doubˈle-bottˈom or double-bottom lorry noun

An articulated lorry pulling a second trailer (also drawbar outfit)

doubˈle-breastˈed adjective

(of a coat, etc) having two fronts, one overlapping the other

double bridle noun

A bridle with two sets of reins

doubˈle-bubbˈle noun (prison sl)

One hundred per cent interest

doubˈle-chargeˈ transitive verb

1. To load with double measure
2. To charge twice for (an item, service, etc)

doubˈle-checkˈ transitive verb and intransitive verb

To check a second time (also noun)

double chin noun

A chin with a fold of flesh beneath it

doubˈle-chinnˈed adjective

doubˈle-click intransitive verb (computing)

To click the button of a mouse two times in rapid succession to select an option, start a program, etc

double coconut noun

The coco-de-mer

double concerto noun

A concerto for two solo instruments

double cream noun

A cream with a higher fat content than single cream

doubˈle-cross noun

A betrayal or deceiving of someone for whom one was supposed to be betraying or deceiving someone else

transitive verb /-krosˈ/

To betray by double-cross

doubˈle-crossˈer noun

double dagger see under dagger

doubˈle-dealˈer noun

A deceitful person

doubˈle-dealˈing noun

Duplicity, deceit (also adjective)

doubˈle-decked adjective

Having two decks or layers

doubˈle-deckˈer noun

1. A double-decked ship
2. A bus, tram-car, etc in two storeys or tiers
3. A sandwich having three pieces of bread and two layers of filling
4. A novel or film, etc in two separate parts
5. Anything consisting of two layers (informal)

doubˈle-declutchˈ intransitive verb (motoring)

To change into a different gear by first changing to neutral, increasing the engine speed, then engaging the chosen gear, disengaging the clutch at both stages

doubˈle-decomposiˈtion noun

A chemical action in which two compounds exchange some of their constituents

doubˈle-densˈity adjective (computing)

(of a disk) capable of recording double the normal number of bytes

double digging noun

The practice in gardening of digging trenches two spade-lengths deep and replacing the lower level of soil in one trench with the upper level of another

doubˈle-digˈit adjective

Double-figure

double dip or double-dip noun (informal)

1. A twofold action or occurrence (also adjective)
2. (denoting) a recession in which a brief period of growth is followed by another decline (economics)

intransitive verb

1. To carry out an action once and then again
2. To derive an income, usu illicitly, from two different sources simultaneously (US)

double disapproval noun

An arrangement by which airlines are free to set the level of fares for a route unless the governments at both ends of the route raise objections to the rate set

double door or double doors noun

A door consisting of two parts hung on opposite posts

double-dotted note or double-dotted rest noun (music)

One whose length is increased by three-quarters, marked by two dots placed after it

double-dotted rhythm noun

One characterized by double-dotted notes

double Dutch see under Dutch

doubˈle-dyed adjective

1. Twice-dyed
2. Deeply imbued
3. Inveterate, confirmed

double eagle noun (US)

1. A gold coin worth $20
2. A heraldic representation of an eagle with two heads, as in the old arms of Russia and Austria

doubˈle-edgedˈ adjective

1. Having two edges
2. Cutting or working both ways

doubˈle-endˈer noun

1. Anything having two ends alike
2. A crosscut sawing machine with two adjustable circular saws for sawing both ends of timber

double entendre noun see separate entry.

doubˈle-enˈtry noun (bookkeeping)

A method of recording accounts by which each transaction is entered twice, showing both the financing for a business and what values the business owns

double exposure noun (photography)

The accidental or deliberate superimposition of one image on another

doubˈle-eyed adjective

Doubly keen of sight

doubˈle-faced adjective

1. Hypocritical, false
2. (of fabric, etc) finished so that either side may be used as the right side

doubˈle-faˈcedness /-sid-/ noun

double fault noun (tennis, etc)

Two faults served in succession, causing the loss of a point

doubˈle-faultˈ intransitive verb

double feature noun

A cinema programme involving two full-length films

doubˈle-figˈure adjective

double figures plural noun

A score or total, etc of any number equal to or greater than 10 but less than 100

double first noun

1. A university degree with first-class honours in two different subjects
2. A person who has such a degree

double flat noun (music)

