doubˈly adverb

double act noun (theatre)

1. A variety act for two people to perform
2. The two entertainers

doubˈle-actˈing adjective

1. Applying power in two directions
2. Producing a double result

double agent noun

An agent secretly acting simultaneously for two opposing powers

double-axeˈ noun

A religious symbol of Minoan Crete and the Aegean, a double-headed axe, associated with the mother-goddess and her son (Zeus)

double axel noun (ice skating)

An axel incorporating two and a half turns

double-bankˈ transitive verb and intransitive verb

1. To double-park
2. To ride two at a time on a bicycle or horse, etc (Aust and NZ)

doubˈle-bankedˈ adjective

1. Having two men at each oar, or having two tiers of oars one above the other, as in ancient galleys
2. Double-parked

doubˈle-banking noun

Double-parking

double bar noun

A double vertical line or a single heavy vertical one marking the end of a movement or piece of music or one of its important divisions

doubˈle-barrˈelled or (N American) doubˈle-barrˈeled adjective

1. Having two barrels
2. (of a surname) hyphenated
3. (of a compliment) ambiguous

double bass noun

The largest and lowest-pitched instrument of the violin family, playing an octave below the cello

double bassoon see under bassoon

double bed noun

A bed wide enough for two people

double bill see under bill¹

double bind noun (psychiatry)

1. A situation in which conflicting cues are given so that any choice of behaviour will be considered wrong
2. A dilemma

doubˈle-bitˈing adjective

Cutting on either side

doubˈle-blindˈ adjective

Denoting a comparative experiment or trial, etc in which the identities of the control group are known neither to the subjects nor to the experimenters

double bluff noun

An action or statement meant to seem to be a bluff, but in fact genuine

double boiler noun (N American)

A double saucepan

double bond noun (chem)

A covalent bond involving the sharing of two pairs of electrons

doubˈle-bookˈ transitive verb

To accept two reservations for (the same room, seat or time, etc)

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