount, size, etc.

   I did double his sales this month.

2. A person who resembles and stands in for another person, often for safety purposes

   Saddam Hussein was rumored to have many doubles.

3. A drink with two portions of alcohol.

   On second thought, make that a double.

4. Two shifts of work back to back.

   I work a double this weekend.

5. A ghostly apparition of a living person; a doppelgänger.

   1 more example

   According to the description our captain had given me of Peter Sandaker once when he had dropped behind on the march, he was particularly good at telling tales and stories about goblin-birds, doubles, and fairies, and had a special fancy for entering into the most minute details, whenever he commenced telling about one or the other of the eighteen bears he had killed in his time.

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 71

6. A sharp turn, especially a return on one's own tracks.
7. A redundant item for which an identical item already exists.

   Before printing the photos, Liam deleted the doubles.

   1 more example

   I have more than 200 stamps in my collection but they're not all unique: some are doubles.

8. ball gamesA two-base hit.

   The catcher hit a double to lead off the ninth.

9. bridgeA call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract.
10. ball gamesA strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket.

    Brecel fired in doubles, a succession of stunning long pots and seemingly cleared balls at will as he rattled through the first four frames in under an hour.

    2023 May 1, Steve Sutcliffe, “World Snooker Championship 2023 final: Luca Brecel beats Mark Selby for first world title”, in BBC Sport

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

    Not only did I collect on the double; I had the win and the place money as well.

    2005, Kenneth Brown, ...and I Survived: A Barnardo Boy's Memoir, page 55

12. dartsThe narrow outermost ring on a dartboard.
13. dartsA hit on this ring.
14. dominoesA tile that has the same value (i.e., the same number of pips) on both sides.
15. computingA double-precision floating-point number.

    The sine function returns a double.

16. ball gamesTwo competitions, usually one league and one cup, won by the same team in a single season.
17. hobbiesA boat for two scullers.
18. hobbiesThe feat of scoring twice in one game.

    DJ Campbell grabbed a second-half double as Blackpool made Sunderland pay for a host of missed chances to secure a fifth away league win of the season.

    2010 December 28, Owen Phillips, “Sunderland 0 - 2 Blackpool”, in BBC

19. chiefly swimming and trackhobbiesThe feat of winning two events in a single meet or competition.

    In 1996, Michael Johnson achieved a double by winning both the 200 and 400 meter dashes.

20. ball gamesThe achievement of 1000 runs and 100 wickets taken in a single season.
21. historicalA former French coin worth one-sixth of a sou.
22. GuernseyhistoricalA copper coin worth one-eighth of a penny.

    As for doubles, they are not worth anything now; and I have still got an egg-cupful my mother used to keep handy to give the baker change from a farthing.

    1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 196

23. entertainmentPlaying the same part on two instruments, alternately.
24. ChristianityA double feast.
25. Synonym of double-quick (“fast marching pace”).

    Synonyms: double-quick

26. entertainmentA secondary instrument with which a musician is skilled.

    The saxophone is a valuable and rewarding double, and opens up many gigs that aren’t available to players of just the “orchestral” woodwinds.

    2020 January 4, Bret Pimentel, “Woodwind doubling and saxophone problems”, in Bret Pimentel, woodwinds

27. datedslangA double-cross or betrayal.

    His fellows had chaffed him much upon the way that astute adventurer had bamboozled him, or, in their vernacular, "put the double on him," and vowed that all his energies should be devoted to a return match.

    1880, Hawley Smart, False Cards, page 216

28. A double agent.

    'This is 007 speaking. This is an open line. It's an emergency. Can you hear me? Pass this on at once. 3030 was a double, working for Redland.

    1953, Ian Fleming, “The Bleeding Heart”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 189

29. slangSomeone who identifies with the same kintype.

    seeing a double of their kintype can feel threatening or disorienting, or just make them kind of uncomfortable if their kintype is very personal to them.

    2018 January 2, fictkinhelp, Tumblr, archived from the original on 27 Jul 2026

30. slangSomeone who yumeships with the same character as another person.

    Haven’t been in the yumeshipping space for all that long so I never really knew if I was sharing or not until I talked to a double.

    2026 July 13, idiotcel, “Sharing yumeshippers, how do you view doubles?”, in Reddit, archived from the original on 27 Jul 2026

present singular third person doubles · participle present doubling · participle past doubled · past doubled

1. transitiveTo multiply by two.