1. A note already flat flattened again by a semitone
2. A sign () indicating this

doubˈle-flowˈered adjective

(of a plant) having double flowers

doubˈle-formedˈ adjective

Having, or combining, two forms

doubˈle-fountˈed adjective

Having two sources

doubˈle-frontˈed adjective

(of a house) having main-room windows on both sides of the front door

doubˈle-gild transitive verb

1. To gild with double coatings of gold
2. To gloss over

doubˈle-glazedˈ adjective

doubˈle-glazˈing noun

1. A double layer of glass in a window with an air-space between the layers to act as insulation
2. The provision of this

double Gloucester or double Gloster /glosˈtər/ noun

A Gloucestershire cheese of extra richness

doubˈle-handˈed adjective

1. Having two hands
2. Two-handled

doubˈle-headˈed adjective

Having two heads

double-headˈer noun

1. A coin with a head on each side (informal; esp Aust)
2. Two games played on the same day (sport; N American)
3. Two television programmes or other items of the same kind in succession
4. A train pulled by two locomotives coupled together

doubˈle-heartˈed adjective

Treacherous

double helix noun

The DNA molecule, two spirals coiled round an axis

doubˈle-hungˈ adjective

(of a window) having top and bottom sashes each balanced by sash-cord and weights, so as to be capable of vertical movement in its own groove

double indemnity noun (US)

A payment of twice the face value of a life insurance policy because the insured has died in an accident

double jeopardy noun

Second trial for the same offence

doubˈle-jointˈed adjective

Having loose joints admitting some degree of movement backwards

double knit noun

A fabric knitted on two sets of needles, producing a double thickness joined by interlocking stitches

doubˈle-knit adjective

double knitting noun

A knitting yarn of medium thickness

doubˈle-līvedˈ adjective

Having two lives

doubˈle-lockedˈ adjective

1. Locked with two locks or bolts
2. Locked by two turns of the key, as in some locks and many novels

double majority noun

(in the voting system of the European Union) a majority both in terms of the number of member states and in terms of the proportion of the EU's population represented, required before the Council can take any decision

doubˈle-mannedˈ adjective

Supplied with twice the complement of men

doubˈle-meanˈing adjective

Ambiguous (also noun)

doubˈle-mindˈed adjective

Lacking determination, wavering

doubˈle-mindˈedness noun

doubˈle-mouthedˈ adjective

Speaking with contradictory voices

doubˈle-naˈtured adjective

Having a twofold nature

double negation noun

The principle that the negation of a negation of a proposition means the same as the proposition

double negative noun

A construction consisting of two negatives, esp when only one is logically required

double obelisk noun (printing)

A double dagger (see above)

double-page spread or double spread noun

The two facing pages of a publication, as used for an advertisement or illustration, etc across both pages

doubˈle-parkˈ transitive verb and intransitive verb

To park (a car, etc) alongside vehicles already parked at the kerb

double play noun (baseball)

A play putting out two runners

double pneumonia noun

Pneumonia of both lungs

doubˈle-quickˈ adjective and adverb

1. At a pace approaching a run
2. Very fast

noun

The double-quick pace

double reed noun

A reed in a woodwind instrument which is composed of two halves vibrating against each other

double refraction see under refract

double rollover noun

A second consecutive rollover in a lottery, etc

double salt noun

A salt whose crystals dissolve to give two different salts in solution

double saucepan noun

A pair of saucepans, the top one fitting closely into the lower one, and heated by boiling water in the lower one

doubˈle-shadeˈ transitive verb (Milton)

To double the darkness of

doubˈle-sharpˈ noun (music)

1. A note already sharp sharpened again by a semitone
2. A sign () indicating this

doubˈle-shottˈed adjective

(of cannon) with double charge

doubˈle-shuffˈle noun

1. A scraping movement made twice with each foot
2. A dance of such steps
3. A trick

doubˈle-spaceˈ transitive verb and intransitive verb

To type with a space of one line between each typed line

double spacing noun

doubˈlespeak noun

Double-talk

double spread see double-page spread above.

double standard noun

1. A principle, etc applied in such a way as to allow different standards of behaviour to different people, groups, etc
2. (in pl) the practice of advocating (for others) certain moral, etc standards not followed by oneself
3. Bimetallism

double star noun (astronomy)

1. A binary star
2. Two unrelated stars appearing close together when seen through a telescope

doubˈle-stoppˈing noun (music)

Simultaneous playing on two (stopped) strings of an instrument at once

doubˈle-stoˈrey adjective

(of a building) having two floors or tiers

doubˈle-stoutˈ noun

Extra strong stout or porter

double take noun

1. An inattentive initial look followed by a second look impelled by surprise or admiration
2. Delayed reaction

doubˈle-talk noun

1. Talk that sounds relevant but means nothing
2. Ambiguous, deceptive talk

doubˈlethink noun

The faculty of simultaneously harbouring two conflicting beliefs (coined by George Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four)

double-threaded screw noun (engineering)

