Dichotomy vs. Double

Dichotomynoun

A separation or division into two; a distinction that results in such a division.

Doubleadjective

Made up of two matching or complementary elements.

‘The closet has double doors.’;

Dichotomynoun

Such a division involving apparently incompatible or opposite principles; a duality.

Doubleadjective

Of twice the quantity.

‘Give me a double serving of mashed potatoes.’;

Dichotomynoun

(logic) The division of a class into two disjoint subclasses that are together comprehensive, as the division of man into white and not white.

Doubleadjective

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.’;

Dichotomynoun

The division of a genus into two species; a division into two subordinate parts.

Doubleadjective

Designed for two users.

‘a double room’;

Dichotomynoun

(astronomy) A phase of the moon when it appears half lit and half dark, as at the quadratures.

Doubleadjective

Folded in two; composed of two layers.

Dichotomynoun

(biology) Division and subdivision; bifurcation, as of a stem of a plant or a vein of the body into two parts as it proceeds from its origin; often successive.

Doubleadjective

Stooping; bent over.

Dichotomynoun

A cutting in two; a division.

‘A general breach or dichotomy with their church.’;

Doubleadjective

Having two aspects; ambiguous.

‘a double meaning’;

Dichotomynoun

Division or distribution of genera into two species; division into two subordinate parts.

Doubleadjective

False, deceitful, or hypocritical.

‘a double life’;

Dichotomynoun

That phase of the moon in which it appears bisected, or shows only half its disk, as at the quadratures.

Doubleadjective

Of flowers, having more than the normal number of petals.

Dichotomynoun

Successive division and subdivision, as of a stem of a plant or a vein of the body, into two parts as it proceeds from its origin; successive bifurcation.

Doubleadjective

(music) Of an instrument, sounding an octave lower.

‘a double bass’;

Dichotomynoun

The place where a stem or vein is forked.

Doubleadjective

(music) Of time, twice as fast.

Dichotomynoun

Division into two; especially, the division of a class into two subclasses opposed to each other by contradiction, as the division of the term man into white and not white.

Doubleadverb

Twice over; twofold.

Dichotomynoun

being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses;

‘the dichotomy between eastern and western culture’;

Doubleadverb

Two together; two at a time. (especially in see double)

Dichotomynoun

a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different

‘a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism’;

Doublenoun

Twice the number, amount, size, etc.

Dichotomynoun

repeated branching into two equal parts.

Doublenoun

A person who resembles and stands in for another person, often for safety purposes

‘Saddam Hussein was rumored to have many doubles.’;

Dichotomy

A dichotomy is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts.Such a partition is also frequently called a bipartition.

Doublenoun

A drink with two portions of alcohol.

‘On second thought, make that a double.’;

Doublenoun

A ghostly apparition of a living person; doppelgänger.

Doublenoun

A sharp turn, especially a return on one's own tracks.

Doublenoun

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.’;

Doublenoun

(baseball) A two-base hit.

‘The catcher hit a double to lead off the ninth.’;

Doublenoun

(bridge) A call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract.

Doublenoun

(billiards) A strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket.

Doublenoun

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.

Doublenoun

(darts) The narrow outermost ring on a dartboard.

Doublenoun

(darts) A hit on this ring.

Doublenoun

(dominoes) A tile that has the same value (i.e., the same number of pips) on both sides.

Doublenoun

A double-precision floating-point number.

‘The sine function returns a double.’;

Doublenoun

(soccer) Two competitions, usually one league and one cup, won by the same team in a single season.

Doublenoun

(rowing) A boat for two scullers.

Doublenoun

(sports) The feat of scoring twice in one game.

Doublenoun

The feat of winning two events in a single meet or competition.

‘In 1996, Michael Johnson achieved a double by winning both the 200 and 400 meter dashes.’;

Doublenoun

(historical) A former French coin worth one-sixth of a sou.

Doublenoun

A copper coin worth one-eighth of a penny.

Doublenoun

(music) Playing the same part on two instruments, alternately.

Doublenoun

(Christianity) A double feast.

Doubleverb

(transitive) To multiply by two.

‘The company doubled their earnings per share over last quarter.’;

Doubleverb

(transitive) To fold over so as to make two folds.

‘To make a pleat, double the material at the waist.’;

Doubleverb

To be the double of; to exceed by twofold; to contain or be worth twice as much as.

Doubleverb

(intransitive) To increase by 100%, to become twice as large in size.

‘Our earnings have doubled in the last year.’;

Doubleverb

(baseball) To get a two-base hit.

‘The batter doubled into the corner.’;

Doubleverb

(transitive) (sometimes followed by up) To clench (a fist).

Doubleverb

(transitive) (often followed by together or up) To join or couple.

Doubleverb

(transitive) To repeat exactly; copy.

Doubleverb

(intransitive) (often followed by as) To play a second part or serve a second role.

‘A spork is a kind of fork that doubles as a spoon.’;

Doubleverb

(intransitive) To turn sharply, following a winding course.

