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to double

to double

7 4.1
To hit the ball so the batter reaches second base
  • verb
  • /ˈdʌbəl/
  • US
: dar un doble
  • After a one-out walk to Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson doubled for the first of his three hits.

And the reality is we when we wrote it, we meant that he had doubled and was standing on second base because there's, you know, two ways to do it in baseball.

Examples

  • Cutch doubled in Josh Harrison, who collected four hits, to put the Bucs up 5-0.

    Blog text (28)
  • Then Derrel Thomas doubled, and Dusty Baker doubled him in.

  • Erick Aybar made the catch and doubled Saunders off.

    Blog text (20)
  • The game's lone run scored in the fourth inning when Dave May doubled and scored on John Briggs' sac fly.

    Blog text (15)
  • Orioles: OF Lew Ford doubled last week for his first big league hit since 2007.

  • He doubled to left field, allowing the runner to reach second base safely.

Antonyms

out
  • Jargon
74 7.5

An event where a batter or runner is removed from play in baseball

Idioms

on the double
  • Informal
21 3.7

Very quickly and without delay

18 2.9

At twice the normal speed to move or work

double quick
  • Informal
4 4.1

Very fast, without delay

double Dutch
  • Archaic
1 9.6

Speech or writing that is hard to understand and sounds like nonsense

all double Dutch
  • Informal
9.9

Language you cannot understand at all

So tired you can hardly move

9.9

A very excited yes that shows strong agreement

Phrasal Verbs

To look again to make sure it is correct or safe

to double down
  • Informal
53 6.5

To try harder to continue something even when people disagree or it is risky

To turn around and go back the way you came

20 5.0

To have two players guard one opponent at the same time

To leave a car beside another stopped car, blocking traffic

To go out with your partner and another couple

To bend forward suddenly because of strong pain or laughter

11 4.1

Share a bed or room meant for one person to save space

to double up
  • Jargon
9 6.2

Use your winnings on another bet to try to make them twice as much

To have two pictures of one thing when your eyes or head are not working well

to double up
  • Informal
5 3.4

Bend over and curl up because of sudden pain or strong laughter

to double tap
  • Texting
2 3.5

Tap twice quickly on a touchscreen to start a function

to double dog dare
  • Baby Talk
2 8.3

Challenge someone playfully so they feel they cannot refuse to do something

to double tongue
  • Specialized
1 8.8

Move the tongue quickly back and forth to play fast clear notes on a wind instrument

To color something twice to make its color stronger

Compounds

An unfair rule that treats similar people differently and gives one group more advantages

60 2.3

A number with two digits from 10 to 99

double cross
  • Informal
60 6.6

To betray someone after pretending to help them

41 2.7

An extra look to make sure something is correct

40 2.8

An outing where two couples go out together

29 4.9

A spy who secretly works for two opposing sides while pretending to help one and giving secrets to the other

double play
  • Jargon
16 3.0

A baseball play that gets two players out in one move

15 6.6

A rule that stops a person being tried twice for the same crime

14 1.5

Two doors next to each other that open in the middle to make a wide entrance

double blind
  • Specialized
12 5.1

A test in which neither participants nor researchers know who gets the treatment

Two events, such as two films or two games, held one after the other

double take
  • Informal
11 5.8

A quick look showing surprise after not noticing something at first

9 9.0

Confusing speech that hides the truth, often to avoid a direct answer

8 8.4

A phrase with two meanings, one often innocent and the other rude about sex

A bus or vehicle with two levels for passengers, one above the other

double-double
  • Jargon
8 9.5

To win the same two titles in two years in a row

A coat or jacket with two overlapping front panels and two rows of buttons

6 1.2

A bed large enough for two people to sleep in

double helix
  • Specialized
6 4.4

A structure made of two spirals twisted together, like DNA molecules

6 5.6

A sentence that uses two negative words in the same clause

double vision
  • Specialized
6 4.6

A problem where you see one object as two images

6 6.9

A game where two ropes turn and players jump between them

5 2.7

A layer of fat under the chin that looks like a second chin

double dipping
  • Literature
5 6.2

Receiving two incomes from the same source, for example a pension and a salary

Two rainbows that appear in the sky at the same time, the outer one fainter and outside the inner arc

double-bogey
  • Jargon
3 8.0

A golf score two strokes above par for a hole

double bind
  • Specialized
3 8.1

A situation where you are given two conflicting demands you cannot satisfy, often from someone in charge

