9 VERB When something doubles or when you double it, it becomes twice as great in number, amount, or size. □ [V ] The number of managers must double to 100 within 3 years. □ [V n] The program will double the amount of money available to help pay for child care.
10 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a person's double , you mean that they look exactly like them. □ Your mother sees you as her double.
11 VERB If a person or thing doubles as someone or something else, they have a second job or purpose as well as their main one. □ [V + as ] Lots of homes in town double as businesses. ● PHRASAL VERB Double up means the same as double . □ [V P + as ] The lids of the casserole dishes are designed to double up as baking dishes.
12 N‑UNCOUNT In tennis or badminton, when people play doubles , two teams consisting of two players on each team play against each other on the same court.
13 PHRASE If you are bent double , the top half of your body is bent downwards so that your head is close to your knees. □ Pickers are bent double, plucking each flower with lightning speed.
14 PHRASE If you are seeing double , there is something wrong with your eyes, and you can see two images instead of one. □ I was dizzy, seeing double.
15 in double figures → see figure
▸ double back PHRASAL VERB If you double back you go back in the direction that you came from. □ [V P ] We drove past it and had to double back.
▸ double up
1 PHRASAL VERB If something doubles you up , or if you double up , you bend your body quickly or violently, for example because you are laughing a lot or because you are feeling a lot of pain. □ [V n P ] …a savage blow in the crutch which doubled him up. □ [V P + with/in ] They laugh so hard they double up with laughter. ● PHRASAL VERB Double over means the same as double up . □ [V -ed P ] Everyone was doubled over in laughter.
2 → see also double 11
dou |ble act (double acts ) also double-act N‑COUNT Two comedians or entertainers who perform together are referred to as a double act . Their performance can also be called a double act . □ …a famous comedy double act.
dou |ble a gent (double agents ) N‑COUNT A double agent is someone who works as a spy for a particular country or organization, but who also works for its enemies.
dou ble-barrelled in AM, use double-barreled 1 ADJ [ADJ n] A double-barrelled gun has two barrels. □ …a double-barrelled shotgun.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A double-barrelled surname has two parts which are joined by a hyphen, for example 'Miss J. Heydon-Smith'. [BRIT ]
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Double-barrelled is used to describe something such as a plan which has two main parts. [JOURNALISM ]
dou|ble bass /dʌ b ə l be I s/ (double basses ) also double-bass N‑VAR A double bass is the largest instrument in the violin family. You play the double bass with a bow while standing up and holding it upright in front of you.
dou |ble bi ll (double bills ) also double-bill N‑COUNT A double bill is a theatre or cinema performance in which there are two shows on the programme.
dou |ble bi nd (double binds ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you are in a double bind , you are in a very difficult situation, because whatever decision you make will have bad results. □ Newspapers are in a double bind: falling circulation and little income from new media. [Also + of ]
dou ble-bli nd ADJ A double-blind study or experiment compares two groups of people, one of which is being tested while the other is not. Neither the people doing the testing nor the members of the two groups know which group is being tested. □ In a double-blind trial, there were definite improvements.
dou |ble blu ff (double bluffs ) N‑VAR A double bluff is an attempt to deceive someone by telling them exactly what you intend to do when you know that they will assume you are lying. [BRIT ] □ They suspected this was a double bluff on the part of Cairo Intelligence. □ …a continual round of bluff and double bluff.
dou ble-bo ok (double-books , double-booking , double-booked ) VERB If you double-book something, or if you double-book , you book two spaces or services when only one is available to use. □ [V n] Landlords occasionally double-book the apartment with no hint of apology.
dou ble-brea sted ADJ [usu ADJ n] A double-breasted jacket or suit has two very wide sections at the front of the jacket which fit over one another when you button them up.
dou ble-che ck (double-checks , double-checking , double-checked ) VERB If you double-check something, you examine or test it a second time to make sure that it is completely correct or safe. □ [V n] Check and double-check spelling and punctuation. □ [V that] Double-check that the ladder is secure. □ [V + with ] Don't believe what you are told; double-check with an independent source. [Also V ]
dou |ble chi n (double chins ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone has a double chin , they have a fold of fat under their chin, making them look as if they have two chins.
dou ble-cli ck (double-clicks , double-clicking , double-clicked ) VERB [no passive] If you double-click on an area of a computer screen, you point the cursor at that area and press one of the buttons on the mouse twice quickly in order to make something happen. [COMPUTING ] □ [V + on ] Go to Control Panel and double-click on Sounds for a list of sounds.