double-take

A form of double take — An abrupt movement, used, for example, as a comical reaction to a surprising sight, in which someone casually sees something, briefly stops looking at it, realizes what it is, and snaps attention back to it with an expression of surprise or disbelief.

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Meanings

noundouble-take (plural double-takes)

plural double-takes

  1. alternativeAlternative form of double take.

    I swear I did a double-take when I spotted that $100 bill lying in the gutter!

Cite this entry
APA

double-take. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-take

MLA

“double-take.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-take. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “double-take,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-take.

Source: double-take on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.