double

[duhb-uh l] /ˈdʌb əl/
adjective
1.
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.
2.
composed of two like parts or members; twofold in form; paired:
double doors; a double sink.
3.
of, pertaining to, or suitable for two persons:
a double room.
4.
twofold in character, meaning, or conduct; dual or ambiguous:
a double interpretation.
5.
deceitful; hypocritical; insincere.
6.
(of musical instruments) producing a tone an octave lower than the notes indicate.
7.
duple, as time or rhythm.
8.
folded in two; having one half folded over the other.
9.
(of a bed or bedclothes) full-size:
a double blanket.
10.
Botany. (of flowers) having many more than the normal number of petals:
double petunias; double hollyhocks.
noun
11.
anything that is twofold in size or amount or twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc.
12.
a duplicate or counterpart; something exactly or closely resembling another:
This dress is the double of that. He is the double of his cousin.
13.
Also called double room. a type of hotel accommodation with two beds, or sometimes a double bed, for occupancy by two persons.
Compare twin (def 4).
14.
a fold or plait.
15.
an alcoholic drink containing twice the usual amount of alcohol.
16.
a sudden backward turn or bend, as of a fox on the run in fox hunting; reversal.
17.
a trick or artifice, as of argument in a formal debate.
18.
a substitute actor or singer ready to take another's place; understudy.
19.
Movies, Television. a substitute who performs feats or actions too hazardous or difficult for a star.
20.
Baseball. two-base hit.
21.
Military. double time.
22.
doubles, (used with a singular verb) a game or match in which there are two players on each side, as in tennis.
23.
  1. a challenge by an opponent that the declarer cannot fulfill the designated contract, increasing the points to be won or lost.
  2. a hand that warrants such a challenge.
24.
Bridge. a conventional bid informing one's partner that a player's hand is of a certain strength.
25.
Bowling. two strikes in succession:
He needed a double in the tenth frame to win.
26.
daily double.
27.
any of certain feasts in the Roman Catholic Church, marked by a doubled antiphon and taking precedence over lesser feasts.
28.
Music Rare. a variation.
29.
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), doubled, doubling.
30.
to make double or twice as great; to add an equal amount to:
The baby doubled its weight in a year.
31.
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.
32.
to clench:
He doubled his fists.
33.
to be or have twice as much as:
Income doubled expenditure.
34.
Nautical.
  1. to sail around (a projecting area of land):
    to double Cape Horn.
  2. to add a new layer of planking or ceiling to (an old wooden hull).
35.
to pair; couple:
The players were doubled for the tournament.
36.
Music. to reduplicate by means of a tone in another part, either at the unison or at an octave above or below.
37.
  1. to challenge (the bid of an opponent) by making a call that increases the value of tricks to be won or lost.
  2. to challenge the bid of (an opponent):
    He doubled me into game.
38.
Baseball.
  1. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a two-base hit:
    He doubled him to third.
  2. to cause (a run) to be scored by a two-base hit (often followed by in):
    He doubled in the winning run.
  3. to put out (a base runner) as the second out of a double play (often followed by up).
verb (used without object), doubled, doubling.
39.
to become double:
My money doubled in three years.
40.
to bend or fold (often followed by up or over):
to double over with pain.
41.
to turn back on a course or reverse direction (often followed by back):
He doubled back by another road and surprised us.
42.
Military. to march at the double-time pace.
43.
to serve in two capacities or in an additional capacity:
She doubles as producer and director.
44.
to act as a double in a play, motion picture, or the like.
45.
Music. to play an instrument besides one's regular instrument (usually followed by on):
The saxophonist doubles on drums.
46.
(in bridge and other card games) to double the bid of an opponent.
47.
Baseball. to make a two-base hit.
48.
to double-date.
adverb
49.
to twice the amount, number, extent, etc.; twofold; doubly.
50.
two together:
There are only a few beds, so some of the children will have to sleep double for the night.
Verb phrases
51.
double down,
  1. (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?
  2. 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.
52.
double up,
  1. to share quarters planned for only one person or family:
    Because of the room shortage, we had to double up.
  2. to bend over, as from pain:
    He doubled up in agony.
Idioms
53.
at the double, British Informal. on the double.
54.
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.
55.
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.
56.
on the double, Informal.
  1. without delay; rapidly:
    The fire engines came on the double.
  2. in double time, as marching troops.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin duplus, equivalent to du(o) two + -plus -fold
Related forms
doubleness, noun
doubler, noun
quasi-double, adjective
quasi-doubly, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for double up

