doubles
doubles Lexical Profile
doubles Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A game or match, especially in tennis, badminton, or table tennis, played between two teams of two players each.
"The sisters teamed up to win the women's doubles championship at the tournament."
People or things that look almost identical to others, or stand-ins who replace actors in specific film scenes; the plural of double.
"The action movie relied heavily on skilled stunt doubles for the high-speed driving sequences."
A popular Trinidadian street food consisting of two flatbreads (bara) filled with curried chickpeas (channa) and topped with various chutneys or pepper sauce.
"We stopped at a roadside vendor in Port of Spain to buy hot doubles for breakfast."
• verb
To make or become twice as much or as many in size, amount, or number (third-person singular simple present of double).
"This investment strategy doubles the initial capital over a ten-year period."
To serve a secondary function or play an additional role (usually followed by 'as'; third-person singular simple present of double).
"The small guest bedroom doubles as a quiet home office during the week."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a two-on-two match in sports like tennis or badminton, or the Trinidadian street food, 'doubles' is treated as a singular uncountable noun in meaning and frequently takes a singular verb (e.g., 'Doubles is my favorite event to watch').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Middle English 'double', borrowed from Old French and tracing back to the Latin 'duplus', meaning 'twofold' or 'twice as much'.