Collins English-English Dictionary

double ['d^b^əl]

1. 1. adj [usually prenominal] as much again in size, strength, number, etc

   a double portion

2. 2. n double time a pace of twice the normal marching speed

3. 3. adj composed of two equal or similar parts; in a pair; twofold

   a double egg cup

4. 4. adj designed for two users

   a double room

5. 5. adj folded in two; composed of two layers

   double paper

6. 6. adj stooping; bent over

7. 7. adj having two aspects or existing in two different ways; ambiguous

   a double meaning

8. 8. adj false, deceitful, or hypocritical

   a double life

9. 9. adj (of flowers) having more than the normal number of petals

10. 10. adj [maths] (of a root) being one of two equal roots of a polynomial equation

11. 11. adj (of an integral) having an integrand containing two independent variables requiring two integrations, in each of which one variable is kept constant

12. 12. adj [music] (of an instrument) sounding an octave lower than the pitch indicated by the notation

    a double bass

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

14. 14. adv twice over; twofold

15. 15. adv two together; two at a time (esp in the phrase see double)

16. 16. n twice the number, amount, size, etc

17. 17. n a double measure of spirits, such as whisky or brandy

18. 18. n a duplicate or counterpart, esp a person who closely resembles another; understudy

19. 19. n a wraith or ghostly apparition that is the exact counterpart of a living person; doppelgänger

20. 20. n a sharp turn, esp a return on one's own tracks

21. 21. n an evasive shift or artifice; trick

22. 22. n an actor who plays two parts in one play

23. 23. n [bridge] a call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract

24. 24. n [billiards] [snooker] a strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket

25. 25. n 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

26. 26. n [often capital] [chiefly RC Church] one of the higher-ranking feasts on which the antiphons are recited both before and after the psalms

27. 27. n [music] an ornamented variation in 16th and 17th century music

28. 28. n See double fault

29. 29. n [tennis] the narrow outermost ring on a dartboard

30. 30. n a hit on this ring

31. 31. vb to make or become twice as much

32. 32. vb to bend or fold (material, a bandage, etc)

33. 33. vt. [tr; sometimes foll by up] to clench (a fist)

34. 34. vt. [tr; often foll by together or up] to join or couple

    he doubled up the team

35. 35. vt. [tr] to repeat exactly; copy

36. 36. vi. [intr] to play two parts or serve two roles

37. 37. vi. [intr] to turn sharply; follow a winding course

38. 38. vi. [nautical] to sail around (a headland or other point)

39. 39. vi. [music] to duplicate (a voice or instrumental part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it

40. 40. vi. [intr; usually foll by on] to be capable of performing (upon an instrument additional to one's normal one)

    the third trumpeter doubles on cornet

41. 41. vi. [bridge] to make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract

42. 42. vi. [billiards] [snooker] to cause (a ball) to rebound or (of a ball) to rebound from a cushion across or up or down the table

43. 43. vi. [chess] to cause two pawns of the same colour to be on the same file

44. 44. vi. to place both rooks of the same colour on the same rank or the same file

45. 45. vi. [intr; foll by for] to act as substitute (for an actor or actress)

46. 46. vi. [intr] to go or march at twice the normal speed

47. 47. vi. See also double back doubles double up

48. 48. vi. [Etymology] C13: from Old French, from Latin duplus twofold, from duo two + -plus -fold