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double

adjective
dou·​ble | \ ˈdə-bəl How to pronounce double (audio) \

Definition of double

 (Entry 1 of 4)

1 : having a twofold relation or character : dual
2 : consisting of two usually combined members or parts an egg with a double yolk
3a : being twice as great or as many double the number of expected applicants
b of a coin : worth two of the specified amount a double eagle a double crown
4 : marked by duplicity : deceitful
5 : folded in two
6 : of extra size, strength, or value a double martini
7 : having more than the normal number of floral leaves often at the expense of the sporophylls
8 of rhyme : involving correspondence of two syllables (as in exciting and inviting)
9 : designed for the use of two persons a double room a double bed

double

verb
doubled; doubling\ ˈdə-​b(ə-​)liŋ How to pronounce doubling (audio) \

Definition of double (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to make twice as great or as many: such as
a : to increase by adding an equal amount
b : to amount to twice the number of
c : to make a call in bridge that increases the value of odd tricks or undertricks at (an opponent's bid)
2a : to bend or fold (something, such as a sheet of paper) usually in the middle so that one part lies directly against the other part
b : clench doubled his fist
c : to cause to stoop
3 : to avoid by doubling : elude
4a : to replace in a dramatic role
b : to play (dramatic roles) by doubling
5a(1) : to advance or score (a base runner) by a double
(2) : to bring about the scoring of (a run) by a double
b : to put out (a base runner) in completing a double play
6 : double-team Jackson's absence was supposed to allow defenses to double Gates.— Jim Trotter

intransitive verb

1a : to become twice as much or as many
b : to double a bid (as in bridge)
2a : to turn sharply and suddenly especially : to turn back on one's course the rabbit doubled back on its tracks
b : to follow a circuitous course
3 : to become bent or folded usually in the middle —usually used with up she doubled up in pain
4a : to serve an additional purpose or perform an additional duty
b : to play a dramatic role as a double
5 : to make a double in baseball

double

adverb

Definition of double (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : to twice the extent or amount
2 : two together the children had to sleep double
3 : downward and forward from the usual position he was bent double with pain

double

noun

Definition of double (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : something twice the usual size, strength, speed, quantity, or value: such as
a : a double amount
b : a base hit that enables the batter to reach second base
2 : one that is the counterpart of another : duplicate: such as
a : a living person that closely resembles another living person
b : wraith
c(1) : understudy
(2) : one who resembles an actor and takes his or her place especially in scenes calling for special skills
(3) : an actor who plays more than one role in a production
3a : a sharp turn (as in running) : reversal
b : an evasive shift
4 : something consisting of two paired members: such as
a : fold
b : a combined bet placed on two different contests
c : two consecutive strikes in bowling
5 doubles plural : a game between two pairs of players
6 : an act of doubling in a card game
7 : a room (as in a hotel) for two guests — compare single sense 4
on the double
: very quickly : right away
Other Words from double Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about double

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Other Words from double

Adjective

doubleness noun

Verb

doubler \ -​b(ə-​)lər How to pronounce doubler (audio) \ noun

Examples of double in a Sentence

Adjective

 One of the eggs had a double yolk. The truck crossed the double yellow line and entered the other lane. My name is “Allison,” with a double “l.” Go through those double doors and walk to the end of the hall. I'll have a double espresso, please. a double dose of medicine a double order of fries

Verb

 We all doubled over laughing. He doubled up in pain.

Adverb

 raced to his side double quick

Noun

 I'll have one more glass of vodka. Make it a double, please. People often tell me that I'm his double. The actress's double did all of the dangerous scenes. Can you tell if it's the actor or his double in that shot? He hit a double in the eighth inning.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 Beginner modification: Start with three to five tuck jumps with a double bounce in between each rep, suggests Jenkins. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "A Total-Body HIIT Workout You Can Do in Under 15 Minutes From Celebrity Trainer Jeanette Jenkins," 14 Mar. 2019 The Duchess wore a red, double-breasted coatdress and matching hat. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton Recycles a Red Catherine Walker Coatdress to Celebrate Commonwealth Day," 11 Mar. 2019 Enter: Troy’s latest seven-piece Rebar Capsule Collection—a place where hot pink, snake-like rebar legs hold up a modern coffee table; where a contemporary double-sided mirror is framed by neon green rebar and grounded by an exotic wood base. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "A Bold and Sculptural New Furniture Collection Inspired by the Basics," 26 Feb. 2019 Although its trails are divided roughly evenly among ability levels, Telluride’s steeps—52 black diamond, double black diamond, and EX (extreme) runs—are capable of challenging the most adventurous skier. — Alex Bhattacharji, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Telluride Keeps Being Named the Best U.S. Ski Town," 5 Dec. 2018 Derek Culver picked up his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. — John Lowe, The Seattle Times, "No. 23 Kansas State beats West Virginia to keep Big 12 lead," 18 Feb. 2019 Clifford and Taylor gave Neuqua an chance in the eighth, with Clifford delivering a double with one out and Taylor eventually driving him in. — Blake Baumgartner, Naperville Sun, "Middle men: Nick Taylor and Nolan Clifford answer call but Neuqua Valley loses in eight innings," 13 July 2018 Jesse Winker got both runners in with a two-out double to center field. — John Fay, Cincinnati.com, "Harvey is good again as the Cincinnati Reds beat St. Louis," 13 July 2018 Designated Hitter Robbie Thorburn roped a double to right field. — Chris Jeter, The Aegis, "Back home, IronBirds snap losing skid with 6-1 win over Brooklyn," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 Narendra Modi, the prime minister, for whom elections loom, has promised to double farm incomes by 2022. — The Economist, "India’s government claims to subsidise farmers, but actually hurts them," 12 July 2018 Ironically the bankruptcy was so disruptive that Paulson and the rest had to double-down, triple-down, and then quadruple-down on further bailouts. — San Antonio Express-News, "When Lehman failed," 29 June 2018 But Straley says that direct marketing could be a way for small fleets to double a season's profits – and not just for halibut. — Author: Isabelle Ross, Anchorage Daily News, "Bristol Bay fishermen sell halibut directly to restaurant-distributors," 25 June 2018 The pop ballad is a profound statement that doubles as the teenage newcomer's debut single. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "King Princess Is Here To Make Queer Youth Feel Like Royalty," 30 July 2018 Last month, it was reported that WeWork is seeking a bigger investment led by SoftBank that would roughly double the parent company’s current valuation at $35 billion. — Shirin Ghaffary, Recode, "WeWork has closed a $500 million funding round for its China subsidiary," 26 July 2018 That role will shift to Neighborhood Health Plan on Jan. 1 — almost doubling the size of Neighborhood’s commercial membership — Partners told employees last week. — BostonGlobe.com, "The week in business," 30 June 2018 It originally was scheduled to open in 2017, but the design was changed to add a second floor, doubling the restaurant's size. — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Casablanca in Brookfield is open, second-story patio and all," 23 June 2018 India’s budget for the year starting April 1, which was released Friday, doubled the income at which people have to start paying taxes, while promising payouts to help small farmers. — Eric Bellman, WSJ, "With Cash Handouts, India Takes Step Toward Universal Basic Income," 1 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

 If your smoke alarms double as carbon monoxide detectors, you’re also protected against another safety threat. — Kimberly Truong, SELF, "House Fires Are Way More Common in Winter—Here’s How to Stay Safe," 23 Jan. 2019 Determined to get the most out of theater rentals, Blum had the lobby double as an art gallery and held readings during the day. — Alex Bhattacharji, WSJ, "How Producer Jason Blum is Disrupting Hollywood," 16 July 2018 After Cabrera’s double from the third slot, Jim Riggleman, the Reds’ alert interim manager, pointed out the error. — New York Times, "Mets Bat Out of Turn in First and Lose on a Home Run in the 10th," 9 May 2018 After Rojas’s double, Brinson tried moving him to third with a sacrifice bunt. — Matthew Defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Yadiel Rivera's single in 10th gives Marlins fourth straight victory," 2 May 2018 The Foxes lost 2-1 at Goodison Park, thanks to a Theo Walcott double. — SI.com, "Leicester vs Swansea Preview: Classic Encounters, Key Battles, Team News, Prediction & More," 2 Feb. 2018 Carter and his teammates spent much of the game double-teaming Young, whose streak of double-doubles ended at five games. — USA TODAY, "Top 25 Capsules," 6 Jan. 2018 The acquisition, announced during the company’s Wednesday earnings call, caps a quarter that saw Grubhub’s profits double and active diner count grow by 70%. — Laine Higgins, WSJ, "The Score: The Business Week in 7 Stocks," 27 July 2018 McLemore scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, giving him his third career double-double and first in SEC play, and helped provide the difference down the stretch as the Tigers defeated the Wildcats for the second time in three seasons. — Tom Green, AL.com, "Anfernee McLemore's 1st career SEC double-double helps No. 10 Auburn top Kentucky," 14 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Derek Culver picked up his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. — John Lowe, The Seattle Times, "No. 23 Kansas State beats West Virginia to keep Big 12 lead," 18 Feb. 2019 His two-run double provided the winning margin in Friday’s series opener. — Tim Tierney, Daily Southtown, "Hill topper: Slammers first baseman Trenton Hill surges into Frontier League batting lead," 2 July 2018 His double moved Tim Anderson to third and set the table for Jose Abreu’s groundout in the next at bat to produce the game’s first run. — Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, "There's been no cooling off Avisail Garcia since his June return," 2 July 2018 Straily also hit his second career double and his second hit of the season in the third inning, which started the Marlins’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit. — Andre C. Fernandez, miamiherald, "While he awaits the league’s decision, Dan Straily delivers in Marlins comeback win," 25 June 2018 And Cleveland could be down to one final game with James, who recorded his 10th triple-double in the finals. — CBS News, "LeBron facing final game with Cavs after Warriors' Games 3 win?," 7 June 2018 The Hoosiers scored two more in the fifth when their third double of the game, by Logan Sowers, drove one home, and Bradley brought Sowers in with a single. — Mark Rosner, Indianapolis Star, "Pauly Milto dices up Texas Southern hitters as IU baseball staves off elimination," 2 June 2018 In Kentucky's season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to Kansas State, Washington carried the load with 18 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for his third double-double of the season but hit just 8 of 20 free-throw attempts. — Jon Hale, The Courier-Journal, "PJ Washington withdraws from NBA draft and will return to Kentucky," 30 May 2018 In the eight-run fifth inning, the Friars sent 12 batters to the plate, piling up seven hits with Nixon driving in the final two runs with his second double of the inning. — Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, "Led by Nixon, Curley opens MIAA A baseball playoffs with 12-2 win over defending champ Loyola," 15 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'double.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of double

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for double

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French duble, double, from Latin duplus (akin to Greek diploos), from duo two + -plus multiplied by; akin to Old English -feald -fold — more at two, -fold

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Statistics for double

Last Updated

21 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for double

The first known use of double was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for double

double

adjective
How to pronounce double (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of double

 (Entry 1 of 4)

: made of two parts that are similar or exactly the same
: having two very different parts or qualities
: of a size that is twice as big as usual : of an amount that is twice as much as usual

double

verb

English Language Learners Definition of double (Entry 2 of 4)

: to cause (something) to become two times as great or as many
: to become two times as great or as many
: to have a second job or use

double

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of double (Entry 3 of 4)

: two times as many or as much
: two times

double

noun

English Language Learners Definition of double (Entry 4 of 4)

: something that is two times the usual size, strength, or amount
: someone who looks very much like another person
: a person who looks like an actor and takes the actor's place in some scenes in a movie or TV show

See the full definition for double in the English Language Learners Dictionary

double

adjective
dou·​ble | \ ˈdə-bəl How to pronounce double (audio) \

Kids Definition of double

 (Entry 1 of 4)

1 : being twice as great or as many I made a double batch of cookies.
2 : made up of two parts or members This egg has a double yolk.
3 : having two very different aspects She serves a double role as teacher and friend.
4 : made for two a double bed
5 : extra large in size or amount double roses

double

verb
doubled; doubling

Kids Definition of double (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : to make or become twice as great or as many : multiply by two You'll need to double the recipe.
2 : to fold usually in the middle Double your paper.
3 : to bend over at the waist He doubled over in laughter.
4 : clench sense 2 I doubled my fist.
5 : to turn sharply and go back over the same path The squirrel doubled back instead of crossing the street.
6 : to have another use or job The table doubled as his desk.

double

adverb

Kids Definition of double (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : two times the amount The last test question counts double.
2 : two together You'll have to sleep double.

double

noun

Kids Definition of double (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : something that is twice the usual size or amount The waiter charged me double.
2 : a hit in baseball that allows the batter to reach second base
3 : someone or something that is very like another You're a double for your sister.
on the double
: very quickly

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More from Merriam-Webster on double

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with double

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for double

Spanish Central: Translation of double

Nglish: Translation of double for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of double for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about double

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