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Wordswarms From Years PastAdjacent WordsDotyDou Douai Douala douane douaneer Douanier Douar Douay Bible Douay Version Douay-Rheims Bible Douay-Rheims Version doub grass Double acrostic double act double adultery double agent double back double bar Double base double bass double bassist double bassoon double bed double bill double bind double birdie Full-text Search for "Double" 1711 |
Double definitions
Webster's 1828 DictionaryDOUBLE, a. Dubl. [L., Gr. See Two.] WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)adj Merriam Webster's
Oxford Reference Dictionaryadj., 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. Phrases and idioms: 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 = DOPPELG{Auml}NGER. 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). Usage: 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. Derivatives: doubler n. doubly adv. Etymology: ME f. OF doble, duble (n.), dobler, dubler (v.) f. L duplus DUPLE Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, n. A person or thing that is the counterpart of another; a duplicate; copy; (Obs.) transcript; -- now chiefly used of persons. Hence, a wraith. My charming friend . . . has, I am almost sure, a double, who preaches his afternoon sermons for him. --E. E. Hale. Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, a. [OE. doble, duble, double, OF. doble, duble, double, F. double, fr. L. duplus, fr. the root of duo two, and perh. that of plenus full; akin to Gr. ? double. See Two, and Full, and cf. Diploma, Duple.] 1. Twofold; multiplied by two; increased by its equivalent; made twice as large or as much, etc. Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. -- 2 Kings ii. 9. Darkness and tempest make a double night. --Dryden. 2. Being in pairs; presenting two of a kind, or two in a set together; coupled. [Let] The swan, on still St. Mary's lake, Float double, swan and shadow. --Wordsworth. 3. Divided into two; acting two parts, one openly and the other secretly; equivocal; deceitful; insincere. With a double heart do they speak. -- Ps. xii. 2. 4. (Bot.) Having the petals in a flower considerably increased beyond the natural number, usually as the result of cultivation and the expense of the stamens, or stamens and pistils. The white water lily and some other plants have their blossoms naturally double. Note: Double is often used as the first part of a compound word, generally denoting two ways, or twice the number, quantity, force, etc., twofold, or having two. Double base, or Double bass (Mus.), the largest and lowest-toned instrument in the violin form; the contrabasso or violone. Double convex. See under Convex. Double counterpoint (Mus.), that species of counterpoint or composition, in which two of the parts may be inverted, by setting one of them an octave higher or lower. Double court (Lawn Tennis), a court laid out for four players, two on each side. Double dagger (Print.), a reference mark ([dag]) next to the dagger ([dagger]) in order; a diesis. Double drum (Mus.), a large drum that is beaten at both ends. Double eagle, a gold coin of the United States having the value of 20 dollars. Double entry. See under Bookkeeping. Double floor (Arch.), a floor in which binding joists support flooring joists above and ceiling joists below. See Illust. of Double-framed floor. Double flower. See Double, a., 4. Double-framed floor (Arch.), a double floor having girders into which the binding joists are framed. Double fugue (Mus.), a fugue on two subjects. Double letter. (a) (Print.) Two letters on one shank; a ligature. (b) A mail requiring double postage. Double note (Mus.), a note of double the length of the semibreve; a breve. See Breve. Double octave (Mus.), an interval composed of two octaves, or fifteen notes, in diatonic progression; a fifteenth. Double pica. See under Pica. Double play (Baseball), a play by which two players are put out at the same time. Double plea (Law), a plea alleging several matters in answer to the declaration, where either of such matters alone would be a sufficient bar to the action. --Stephen. Double point (Geom.), a point of a curve at which two branches cross each other. Conjugate or isolated points of a curve are called double points, since they possess most of the properties of double points (see Conjugate). They are also called acnodes, and those points where the branches of the curve really cross are called crunodes. The extremity of a cusp is also a double point. Double quarrel. (Eccl. Law) See Duplex querela, under Duplex. Double refraction. (Opt.) See Refraction. Double salt. (Chem.) (a) A mixed salt of any polybasic acid which has been saturated by different bases or basic radicals, as the double carbonate of sodium and potassium, NaKCO3.6H2O. (b) A molecular combination of two distinct salts, as common alum, which consists of the sulphate of aluminium, and the sulphate of potassium or ammonium. Double shuffle, a low, noisy dance. Double standard (Polit. Econ.), a double standard of monetary values; i. e., a gold standard and a silver standard, both of which are made legal tender. Double star (Astron.), two stars so near to each other as to be seen separate only by means of a telescope. Such stars may be only optically near to each other, or may be physically connected so that they revolve round their common center of gravity, and in the latter case are called also binary stars. Double time (Mil.). Same as Double-quick. Double window, a window having two sets of glazed sashes with an air space between them. Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, v. i. 1. To be increased to twice the sum, number, quantity, length, or value; to increase or grow to twice as much. 'T is observed in particular nations, that within the space of three hundred years, notwithstanding all casualties, the number of men doubles. --T. Burnet. 2. To return upon one's track; to turn and go back over the same ground, or in an opposite direction. Doubling and turning like a hunted hare. --Dryden. Doubling and doubling with laborious walk. --Wordsworth. 3. To play tricks; to use sleights; to play false. What penalty and danger you accrue, If you be found to double. --J. Webster. 4. (Print.) To set up a word or words a second time by mistake; to make a doublet. To double upon (Mil.), to inclose between two fires. Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, adv. Twice; doubly. I was double their age. --Swift. Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Doubled; p. pr. & vb. n. Doubling.] [OE. doblen, dublen, doublen, F. doubler, fr. L. duplare, fr. duplus. See Double, a.] 1. To increase by adding an equal number, quantity, length, value, or the like; multiply by two; to double a sum of money; to double a number, or length. Double six thousand, and then treble that. --Shak. 2. To make of two thicknesses or folds by turning or bending together in the middle; to fold one part upon another part of; as, to double the leaf of a book, and the like; to clinch, as the fist; -- often followed by up; as, to double up a sheet of paper or cloth. Webster's 1913 DictionaryDouble Dou"ble, n. 1. Twice as much; twice the number, sum, quantity, length, value, and the like. If the thief be found, let him pay double. --Ex. xxii. 7. 2. Among compositors, a doublet (see Doublet, 2.); among pressmen, a sheet that is twice pulled, and blurred. 3. That which is doubled over or together; a doubling; a plait; a fold. Rolled up in sevenfold double Of plagues. --Marston. 4. A turn or circuit in running to escape pursues; hence, a trick; a shift; an artifice. These men are too well acquainted with the chase to be flung off by any false steps or doubles. --Addison. 5. Something precisely equal or counterpart to another; a counterpart. Hence, a wraith. My charming friend . . . has, I am almost sure, a double, who preaches his afternoon sermons for him. --Atlantic Monthly. 6. A player or singer who prepares to take the part of another player in his absence; a substitute. 7. Double beer; strong beer. 8. (Eccl.) A feast in which the antiphon is doubled, hat is, said twice, before and after the Psalms, instead of only half being said, as in simple feasts. --Shipley. 9. (Lawn Tennis) A game between two pairs of players; as, a first prize for doubles. 10. (Mus.) An old term for a variation, as in Bach's Suites. Collin's Cobuild Dictionary(doubles, doubling, doubled) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. You use double to indicate that something includes or is made of two things of the same kind. ...a pair of double doors into the room from the new entrance hall. ...a lone skier gliding along smooth double tracks. ADJ: ADJ n 2. You use double before a singular noun to refer to two things of the same type that occur together, or that are connected in some way. ...an extremely nasty double murder... ADJ: ADJ n 3. If something is double the amount or size of another thing, it is twice as large. The offer was to start a new research laboratory at double the salary he was then getting... = twice ? half PREDET: PREDET the n • Double is also a pronoun. If they think you're a tourist, they charge you double. PRON 4. You use double to describe something which is twice the normal size or can hold twice the normal quantity of something. ...a double helping of ice cream. ...a large double garage... ADJ 5. A double room is a room intended for two people, usually a couple, to stay or live in. ...bed and breakfast for £180 for two people in a double room. ADJ: usu ADJ n • Double is also a noun. The Great Western Hotel costs around £60 a night for a double. N-COUNT 6. A double bed is a bed that is wide enough for two people to sleep in. ADJ: ADJ n 7. You use double to describe a drink that is twice the normal measure. He was drinking his double whiskey too fast and scowling. ADJ: ADJ n • Double is also a noun. Give me a whisky, a double. N-COUNT 8. Double is used when you are spelling a word or telling someone a number to show that a letter or digit is repeated. Ring four two double two double two if you'd like to speak to our financial adviser. ADJ: ADJ n 9. When something doubles or when you double it, it becomes twice as great in number, amount, or size. The number of managers must double to 100 within 3 years... The program will double the amount of money available to help pay for child care. VERB: V, V n 10. If you refer to someone as a person's double, you mean that they look exactly like them. Your mother sees you as her double. N-COUNT: poss N 11. If a person or thing doubles as someone or something else, they have a second job or purpose as well as their main one. Lots of homes in town double as businesses. VERB: V as n • Double up means the same as double. The lids of the casserole dishes are designed to double up as baking dishes. PHRASAL VERB: V P as n 12. In tennis or badminton, when people play doubles, two teams consisting of two players on each team play against each other on the same court. 