Made up of two matching or complementary elements.
The closet has double doors.
“[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Such is not the usage of civilized warfare. Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
1 more example
The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, archived from the original on 30 Sep 2020:
2
Of twice the quantity.
Give me a double serving of mashed potatoes.
Britain's population density used to be double that of China.
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The 40-year-old [Mike Skinner] is happy to put his body on the line in other ways, swapping a mug of tea for a fan's double pint of lager and messily necking it in one.2019 January 26, Kitty Empire [pseudonym], “The Streets review – the agony and ecstasy of a great everyman”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Apr 2019:
The Shanghai-based company reported Wednesday that net profit soared 246% to 28 billion yuan ($3.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, more than double the average analyst estimate of 12.62 billion yuan ($1.7 billion), according to LSEG data.2024 May 23, Laura He, “Bargain-hungry Americans are flocking to Temu and making its Chinese owner very rich”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2024:
3
Of a family relationship, related on both the maternal and paternal sides of a family.
He's my double cousin as my mother's sister married my father's brother.
4
Designed for two (people, cars, etc.).
a double room
a double garage
5
Folded in two; composed of two layers.
6
Stooping; bent over.
7
Having two aspects; ambiguous.
a double meaning
Assuming the accuracy of his information, the curious fact was established that Mr Rigby Lacksome, ostensibly in England to attend the book sales, had prompted a convenient organization to carry out a raid on a certain historic building, while he himself immediately appeared on the scene with an arrangement to make good the damage. […] Was there, indeed, some double purpose here at work?1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
8
False, deceitful, or hypocritical.
a double life
A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell Then Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel; Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write,c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
9
Of flowers, having more than the normal number of petals.
10
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music Of an instrument, sounding an octave lower.
A person who resembles and stands in for another person, often for safety purposes
Saddam Hussein was rumored to have many doubles.
3
A drink with two portions of alcohol.
On second thought, make that a double.
4
Two shifts of work back to back.
I work a double this weekend.
5
A ghostly apparition of a living person; a doppelgänger.
According to the description our captain had given me of Peter Sandaker once when he had dropped behind on the march, he was particularly good at telling tales and stories about goblin-birds, doubles, and fairies, and had a special fancy for entering into the most minute details, whenever he commenced telling about one or the other of the eighteen bears he had killed in his time.1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 71:
6
A sharp turn, especially a return on one's own tracks.
7
A redundant item for which an identical item already exists.
I have more than 200 stamps in my collection but they're not all unique: some are doubles.
Before printing the photos, Liam deleted the doubles.
Bridge, Games A call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract.
10
Ball games, Billiards, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Snooker, Sports A strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket.
Brecel fired in doubles, a succession of stunning long pots and seemingly cleared balls at will as he rattled through the first four frames in under an hour.2023 May 1, Steve Sutcliffe, “World Snooker Championship 2023 final: Luca Brecel beats Mark Selby for first world title”, in BBC Sport:
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A bet on two horses in different races in which any winnings from the first race are placed on the horse in the later race.
Not only did I collect on the double; I had the win and the place money as well.2005, Kenneth Brown, ...and I Survived: A Barnardo Boy's Memoir, page 55:
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Darts, Games The narrow outermost ring on a dartboard.
Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Soccer, Sports Two competitions, usually one league and one cup, won by the same team in a single season.
17
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Rowing, Sports A boat for two scullers.
18
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The feat of scoring twice in one game.
DJ Campbell grabbed a second-half double as Blackpool made Sunderland pay for a host of missed chances to secure a fifth away league win of the season.2010 December 28, Owen Phillips, “Sunderland 0 - 2 Blackpool”, in BBC:
19
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The feat of winning two events in a single meet or competition.
Chiefly swimming and track
In 1996, Michael Johnson achieved a double by winning both the 200 and 400 meter dashes.
20
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The achievement of 1000 runs and 100 wickets taken in a single season.
21
Historical A former French coin worth one-sixth of a sou.
22
Guernsey, Historical A copper coin worth one-eighth of a penny.
As for doubles, they are not worth anything now; and I have still got an egg-cupful my mother used to keep handy to give the baker change from a farthing.1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 196:
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music Playing the same part on two instruments, alternately.
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A secondary instrument with which a musician is skilled.
