double

I UK [ˈdʌb(ə)l] / US adjective ***

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

He went through the double doors.

Place the sausages on a double layer of kitchen paper.

a) involving two things happening at the same time

a double murder

He had suffered a double tragedy, losing both parents within a short period.

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)

a) containing or consisting of twice as much of something as normal

double chocolate chip cookies

a double whisky

a double portion/helping:

a double portion of chips

b) 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 bed

a double garage

•

double t/m/8/9 etc — 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.

II UK [ˈdʌb(ə)l] / US verb
Word forms "double":
present tense I/you/we/they double he/she/it doubles present participle doubling past tense doubled past participle doubled
**

1)

a) [intransitive] to become twice as big, twice as much, or twice as many

The number of people without work has doubled in the last five years.

double in size/amount/price etc:

Their house has doubled in value since they bought it.

b) [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 alcohol.

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 the second base

Phrasal verbs:

- double as

- double back

- double for

- double over

- double up

- double up as

III UK [ˈdʌb(ə)l] / US 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 ten children in the class at the moment but it could be double that after Christmas.

•

- double or quits

IV UK [ˈdʌb(ə)l] / US noun
Word forms "double":
singular double plural doubles
*

1)

a) [countable] someone who looks very similar to another person

someone's double:

He's his father's double.

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

2) [uncountable] twice as much money

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

3) [countable] an amount of a strong alcoholic drink that is twice the usual amount

Two brandies please, and make mine a double.

4) [countable] a double room

I'd booked two single rooms, but they gave us a double.

5) [countable] 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 here at Wimbledon.

6) doubles

[uncountable] 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?

7) [countable] 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

8) [countable] in a game using dice, a throw in which two dice show the same number

9) [countable] informal a bet on a horse race in which any money that you win on one race is risked on a second race

10) [countable] in baseball, a situation in which someone hits the ball far enough to be able to run to the second base

•

at/on the double — very quickly

She called and said she wanted us over there on the double.

V UK [ˈdʌb(ə)l] / US adverb *

- bent double

- fold something double

- see double