Doubleverb

(nautical) To sail around (a headland or other point).

Doubleverb

(music) To duplicate (a part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it.

Doubleverb

To be capable of performing (upon an additional instrument).

Doubleverb

(bridge) To make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract.

Doubleverb

To double down.

Doubleverb

To cause (a ball) to rebound from a cushion before entering the pocket.

Doubleverb

(intransitive) (followed by for) To act as substitute.

Doubleverb

(intransitive) To go or march at twice the normal speed.

Doubleverb

(transitive) To multiply the strength or effect of by two.

‘Sorry, this store does not double coupons.’;

Doubleverb

(military) To unite, as ranks or files, so as to form one from each two.

Doubleverb

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.’;

Doubleadjective

Twofold; multiplied by two; increased by its equivalent; made twice as large or as much, etc.

‘Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.’; ‘Darkness and tempest make a double night.’;

Doubleadjective

Being in pairs; presenting two of a kind, or two in a set together; coupled.

‘[Let] The swan, on still St. Mary's lake,Float double, swan and shadow.’;

Doubleadjective

Divided into two; acting two parts, one openly and the other secretly; equivocal; deceitful; insincere.

‘With a double heart do they speak.’;

Doubleadjective

Having the petals in a flower considerably increased beyond the natural number, usually as the result of cultivation and the expense of the stamens, or stamens and pistils. The white water lily and some other plants have their blossoms naturally double.

Doubleadverb

Twice; doubly.

‘I was double their age.’;

Doubleverb

To increase by adding an equal number, quantity, length, value, or the like; multiply by two; as, to double a sum of money; to double a number, or length.

‘Double six thousand, and then treble that.’;

Doubleverb

To make of two thicknesses or folds by turning or bending together in the middle; to fold one part upon another part of; as, to double the leaf of a book, and the like; to clinch, as the fist; - often followed by up; as, to double up a sheet of paper or cloth.

‘Then the old manWas wroth, and doubled up his hands.’;

Doubleverb

To be the double of; to exceed by twofold; to contain or be worth twice as much as.

‘Thus reënforced, against the adverse fleet,Still doubling ours, brave Rupert leads the way.’;

Doubleverb

To pass around or by; to march or sail round, so as to reverse the direction of motion.

‘Sailing along the coast, the doubled the promontory of Carthage.’;

Doubleverb

To unite, as ranks or files, so as to form one from each two.

Doubleverb

To be increased to twice the sum, number, quantity, length, or value; to increase or grow to twice as much.

‘'T is observed in particular nations, that within the space of three hundred years, notwithstanding all casualties, the number of men doubles.’;

Doubleverb

To return upon one's track; to turn and go back over the same ground, or in an opposite direction.

‘Doubling and turning like a hunted hare.’; ‘Doubling and doubling with laborious walk.’;

Doubleverb

To play tricks; to use sleights; to play false.

‘What penalty and danger you accrue,If you be found to double.’;

Doubleverb

To set up a word or words a second time by mistake; to make a doublet.

Doublenoun

Twice as much; twice the number, sum, quantity, length, value, and the like.

‘If the thief be found, let him pay double.’;

Doublenoun

Among compositors, a doublet (see Doublet, 2.); among pressmen, a sheet that is twice pulled, and blurred.

Doublenoun

That which is doubled over or together; a doubling; a plait; a fold.

‘Rolled up in sevenfold doubleOf plagues.’;

Doublenoun

A turn or circuit in running to escape pursues; hence, a trick; a shift; an artifice.

‘These men are too well acquainted with the chase to be flung off by any false steps or doubles.’;

Doublenoun

A person or thing that is the counterpart of another; a duplicate; copy; (Obs.) transcript; - now chiefly used of persons. Hence, a wraith.

‘My charming friend . . . has, I am almost sure, a double, who preaches his afternoon sermons for him.’;

Doublenoun

A player or singer who prepares to take the part of another player in his absence; a substitute; - used especially of a person who resembles an actor and takes the actor's place in scenes requiring special skills; as, a stunt double.

Doublenoun

Double beer; strong beer.

Doublenoun

A feast in which the antiphon is doubled, hat is, said twice, before and after the Psalms, instead of only half being said, as in simple feasts.

Doublenoun

A game between two pairs of players; as, a first prize for doubles.

Doublenoun

An old term for a variation, as in Bach's Suites.

