English Dictionary

Definition of “double”

Browse the English dictionary (A-Z)

double (ˈdʌbəllPronunciation for double) 

Definitions

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. mathematics 
    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 (of time) duple, usually accompanied by the direction alla breve

adverb

  1. twice over; twofold
  2. two together; two at a time (esp in the phrase see double)

noun

  1. twice the number, amount, size, etc
  2. a double measure of spirits, such as whisky or brandy
  3. a duplicate or counterpart, esp a person who closely resembles another; understudy
  4. a wraith or ghostly apparition that is the exact counterpart of a living person; doppelgänger
  5. a sharp turn, esp a return on one's own tracks
  6. an evasive shift or artifice; trick
  7. an actor who plays two parts in one play
  8. bridge a call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract
  9. billiards snooker a strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket
  10. 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
  11. (often capital) mainly Roman Catholic Church one of the higher-ranking feasts on which the antiphons are recited both before and after the psalms
  12. music an ornamented variation in 16th and 17th century music
  13. double timea pace of twice the normal marching speed
  14. tennis See double fault
    1. the narrow outermost ring on a dartboard
    2. a hit on this ring
  16. See at the double

verb

  1. to make or become twice as much
  2. to bend or fold (material, a bandage, etc)
  3. (tr) up to clench (a fist)
  4. (tr; often foll by together or up) to join or couple  ⇒ he doubled up the team 
  5. (tr) to repeat exactly; copy
  6. (intr) to play two parts or serve two roles
  7. (intr) to turn sharply; follow a winding course
  8. nautical to sail around (a headland or other point)
  9. music 
    1. to duplicate (a voice or instrumental part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it
    2. (intr) on to be capable of performing (upon an instrument additional to one's normal one)  ⇒ the third trumpeter doubles on cornet 
  10. bridge to make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract
  11. billiards snooker to cause (a ball) to rebound or (of a ball) to rebound from a cushion across or up or down the table
  12. 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
  13. (intr) for to act as substitute (for an actor or actress)
  14. (intr) to go or march at twice the normal speed

See also

double back , doubles , double up

Alternative Forms

ˈdoubleness noun ˈdoubler noun

Word Origin

C13: from Old French, from Latin duplus  twofold, from duo  two + -plus-fold

Translations

  • British English: double Pronunciation for double You use double to describe a pair of similar things....a pair of double doors.ˈdʌbl ADJECTIVE ...a pair of double doors.
  • Spanish: doble Pronunciation for doble adj
  • French: double Pronunciation for double adj
  • German: doppelt Pronunciation for doppelt adj
  • Chinese: 双倍的Pronunciation for 双倍的 adj
  • Arabic: مُزْدَوِجPronunciation for مُزْدَوِج adj
  • Portuguese: duploPronunciation for duplo adj dupla
  • Russian: двойнойPronunciation for двойной adj двойная
  • Croatian: dvostrukPronunciation for dvostruk adj dvostruka
  • Czech: dvojitýPronunciation for dvojitý adj
  • Danish: dobbeltPronunciation for dobbelt adj
  • Dutch: dubbelPronunciation for dubbel adj
  • Finnish: kaksinkertainenPronunciation for kaksinkertainen adj
  • Greek: διπλόςPronunciation for διπλός adj διπλή
  • Italian: doppioPronunciation for doppio adj doppia
  • Japanese: 2倍のPronunciation for 2倍の no_posp
  • Korean: 두 배의Pronunciation for 두 배의 adj
  • Norwegian: dobbelPronunciation for dobbel adj
  • Polish: podwójnyPronunciation for podwójny adj podwójna
  • Brazilian Portuguese: duploPronunciation for duplo adj dupla
  • European Spanish: doble Pronunciation for doble adj
  • Swedish: dubbelPronunciation for dubbel adj dubbelt
  • Thai: สองเท่าPronunciation for สองเท่า adj
  • Turkish: çiftPronunciation for çift adj
  • Vietnamese: gấp đôiPronunciation for gấp đôi adj
  • British English: double Pronunciation for double 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.ˈdʌbl VERB The number of managers must double to 100 within 3 years.
  • Spanish: doblar Pronunciation for doblar v
  • French: doubler Pronunciation for doubler vt
  • German: verdoppeln Pronunciation for verdoppeln v
  • Chinese: 加倍Pronunciation for 加倍 vt
  • Arabic: يُضَاعِفُPronunciation for يُضَاعِفُ vt
  • Portuguese: dobrarPronunciation for dobrar vt
  • Russian: удваиватьPronunciation for удваивать vt
  • Croatian: udvostručitiPronunciation for udvostručiti v
  • Czech: zdvojnásobitPronunciation for zdvojnásobit vt dvojnásobit
  • Danish: fordoblePronunciation for fordoble v
  • Dutch: verdubbelenPronunciation for verdubbelen vt
  • Finnish: kaksinkertaistaaPronunciation for kaksinkertaistaa v
  • Greek: διπλασιάζωPronunciation for διπλασιάζω v
  • Italian: raddoppiarePronunciation for raddoppiare v
  • Japanese: 2倍にするPronunciation for 2倍にする v
  • Korean: ...을 갑절로 하다Pronunciation for ...을 갑절로 하다 vt
  • Norwegian: fordoblePronunciation for fordoble v
  • Polish: podwoićPronunciation for podwoić vt podwajać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: dobrarPronunciation for dobrar vt
  • European Spanish: doblar Pronunciation for doblar v
  • Swedish: dubbleraPronunciation for dubblera vt
  • Thai: ทำเป็นสองเท่าPronunciation for ทำเป็นสองเท่า vt
  • Turkish: iki katına çıkmakPronunciation for iki katına çıkmak vt
  • Vietnamese: tăng gấp đôiPronunciation for tăng gấp đôi v

Usage examples

  • I'm drinking hot chocolate, Bergstein's got a double espresso in front of him.
    Mark Burnell, CHAMELEON (2002)
  • Hall, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/ breakfast room, 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, adjoining double garage.
    Country Life (2004)
  • It is also proposed to double mortgage interest relief to E10,000 for first time buyers over five years.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • The large double shower has a brick glass screen to one side.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • Showing Rose into the drawing room, Hettie closed the double doors behind them.
    Alexandra Connor, THE TURN OF THE TIDE (2004)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'D'

Related Terms

98 results

View more related terms

Browse nearby words

Browse dictionary