double up

verb (adverb)
1.
to bend or cause to bend in two: he doubled up with the pain
2.
(intransitive) to share a room or bed designed for one person, family, etc
3.
(intransitive) (Brit) to use the winnings from one bet as the stake for another US and Canadian term parlay

double

/ˈdʌbəl/
adjective (usually prenominal)
1.
as much again in size, strength, number, etc: a double portion
2.
composed of two equal or similar parts; in a pair; twofold: a double egg cup
3.
designed for two users: a double room
4.
folded in two; composed of two layers: double paper
5.
stooping; bent over
6.
having two aspects or existing in two different ways; ambiguous: a double meaning
7.
false, deceitful, or hypocritical: a double life
8.
(of flowers) having more than the normal number of petals
9.
(maths)
  1. (of a root) being one of two equal roots of a polynomial equation
  2. (of an integral) having an integrand containing two independent variables requiring two integrations, in each of which one variable is kept constant
10.
(music)
  1. (of an instrument) sounding an octave lower than the pitch indicated by the notation: a double bass
  2. (of time) duple, usually accompanied by the direction alla breve
adverb
11.
twice over; twofold
12.
two together; two at a time (esp in the phrase see double)
noun
13.
twice the number, amount, size, etc
14.
a double measure of spirits, such as whisky or brandy
15.
a duplicate or counterpart, esp a person who closely resembles another; understudy
16.
a wraith or ghostly apparition that is the exact counterpart of a living person; doppelgänger
17.
a sharp turn, esp a return on one's own tracks
18.
an evasive shift or artifice; trick
19.
an actor who plays two parts in one play
20.
(bridge) a call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract
21.
(billiards, snooker) a strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket
22.
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
23.
(often capital) (mainly RC Church) one of the higher-ranking feasts on which the antiphons are recited both before and after the psalms
24.
(music) an ornamented variation in 16th and 17th century music
25.
Also called double time. a pace of twice the normal marching speed
26.
(tennis) See double fault
27.
  1. the narrow outermost ring on a dartboard
  2. a hit on this ring
28.
at the double, on the double
  1. at twice normal marching speed
  2. quickly or immediately
verb
29.
to make or become twice as much
30.
to bend or fold (material, a bandage, etc)
31.
(transitive) sometimes foll by up. to clench (a fist)
32.
(transitive; often foll by together or up) to join or couple: he doubled up the team
33.
(transitive) to repeat exactly; copy
34.
(intransitive) to play two parts or serve two roles
35.
(intransitive) to turn sharply; follow a winding course
36.
(nautical) to sail around (a headland or other point)
37.
(music)
  1. to duplicate (a voice or instrumental part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it
  2. (intransitive) usually foll by on. to be capable of performing (upon an instrument additional to one's normal one): the third trumpeter doubles on cornet
38.
(bridge) to make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract
39.
(billiards, snooker) to cause (a ball) to rebound or (of a ball) to rebound from a cushion across or up or down the table
40.
(chess)
  1. to cause two pawns of the same colour to be on the same file
  2. to place both rooks of the same colour on the same rank or the same file
41.
(intransitive) foll by for. to act as substitute (for an actor or actress)
42.
(intransitive) to go or march at twice the normal speed
See also double back, doubles, double up
Derived Forms
doubleness, noun
doubler, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin duplus twofold, from duo two + -plus-fold
Word Origin and History for double up

double

adj.

early 13c., from Old French doble (10c.) "double, two-fold; two-faced, deceitful," from Latin duplus "twofold, twich as much" from duo "two" (see two) + -plus "more" (see plus). Double standard attested by 1951. Military double time (1833) originally was 130 steps per minute.

v.

late 13c., "make double," from Old French dobler, from Latin duplare, from duplus (see double (adj.)). Meaning "to work as, in addition to one's regular job" is c.1920, circus slang, from performers who also played in the band. Related: Doubled; doubling. To double up bodily is from 1814.

A blow on the stomach "doubles up" the boxer, and occasions that gasping and crowing which sufficiently indicate the cause of the injury .... [Donald Walker, "Defensive Exercises," 1840]

n.

mid-14c., "amount twice as great," also "duplicate copy," from double (adj.).

Slang definitions & phrases for double up

double

noun

A person or thing that strongly or exactly resembles another; duplicate; dead ringer, look-alike: She's Grace Kelly's double (1543+)


Idioms and Phrases with double up

double up

.
Bend over suddenly, as in pain or laughter. For example, She doubled up with a cramp. [ Late 1800s ]
.
Share accommodations meant for one person, as in The hotel ran out of rooms, so we had to double up. [ Late 1700s ]

double

also see: