double

dou|ble1 [ `dʌbl ] adjective ***

1. ) consisting of two things or parts of the same type:

He went through the double doors.

Place the bacon on a double layer of paper towels.

a ) involving two things happening at the same time:

a double murder

He had suffered a double tragedy, losing both parents within a few days of each other.

b ) with two different uses or features:

The measures should achieve the double benefit of protecting the environment and reducing traffic.

a double meaning (=two different meanings): She suspected his words might have a double meaning.

2. ) containing or consisting of twice as much of something as normal:

double chocolate chip cookies

a double whiskey

a double portion/helping: a double portion of french fries

a ) lasting twice as long as normal:

Sometimes I would work a double shift, which was 16 hours.

3. ) large enough for two people or things:

a double room

a double bed

a double garage

double t/m/8/9 etc. MAINLY BRITISH SPOKEN

used when spelling a word or giving a number, to say that a letter or number is repeated:

My last name is Reed. That's r double e d.

double

dou|ble 2 [ `dʌbl ] verb **

1. ) intransitive to become twice as big, twice as much, or twice as many:

The number of people out of work has doubled in the last five years.

double in size/amount/price etc.: Their house has doubled in value since they bought it.

a ) transitive to increase something so that it is twice as big, twice as much, or twice as many:

The government is threatening to double the tax on liquor.

2. ) double or double over transitive to fold something so that it has two layers of equal size

3. ) intransitive in baseball, to hit the ball far enough so that you can run to second BASE

double your fists AMERICAN

to bend your fingers tightly so that you are ready to fight with someone

`double as or ,double `up as phrasal verb transitive

double (up) as something to have another use or job as something:

In the corner was an old couch that doubled as Simon's bed.

,double `back phrasal verb intransitive

to turn and go back in the direction that you have come from:

We doubled back through the woods to the farm.

,double `over phrasal verb

1. ) transitive same as DOUBLE 2 2:

The map on his desk was doubled over so I couldn't see it.

2. ) intransitive or transitive often passive to bend forward because you are in pain or because you are laughing a lot:

be doubled over with something: She was doubled over with pain.

,double `up phrasal verb intransitive

if two people double up, they share something, especially a bedroom:

The children won't mind doubling up.

,double `up as phrasal verb transitive

same as DOUBLE AS

double

dou|ble 3 [ `dʌbl ] noun *

▸ 1 a drink twice usual size

▸ 2 room/bed for two people

▸ 3 someone looking like someone else

▸ 4 twice as much money

▸ 5 in baseball

▸ 6 two successes together

▸ 7 game played in pairs

▸ 8 in bets on horse racing

▸ 9 in games with darts/dice

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count an amount of a strong alcoholic drink that is twice the usual amount:

Two brandies please, and make mine a double.

2. ) count a room or bed for two people to sleep in:

I'd reserved two single rooms, but all they could offer us was a double.

3. ) count someone who looks very similar to another person:

someone's double: He's his father's double.

a ) an actor who takes the place of another actor when making difficult or dangerous parts of a movie

4. ) uncount twice as much money:

Whatever he's offering, we'll pay you double.

5. ) count in baseball, a situation in which someone hits the ball far enough to be able to run to second BASE

6. ) count two victories or successes that you achieve at the same time or one after the other:

score a double: Beck also scored a double, winning best male artist and best album.

go for the double (=try to win two competitions): After his victory in Paris, he's going to go for the double at Wimbledon.

7. ) doubles uncount a game such as tennis played between pairs of players. Singles is the word for a game played between individual players:

The Williams sisters are hoping to reach the finals of the doubles.

Who's your doubles partner?

8. ) count INFORMAL a BET on a horse race in which any money that you win on one race is risked on a second race

9. ) count in a game using DICE, a throw in which two dice show the same number

a ) count a throw in the game of DARTS, when a player wins twice as many points by throwing a DART so that it lands in a small area near the edge of the board

on the double AMERICAN

very quickly

double

dou|ble 4 [ `dʌbl ] adverb *

bent double

bent a long way forward, for example because you are in pain or laughing a lot

fold something double

to fold something so that is has two layers of equal size

see double

to have something wrong with your eyes, so that one object looks like two

double

dou|ble 5 [ `dʌbl ] determiner *

twice as much or twice as many:

It'll cost you double what you paid last time.

double the amount/number/size etc.: He now earns double the amount he used to.

double that (=double that amount): There are only fifteen children in the class at the moment but it could be double that next term.

double or nothing AMERICAN

used when BETTING money on a game, to say that you will either win twice as much money or lose all of it