13. If you are bent double, the top half of your body is bent downwards so that your head is close to your knees. Pickers are bent double, plucking each flower with lightning speed. PHRASE: v-link PHR 14. If you are seeing double, there is something wrong with your eyes, and you can see two images instead of one. I was dizzy, seeing double. PHRASE: V inflects 15. in double figures: see figure International Standard Bible Encyclopediadub'-'-l (shanah, "to repeat," as in counting; kaphal, "to fold over," or "double," as a cloth): A word used quite frequently in the Old Testament. Jacob ordered his sons to take double money in their hands, i.e. twice the necessary amount (Ge 43:12,15). If a thief be caught with a living animal he was to restore double (Ex 22:4); if property be stolen out of the house of one to whom it is entrusted he was to restore double (Ex 22:7,9). The firstborn was to receive a double portion of the inheritance (De 21:17). Likewise also by a beautiful symbol Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit to fall upon him (2Ki 2:9). Degrees of punishment or sufferings were also expressed by the idea of a doubling (Isa 61:7; Jer 16:18; 17:18; Zec 9:12). Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms
1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueTo tip any one the double; to run away in his or her debt. Moby ThesaurusDoppelganger, Janus-like, Machiavellian, Photostat, Xerox, aberrancy, aberration, accelerate, act for, actual thing, agent, aggravate, alternate, alternative, ambidextrous, ambiguous, amplify, analogy, artful, at full speed, at once, augment, average, avoid, backup, beef up, beg, bend, bias, bifacial, bifold, biform, bifurcated, bilateral, bilk, binary, binate, biparous, bipartisan, bipartite, bisect, bivalent, blow up, branching off, briskly, carbon copy, change, change places with, changeling, circuitousness, circumvent, clone, co-walker, come again, come back, come home, companion, comparison, complicate, concentrate, condense, conduplicate, consolidate, coordinate, copy, corner, counterfeit, counterpart, coupled, crafty, crease, creasing, crimp, crisp, crook, crooked, crowd out, cunning, curve, cut out, dead ringer, deceitful, declination, deepen, deflection, departure, deputy, detour, deviance, deviancy, deviation, deviousness, dichotomous, digression, discursion, dishonest, disomatous, displace, ditch, ditto, divagation, divarication, divergence, diversion, do a repeat, do again, do over, dog-ear, dogleg, double back, double for, double over, double-dealing, double-faced, double-minded, double-tongued, doubled, doubleganger, doublehearted, doubling, drift, drifting, duadic, dual, dualistic, dub, duck, dummy, dupe, duple, duplex, duplicate, duplicated, duplication, duplicature, duplicitous, dyadic, echo, effigy, elude, enfold, enhance, enlarge, equal, equivalent, errantry, ersatz, escape, eschew, etheric double, evade, exacerbate, exact counterpart, exact likeness, exaggerate, exchange, excursion, excursus, exorbitation, facsimile, faithless, fake, false, false-principled, falsehearted, fellow, fetch, fill in for, fill-in, flection, flexure, flounce, flute, fold, fold over, frill, gather, geminate, geminated, get around, get away from, get out of, ghost, ghostwrite, ghostwriter, go back, go home, hairpin, heat up, hectograph, heighten, homograph, homonym, homophone, hop up, hot up, hypocritical, icon, idem, identical, identical same, idol, image, imitate, imitation, immediately, increase, indirection, infold, ingeminate, insincere, intensify, interfold, jazz up, key up, lap over, lapel, lappet, likeness, living image, living picture, locum tenens, magnify, make complex, makeshift, manifold, match, matched, mate, metaphor, metonymy, microcopy, microfilm, middle, mimeo, mimeograph, miniature, mirror image, mirroring, model, multigraph, multiply by two, next best thing, no other, none other, obliquity, on the run, paired, parrot, pererration, perfidious, personnel, phony, photograph, picture, pinch hitter, pinch-hit, plagiarize, plait, plat, pleat, plica, plicate, plication, plicature, ply, portrait, proxy, put back, quadruplicate, quickly, quill, quote, rambling, ramify, reciprocal, redo, redouble, reduplicate, reecho, reflection, regurgitate, reincarnate, reinforce, relief, relieve, renew, repeat, repetition, replace, replacement, replica, replicate, replication, represent, representation, representative, reproduce, reproduction, resemblance, reserves, return, revive, ringer, rubbing, ruche, ruching, ruff, ruffle, say again, second, second string, secondary, selfsame, semblance, shadow, shake, shake off, sharpen, sheer, shift, shifting, shifting course, shifting path, shifty, shuffle out of, shun, shy, sign, similitude, simulacrum, skew, skirt, slant, slippery, soup up, spares, spell, spell off, spit, spit and image, spitting image, stand in for, stand-in, stat, step up, straying, strengthen, sub, subrogate, substituent, substitute, substitute for, substitution, succedaneum, succeed, supersede, superseder, supplant, supplanter, supplement, surrogate, swap places with, sweep, swerve, swerving, swinging, symbol, synecdoche, synonym, tack, the same, the same difference, third string, token, trace, tracing, traitorous, transcribe, treacherous, tricky, triple, triplicate, tuck, turn, turn back, turn over, turning, twain, twice, twill, twin, twinned, twist, two, two-faced, two-level, two-ply, two-sided, two-story, twofold, understudy, understudy for, utility player, variation, veer, veering, very image, very picture, very same, vicar, vice-president, vice-regent, wandering, warp, whet, without delay, wraith, yaw, zigzag |