Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Twice as much in size, strength, number, or amount.
- adjective Composed of two like parts.
- adjective Composed of two unlike parts; dual.
- adjective Accommodating or designed for two.
- adjective Characterized by duplicity; deceitful.
- adjective Botany Having many more than the usual number of petals, usually in a crowded or an overlapping arrangement.
- noun Something increased twofold.
- noun One that closely resembles another; a duplicate.
- noun Something having two identifiable or prominent parts or members.
- noun Something capable of carrying, moving, or holding two people or things, as a mattress.
- noun An actor's understudy.
- noun An actor who takes the place of another actor in scenes requiring special skills or preparations.
- noun An apparition; a wraith.
- noun A sharp turn in a direction of movement; a reversal.
- noun A sharp, often devious change in position or argument; a shift.
- noun Sports A form of a game, such as tennis or handball, having two players on each side.
- noun Baseball A hit enabling the batter to reach second base.
- noun A bid in bridge indicating strength to one's partner; a request for a bid.
- noun A bid doubling one's opponent's bid in bridge, thus increasing the penalty for failure to fulfill the contract.
- noun A hand justifying such a bid.
- intransitive verb To make twice as great.
- intransitive verb To be twice as much as.
- intransitive verb To fold in two.
- intransitive verb To clench (one's fist).
- intransitive verb To duplicate; repeat.
- intransitive verb To turn (an enemy spy) into a double agent.
- intransitive verb To cause the scoring of (a run) by hitting a double.
- intransitive verb To advance or score (a runner) by hitting a double.
- intransitive verb To put out (a runner) as the second part of a double play.
- intransitive verb Games To challenge (an opponent's bid) with a double in bridge.
- intransitive verb Music To duplicate (another part or voice) an octave higher or lower or in unison.
- intransitive verb Nautical To sail around.
- intransitive verb To be increased twofold.
- intransitive verb To turn sharply or all the way around; reverse one's course.
- intransitive verb To serve in an additional capacity.
- intransitive verb To replace an actor in the actor's absence or in a certain scene.
- intransitive verb Baseball To hit a double.
- intransitive verb Games To announce a double in bridge.
- adverb To twice the amount or extent; doubly.
- adverb Two together; in pairs.
- adverb In two.
- idiom (on/at) Immediately.
- idiom (on/at) In double time.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially --," 1 Tim.v. 17: whether we take _double honor_ here for reverence or maintenance, or both; yet how can we esteem the _elders ruling well worthy of double honor_ without some submission to their rule?
The Divine Right of Church Government by Sundry Ministers Of Christ Within The City Of London
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Restaurants should price LI bottles at much less than double retail while non-LI selections could be double+.
LENNDEVOURS 2008
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Restaurants should price LI bottles at much less than double retail while non-LI selections could be double+.
LENNDEVOURS 2008
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The term double knitting DK came to the United States from Britain and refers to a weight of yarn that is between a worsted and a sportweight.
A Passion for Knitting Nancy J. Thomas 2002
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In the first show, for example, Dyrdek asks Chanel "West Coast" what comes to mind when she hears the term "double whammy."
SFGate: Top News Stories Chronicle dwiegand@sfchronicle.com (David Wiegand 2011
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He used the term double-bind, in conjunction with prophecy.
Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind John Loyd 2010
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I'm just -- that use of the term double has been thrown out a lot, and it's not true.
Press Briefing ITY National Archives 2000
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The isolation of organs which, under ordinary circumstances, are united together, is another circumstance, giving rise, in popular parlance, to the use of the term double flower.
Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants Maxwell T. Masters
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What the original meaning of the term double may have been is not entirely certain.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 3: Brownson-Clairvaux 1840-1916 1913
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But it is as well to point out, that the term double flowers indicates a motley assemblage of different phenomena.
Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation Hugo de Vries 1891
sionnach commented on the word double
What does it say about Wordies that this word appears on only 5 lists, while the dreaded S-word is listed hundreds of times?
April 15, 2008
yarb commented on the word double
Make that six, it's a yummy word.
April 15, 2008
seanahan commented on the word double
Uh, this word is boring?
April 15, 2008
plethora commented on the word double
I admit I don't find this word particularly exciting either.
April 15, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word double
I would find it more exciting if it were spelled "dubble". Then it would be a silly word, and we could all have a good time making fun of it.
"Double", though... isn't much of anything.
April 15, 2008
asativum commented on the word double
Dubbel is a style of Belgian beer, if that helps any.
April 15, 2008
bilby commented on the word double
ptero's causing trubble again ...
April 15, 2008
reesetee commented on the word double
It's not that unexciting. :-)
April 15, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word double
It definitely gives good mouthfeel, and that's something that cannot be said for, say, pantyhose.
April 15, 2008
yarb commented on the word double
I like it - it's got mouthfeel, it's not bad-looking, and it's got a good meaning. After all, double of anything is better, right? Unless it's a bad thing.
April 15, 2008
gangerh commented on the word double
Someone who stands in for another actor in certain scenes.
June 12, 2008
gangerh commented on the word double
A person used when the Actor is not available. Usually from long distance or from behind, or for a part of the body such as hands and feet.
August 7, 2008