3 3.9

Two equal servings of alcohol or strong coffee served together

double-crosser
  • Offensive
3 6.8

A person who pretends to be loyal but betrays someone

daily double
  • Jargon
3 8.1

A bet that picks the winners of two races on the same day

3 3.6

A large string instrument with four strings that makes very low sounds when played with a bow or plucked

A suit jacket with wide front flaps that overlap and two columns of buttons

3 3.7

Two layers of glass with a space between them that keep heat in and noise out

double-blind study
  • Specialized
2 4.2

An experiment where neither participants nor researchers know who gets the real treatment or a fake one to avoid bias

2 3.7

Payment at twice the regular pay rate for extra work

There is an empty line between every line of text

2 7.9

Very quick, as when soldiers march at twice the normal speed

Two pans, one above the other, used to melt chocolate or gently heat food

double entry
  • Specialized
2 4.2

A bookkeeping system that records every transaction as a debit in one account and a credit in another

Dishonest behavior of pretending one thing but doing another

2 7.8

A part of a life insurance policy that pays twice the money if death is an accident

2 3.0

Thick food made from milk with very high fat used as a dessert topping

double reverse
  • Specialized
2 8.2

A running play in American football where the ball is handed twice, each time changing direction

double fault
  • Jargon
2 2.8

Two bad serves in a row that make the player lose the point

double star
  • Specialized
1 5.5

Two stars that are very close and usually move around each other

double knit
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A thick fabric made from two layers of thread joined together that holds its shape well

double bookkeeping
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A system of recording each transaction twice, once as a debit and once as a credit to ensure accuracy

1 3.4

A repeated word in writing that appears by accident

1 5.1

A bookkeeping system that records each transaction twice to keep accounts balanced

A jacket with overlapping front panels fastened by two rows of buttons

double stitch
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A crochet stitch you make by pulling the yarn through twice to make taller, looser fabric

double bond
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A link between two atoms where they share two pairs of electrons

double-dealer
  • Offensive
1 8.5

A person who pretends to be a friend but secretly works against others

double dribble
  • Specialized
1 3.7

An illegal basketball move when a player bounces the ball with both hands or bounces it again after stopping

double pneumonia
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A lung infection that affects both lungs and causes serious breathing problems

Two quotation marks used to show direct speech or a quotation

1 6.9

To score two strokes more than the hole's par in golf

double eagle
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A former United States gold coin worth twenty dollars

to double stitch
  • Specialized
1 4.1

To sew two rows of stitches for extra strength or decoration

line double
  • Jargon
1 3.7

A hard, low hit that lets the batter reach second base

double dipper
  • Literature
1 7.5

A person who receives a government salary and a pension at the same time

double-bagger
  • Jargon
1 8.1

A hit that lets the batter reach second base

1 7.4

A hard, straight hit into the outfield that lets the batter reach second base

double crochet
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A tall stitch made with a hook by pulling yarn through loops, taller than a single stitch

Text typed with a blank line between each line

To tie a knot with two loops so it does not come undone

A window with two parts that can both slide up and down

1 9.9

A mild, funny phrase people say instead of swearing when surprised or angry

A sandwich with three slices of bread and two layers of filling

double bar
  • Specialized
1 5.7

A pair of vertical lines in written music that show the end of a main section or the whole piece

double-geared
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A machine that has two sets of gears to give more power and control speed

double eagle
  • Jargon
1 8.4

A score in golf three strokes under par on one hole

double-dyed
  • Offensive
1 9.6

Being very bad and dishonest in a strong way

How Many Bases

to homer
  • Informal
9 5.7
to double
  • US
7 4.1

Surface Forms

double infinitive
doubled past
doubled past participle
doubling present participle
doubles third person singular

Etymology

Double as a baseball verb comes from Latin duplex ('twofold') and duo ('two'), so to 'double' is to hit the ball and reach the 'second' base — two bases from home.