A screw having two threads, whose pitch is half the lead (also two-start thread)

double time noun

1. Payment to a worker at twice the usual rate
2. A time twice as fast as the previous time (music)
3. A slow running pace, a regulation running pace keeping in step as a troop
4. A fast marching pace (US)

double-tongueˈ intransitive verb (music)

To produce a staccato sound by rapid articulation when playing fast passages on a wind instrument (double-tonguˈing noun)

doubˈle-tonguedˈ adjective

1. Having two tongues or a cleft tongue
2. Self-contradictory
3. Deceitful

double top noun (darts)

A score of double twenty

double vision noun

Seeing two images of the same object, because of lack of co-ordination between the two eyes

double-u or double-you /dubˈl-ū/ noun

The twenty-third letter of the modern English alphabet (W or w)

double wedding noun

A wedding involving two couples

double whammy see whammy under wham

double witching (hour) noun (stock exchange)

The final hour of certain periods of trading, when two kinds of future and option contracts expire and the market is exposed to volatility (cf triple witching (hour) under triple)

double zero option see zero-zero option under zero

doubling time noun (nuclear eng)

1. The time required for the neutron flux in a reactor to double
2. In a breeder reactor, the time required for the amount of fissile material to double

at the double

Very quickly

bent double

1. Folded
2. Doubled up, bending forward
3. Stooping

double back

To go back in the direction one has just come, but usu not by the same route

double or quits

(in gambling) the alternative, left to chance, of doubling or cancelling payment (doubleˈ-or-quitsˈ adjective)

double up

1. To fold double
2. To clench (one's fists)
3. To bend over (as with laughter or pain)
4. To come at the double
5. To share with another
6. To join together, couple

draw /drö/

transitive verb (pat drew /droo/; pap drawn)

1. To pull
2. To drag
3. To pull along
4. To bring forcibly towards or after one
5. To pull into position
6. To pull back
7. To pull back the string of
8. To pull together or away
9. To take (eg a raffle ticket) at random from a number
10. To entice, attract
11. To coax into giving information
12. To encourage to talk freely (usu draw out)
13. To inhale
14. To take out
15. To unsheathe
16. To withdraw
17. To cause to flow out
18. To evoke or bring out by some artifice
19. To extract by pulling
20. To extract the essence of
21. To eviscerate
22. To pull through a small hole, as in making wire
23. To deduce
24. To lengthen
25. To extend to the full length
26. To force to appear (eg to force a badger from its hole)
27. To receive or take from a source or store
28. To demand by a draft
29. To get by lot
30. To trace
31. To construct in linear form
32. To make a picture of by drawing lines
33. To describe
34. To put into shape, to frame
35. To write out (eg a cheque)
36. To require as depth of water for floating
37. To finish without winning or losing
38. To deflect the ball with the inside edge of the bat (cricket)
39. To hit (the ball) intentionally in such a way that it moves from right to left in the air (if right-handed) or from left to right (if left-handed) (golf)
40. To deliver (a bowl) so that it moves in a curve to the point aimed for (bowls)
41. To deliver gently (curling)
42. To force one's opponents to play (all their cards of a suit, esp trumps) by continually leading cards of that suit (bridge, etc)
43. To hit (the cue ball) so that it recoils after striking another ball (snooker, etc)
44. In a foundry, etc, to remove (a pattern) from a mould

intransitive verb

1. To pull
2. To practise drawing
3. To move
4. To make one's way, go
5. To resort
6. To approach
7. To make a draught
8. (of a flue, etc) to have a good current of air
9. To act as drawer
10. To draw a card, a sword or lots
11. To infuse
12. To end a game without winning or losing
13. To move in a curve to the point aimed for (bowls)

noun

1. The act of drawing
2. Assignment by lot of prizes, opponents in a game, etc
3. Anything drawn
4. A drawn or undecided game
5. An attraction
6. A drawer (of a chest of drawers; US)
7. A running play that is disguised to look like a passing play (American football)

drawˈable adjective

draweeˈ noun

1. The business or person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn
2. The bank on which a cheque is drawn

drawˈer noun

1. A person or thing that draws
2. The person who signs a cheque or bill of exchange
3. Someone who draws beer or fetches liquor in a tavern
4. /drör/ a thing drawn out, such as the sliding box in a chest of drawers
5. (in pl) a close-fitting undergarment for the lower part of the body and the legs