The saxophone is a valuable and rewarding double, and opens up many gigs that aren’t available to players of just the “orchestral” woodwinds.2020 January 4, Bret Pimentel, “Woodwind doubling and saxophone problems”, in Bret Pimentel, woodwinds:
His fellows had chaffed him much upon the way that astute adventurer had bamboozled him, or, in their vernacular, "put the double on him," and vowed that all his energies should be devoted to a return match.1880, Hawley Smart, False Cards, page 216:
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A double agent.
'This is 007 speaking. This is an open line. It's an emergency. Can you hear me? Pass this on at once. 3030 was a double, working for Redland.1953, Ian Fleming, “The Bleeding Heart”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 189:
The company doubled their earnings per share over last quarter.
2
To increase by 100%, to become twice as large in size.
Our earnings have doubled in the last year.
3
To be the double of; to exceed by twofold; to contain or be worth twice as much as.
Thus re-inforc’d, againſt the adverſe Fleet / Still doubling ours, brave Rupert leads the way.1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 119, page 31:
4
To fold over so as to make two folds.
To make a pleat, double the material at the waist.
Often, Followed by together or up To join or couple.
8
To repeat exactly; copy.
9
To serve a second role or have a second purpose.
A spork is a kind of fork that doubles as a spoon.
10
Ambitransitive, Sometimes, With "for" To act as substitute for (another theatrical performer in a certain role, etc).
Laforêt, who (as the French express it), doubles Lainez, that is, performs the same characters in his absence.1801, Francis William Blagdon, Paris as it was and as it is, published 1803, II, xli, 60:
[…] and when she attempted to double the part of her mother, she equally failed in playing the great or agreeable lady.1814, Elizabeth Hervey, The Mourtray Family: Third Edition, page 31:
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theater To play (both one part and another, in the same play, etc).
When, therefore, Briggs, the sedate, middle-aged individual, who in the Markham household doubles the roles of butler and valet, makes his appearance, his master affects to be in a great hurry, looks at his watch, and says : […]1878, lady Isabella Emma E. Schuster, Hands Not Hearts, page 141:
Miss Theby doubles in the part of Rose and the native girl in the Philippines. This is a problem plot in which a young man leaves the girl of his choice because she has had an affair in her earlier years. He goes to the Philippines, […]1916, The Moving Picture World, page 335:
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In On the Beat he doubles the parts of a constable and a gang-leader. Norman was all over the place.1997, Roger Lewis, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Hal Leonard Corporation, →ISBN:
In his case the matter is simplified by the fact that the head of his Deception Staff doubles the roles of author and producer. The Commander therefore tells him what sort of deception he needs, examines the plans produced for him […]2013, Hy Rothstein, Barton Whaley, The Art and Science of Military Deception, Artech House, →ISBN, page 164:
Sailing along the coast, he doubled the promontory of Carthage.1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
[…] though the Iſland itſelf was not very large […] I found a great Ledge of Rocks lie out about two Leagues into the Sea[…]ſo that I was oblig’d to go a great Way out to Sea to double the Point.1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 162:
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music To duplicate (a part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it.
15
Entertainment, Lifestyle, MusicUsually, Followed by "on" To be capable of performing (upon an additional instrument).
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Bridge, Games To make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract.
"You double down to the harbour, my lad," said the Captain to Strickland, "and sign on. You've got your papers." Strickland set off at once, and that was the last Captain Nichols saw of him.1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XLVII, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC, page 250:
Broadcasting, Media, RadioInformal, Of a station To transmit simultaneously on the same channel as another station, either unintentionally or deliberately, causing interference.
Could you please repeat your last transmission? Another station was doubling with you.
Was this simply the cover name of an Allied spy-code named the Brass Monkey? […] The possibility that the Brass Monkey himself was "doubling" (with headquarters' approval, of course) is too logical […]1973, National Lampoon, page 12:
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Motor racing, Racing, SportsUS Collectively, both the Indianapolis 500, a day race, and the Coca-Cola 600, an evening race, both of which are run on Memorial Day weekend Sunday. Used concerning racers who (wish[/ed/ing] to) participat[e/ed/ing] in both events, typically using a private jet to travel between Indianapolis, Indiana, after the 500 and Charlotte, North Carolina, to get to the 600.