Meanings
- idiomaticRapidly or immediately.
Fortunately, help arrived on the double, and the victim's injuries were soon treated.
3 more examples
My boyfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble. / You see him comin'; better cut out on the double.
1963, “My Boyfriend's Back”, in My Boyfriend's Back, performed by The AngelsMy love is alive (Woo), way down in my heart / Although we are miles apart / If you ever need a helpin' hand / I'll be there on the double just as fast as I can
1967, performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel, lyrics by Ashford & Simpson, “Ain't No Mountain High Enough”, in UnitedLiara: We have to hurry. The whole place is caving in! Shepard: Joker! Get the Normandy airbone and lock in on my signal. On the double, mister!
2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Therum
Synonyms & antonyms
Translations
Dutch in looppas
- in looppasrapidly or immediately
Finnish tuplavauhtia
- tuplavauhtiarapidly or immediately
French au pas de course
- au pas de courserapidly or immediately
Greek τροχάδην
- τροχάδην (trochádin)rapidly or immediately
Icelandic eins og skot
- eins og skotrapidly or immediately
Irish ar sodar
- ar sodarrapidly or immediately
Polish w biegu
- w biegurapidly or immediately
Cite this entry
on the double. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20double
“on the double.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20double. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the double,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20double.
Source: on the double on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.