drawˈing noun

1. The art of representing objects or forms by lines drawn, shading, etc
2. A picture in lines
3. The act of assigning by lot
4. The act of pulling, etc

drawˈings plural noun

Any monies or other assets taken by the owner of a business, or paid by the business on the owner's behalf

drawn adjective

1. Pulled together
2. Closed
3. Neither won nor lost
4. Unsheathed
5. Eviscerated
6. Strained, tense
7. Etiolated (botany)
8. Pulled out, lengthened, as in cold drawn (engineering)

drawˈback noun

1. A disadvantage
2. A receiving back of some part of the duty on goods on their exportation

drawˈbar noun

1. A sliding bar
2. A bar used in coupling railway vehicles (also dragˈ-bar and draughtˈ-bar)

drawbar outfit noun

A lorry, whether or not articulated, with a trailer

drawˈ-boy noun

1. Orig the boy who pulled the cords of the harness in figure-weaving
2. A mechanical device for this purpose

drawˈbridge noun

1. A bridge that can be drawn up or let down as required
2. Bridge played by two people, with two dummy hands, not exposed

drawˈdown noun

1. A reduction, diminution
2. The withdrawing of funds up to a specified limit, esp (income drawdown) the withdrawal of money from one's pension fund (finance)

drawˈ-gear noun

The apparatus by which railway-cars are coupled

draw hoe noun

A hoe designed for pulling soil towards one, having a flat blade at about right angles to the handle

drawing board noun

1. A board, or a tilting surface attached to a desk, to which paper can be attached for drawing on
2. The planning stage of a project, etc (figurative)

drawˈing-frame noun

A machine in which carded wool, cotton or the like is drawn out fine

drawˈing-knife noun

A knife with a handle at each end, used by a cooper for shaving hoops by drawing it towards him

drawˈing-master noun

drawing paper noun

drawˈing-pen noun

drawˈing-pencil noun

drawing pin noun

A short broad-headed pin for fastening paper to a drawing board, etc

drawing room noun

1. In engineering, a room where plans and patterns are drawn
2. See also separate entry

drawˈing-table noun

(also draw-leaf table, draw-table and draw-top table) a table that can be extended in length by drawing out sliding leaves

drawˈ-net same as dragnet (see under drag).

drawnˈ-threadˈ work or drawn work noun

Ornamental needlework done by pulling out some of the threads of a fabric

drawˈ-plate noun

A plate supporting dies for drawing wire or tubing

drawˈ-sheet noun

(in nursing) a sheet that can be drawn out from under a patient

drawˈ-string or drawˈstring noun

A string or cord, etc, in a casing in or threaded through material, by which the material may be drawn or gathered up

adjective

Having or closed by such a string

draw-table, draw-top table see drawing-table above.

drawˈ-tube noun

A tube sliding within another, as in a form of telescope

drawˈ-well noun

A well from which water is drawn up by a bucket and apparatus

at daggers drawn

Openly hostile

draw a bead on see under bead

draw a blank

1. Literally, to get a lottery ticket that wins no prize
2. To get no result

draw a cover (or covert)

To send the hounds into a cover to frighten out a fox

draw attention to see under attention

draw back

1. To recoil
2. To withdraw

draw blank

To draw a cover, but find no fox

draw down (US)

To remove (troops) from a place where they have been stationed

draw, hang and quarter see under hang

draw in

1. To reduce, contract
2. To become shorter
3. (of nights) to begin earlier with the change of season

draw it fine

To be too precise

draw it mild (informal)

To refrain from exaggeration

draw near

To approach

draw off

1. To cause to flow from a barrel, etc
2. To withdraw

draw on

1. To approach
2. To pull on

draw on or upon

1. To make a draught upon
2. To make a demand upon (eg one's credulity, patience or resources)
3. To draw one's weapon against

draw on one's imagination

To make imaginative or lying statements

draw on one's memory

1. To try to remember
2. To make use of what one remembers

draw out

1. To leave the place (of an army, etc)
2. To lengthen
3. To entice into talk and self-expression

draw rein

To slacken speed, to stop

draw someone's attention to see under attention

draw stumps

To end play in cricket by removing the wickets

draw the cloth, board or table (archaic)

To clear up after a meal

draw the line

1. To fix a limit
2. To find finally and positively unacceptable

draw the long bow see under bow²

draw the teeth of

To make harmless

draw to a head

To mature

draw up

1. To form in regular order
2. To compose, put into shape
3. To stop

in drawing

Correctly drawn

out of drawing

Inaccurately drawn, or drawn in violation of the principles of drawing

out of the top drawer

Of top grade, esp socially