   The company doubled their earnings per share over last quarter.

   Synonyms: redouble

2. intransitiveTo increase by 100%, to become twice as large in size.

   Our earnings have doubled in the last year.

3. To be the double of; to exceed by twofold; to contain or be worth twice as much as.

   Thus re-inforc’d, againſt the adverſe Fleet / Still doubling ours, brave Rupert leads the way.

   1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 119, page 31

4. transitiveTo fold over so as to make two folds.

   To make a pleat, double the material at the waist.

5. sometimestransitiveTo clench (a fist).
6. ball gamesTo get a two-base hit.

   The batter doubled into the corner.

7. oftentransitiveTo join or couple.
8. transitiveTo repeat exactly; copy.

   Synonyms: facsimilize

9. intransitiveTo serve a second role or have a second purpose.

   A spork is a kind of fork that doubles as a spoon.

10. ambitransitivesometimesTo act as substitute for (another theatrical performer in a certain role, etc).

    Laforêt, who (as the French express it), doubles Lainez, that is, performs the same characters in his absence.

    1801, Francis William Blagdon, Paris as it was and as it is, published 1803, II, xli, 60

    1 more example

    […] and when she attempted to double the part of her mother, she equally failed in playing the great or agreeable lady.

    1814, Elizabeth Hervey, The Mourtray Family: Third Edition, page 31

11. entertainmentTo play (both one part and another, in the same play, etc).

    In On the Beat he doubles the parts of a constable and a gang-leader. Norman was all over the place.

    1997, Roger Lewis, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Hal Leonard Corporation, →ISBN

    3 more examples

    When, therefore, Briggs, the sedate, middle-aged individual, who in the Markham household doubles the roles of butler and valet, makes his appearance, his master affects to be in a great hurry, looks at his watch, and says : […]

    1878, lady Isabella Emma E. Schuster, Hands Not Hearts, page 141

    Miss Theby doubles in the part of Rose and the native girl in the Philippines. This is a problem plot in which a young man leaves the girl of his choice because she has had an affair in her earlier years. He goes to the Philippines, […]

    1916, The Moving Picture World, page 335

    In his case the matter is simplified by the fact that the head of his Deception Staff doubles the roles of author and producer. The Commander therefore tells him what sort of deception he needs, examines the plans produced for him […]

    2013, Hy Rothstein, Barton Whaley, The Art and Science of Military Deception, Artech House, →ISBN, page 164

12. intransitiveTo turn sharply, following a winding course.
13. nauticalTo sail around (a headland or other point).

    Sailing along the coast, he doubled the promontory of Carthage.

    1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC

    1 more example

    […] though the Iſland itſelf was not very large […] I found a great Ledge of Rocks lie out about two Leagues into the Sea[…]ſo that I was oblig’d to go a great Way out to Sea to double the Point.

    1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 162

14. entertainmentTo duplicate (a part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it.
15. intransitiveusuallyentertainmentTo be capable of performing (upon an additional instrument).
16. bridgeTo make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract.
17. intransitivecard gamesTo double down.
18. ball gamesTo cause (a ball) to rebound from a cushion before entering the pocket.
19. intransitiveTo go or march at twice the normal speed.

    "You double down to the harbour, my lad," said the Captain to Strickland, "and sign on. You've got your papers." Strickland set off at once, and that was the last Captain Nichols saw of him.

    1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XLVII, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC, page 250

20. transitiveTo multiply the strength or effect of by two.

    Sorry, this store does not double coupons.

21. governmentTo unite, as ranks or files, so as to form one from each two.
22. informalbroadcastingTo transmit simultaneously on the same channel as another station, either unintentionally or deliberately, causing interference.

    Could you please repeat your last transmission? Another station was doubling with you.

23. intransitiveespionageTo operate as a double agent.

    Was this simply the cover name of an Allied spy-code named the Brass Monkey? […] The possibility that the Brass Monkey himself was "doubling" (with headquarters' approval, of course) is too logical […]

    1973, National Lampoon, page 12

plural Doubles

1. A surname.

plural Doubles

1. UShobbiesCollectively, both the Indianapolis 500, a day race, and the Coca-Cola 600, an evening race, both of which are run on Memorial Day weekend Sunday. Used concerning racers who (wish[/ed/ing] to) participat[e/ed/ing] in both events, typically using a private jet to travel between Indianapolis, Indiana, after the 500 and Charlotte, North Carolina, to get to the 600.