Doublenoun

a base hit on which the batter stops safely at second base;

‘he hit a double to deep centerfield’;

Doublenoun

a stand-in for movie stars to perform dangerous stunts;

‘his first job in Hollywood was as a double for Clark Gable’;

Doublenoun

someone who closely resembles a famous person (especially an actor);

‘he could be Gingrich's double’; ‘she's the very image of her mother’;

Doublenoun

a quantity that is twice as great as another;

‘36 is the double of 18’;

Doublenoun

raising the stakes in a card game by a factor of 2;

‘I decided his double was a bluff’;

Doubleverb

increase twofold;

‘The population doubled within 50 years’;

Doubleverb

hit a two-base hit

Doubleverb

bend over or curl up, usually with laughter or pain;

‘He doubled and vomited violently’;

Doubleverb

do double duty; serve two purposes or have two functions;

‘She doubles as his wife and secretary’;

Doubleverb

bridge: make a demand for (a card or suit)

Doubleverb

make or do or perform again;

‘He could never replicate his brilliant performance of the magic trick’;

Doubleadjective

having more than one decidedly dissimilar aspects or qualities;

‘a double (or dual) role for an actor’; ‘the office of a clergyman is twofold; public preaching and private influence’; ‘every episode has its double and treble meaning’;

Doubleadjective

consisting of or involving two parts or components usually in pairs;

‘an egg with a double yolk’; ‘a double (binary) star’; ‘double doors’; ‘dual controls for pilot and copilot’; ‘duple (or double) time consists of two (or a multiple of two) beats to a measure’;

Doubleadjective

twice as great or many;

‘ate a double portion’; ‘the dose is doubled’; ‘a twofold increase’;

Doubleadjective

used of flowers having more than the usual number of petals in crowded or overlapping arrangements;

‘double chrysanthemums have many rows of petals and are usually spherical or hemispherical’;

Doubleadjective

used of homologous chromosomes associated in pairs in synapsis

Doubleadjective

large enough for two;

‘a double bed’; ‘a double room’;

Doubleadjective

having two meanings with intent to deceive;

‘a sly double meaning’; ‘spoke with forked tongue’;

Doubleadverb

downward and forward;

‘he was bent double with pain’;

Doubleadverb

two together;

‘some people sleep better double’;

Doubleadverb

to double the degree;

‘she was doubly rewarded’; ‘his eyes were double bright’;

Doubleadjective

consisting of two equal, identical, or similar parts or things

‘double doors’;

Doubleadjective

having twice the usual size, quantity, or strength

‘she sipped a double brandy’;

Doubleadjective

designed to be used by two people

‘a double bed’;

Doubleadjective

having two different roles or interpretations, especially in order to deceive or confuse

‘the double life of a freelance secret agent’;

Doubleadjective

(of a letter or number) occurring twice in succession

‘‘otter’ is spelled with a double t’;

Doubleadjective

(of a flower) having more than one circle of petals

‘large double blooms’;

Doubleadjective

(of a domino) having the same number of pips on each half.

Doubleadjective

lower in pitch by an octave.

Doubleadverb

at or to twice the amount or extent

‘you have to be careful, and this counts double for older people’;

Doublenoun

a thing which is twice as large as usual or is made up of two standard units or things

‘join the two sleeping bags together to make a double’;

Doublenoun

a double measure of spirits

‘‘Two whiskies, and make it doubles please’’;

Doublenoun

a type of bet in which two selections are made, with any winnings from the first being transferred to the second.

Doublenoun

a call that will increase the penalty points won by the defenders if the declarer fails to make the contract.

Doublenoun

a hit on the narrow ring enclosed by the two outer circles of a dartboard, scoring double

‘you must finish the game on a double’;

Doublenoun

a person who looks exactly like another

‘you could pass yourself off as his double’;

Doublenoun

a person who stands in for an actor in a film.

Doublenoun

an apparition of a living person

‘she had seen her husband's double’;

Doublenoun

(especially in tennis and badminton) a game or competition involving sides made up of two players

‘the semi-finals of the doubles’;

Doublenoun

a system of change-ringing using five bells, with two pairs changing places each time.

Doublenoun

a pair of victories in the same sport in two different competitions

‘Manchester United won the double twice’;

Doublenoun

a home and away victory over the same team in one season or competition

‘Oldham did the double over Forest last season’;

Doublepronoun

a number or amount which is twice as large as a contrasting or usual number or amount

‘he paid double and had a room all to himself’;

Doubleverb

become twice as much or as many

‘profits doubled in one year’;

Doubleverb

make twice as much or as many of (something)

‘Clare doubled her income overnight’;

Doubleverb

amount to twice as much as

‘thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty’;

Doubleverb

move at twice the usual speed; run

‘I doubled across the deck to join the others’;

Doubleverb

make a call increasing the value of the penalty points to be scored on an opponent's bid if it wins the auction and is not fulfilled

‘it may be right for East to double’; ‘West's failure to double 4♥’;

Doubleverb

fold or bend (paper, cloth, or other material) over on itself

‘the muslin is doubled and then laid in a sieve over the bowl’;

Doubleverb

clench (a fist)

‘he had one arm around her and the other fist doubled’;

Doubleverb

pot (a ball) by making it rebound off a cushion.

Doubleverb

sail round (a headland)

‘we struck out seaward to double the headland of the cape’;

Doubleverb

be used in or play another, different role

‘a laser printer doubles as a photocopier’;

Doubleverb

(of an actor) play (two parts) in the same piece.

Doubleverb

play two or more musical instruments.

Doubleverb

add the same note in a higher or lower octave to (a note).