subs. (colloquial).—1. A trick.
2. (theatrical).—An actor playing two parts in the same piece; used also as a verb.
1825. P. EGAN, The Life of an Actor, ‘The Country Manager.’ I make no reserve for myself, like all other managers; indeed, I am to DOUBLE any character, and only anxious to make the most of every little bit.
3. (thieves’).—See quot.
1879. J. W. HORSLEY, ‘Autobiography of a Thief,’ in Macmillan’s Magazine, XL., 501. I piped a slavey (servant) come out of a chat (house), so when she had got a little way up the DOUBLE (turning) I pratted (went) in the house.
4. (printers’).—Repetition of a word or sentence.
[DOUBLE, adj. and adv., is also used as an intensitive in many obscene or offensive connotations: e.g., DOUBLE-ARSED = large in the posteriors; DOUBLE-DUGGS (and DOUBLE-DUGGED or DIDDIED) = heavy breasted; DOUBLE-GUTS (and DOUBLE-GUTTED) = excessively corpulent; DOUBLE-CUNTED = stretched beyond service; DOUBLE-HOCKED = abnormally thick ankled; DOUBLE-SHUNG = extravagantly large in the genitals; DOUBLE-MOUTHED = mouth-almighty (q.v.); and so forth.]
TO PUT THE DOUBLE ON, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To circumvent.
TO TIP or GIVE THE DOUBLE, verb. phr. (common).—To run or slip away openly or unperceived; to double as a hare; formerly to escape one’s creditors. Also to TIP ONE THE DUBLIN PACKET. For synonyms, see AMPUTATE and SKEDADDLE.
1781. G. PARKER, A View of Society, I., 174, s.v.
1860. H. H. DIXON (‘The Druid’), The Post and the Paddock.
| Alas! my innocent Rural Police, | |
| Your fondest hopes were a bubble; | |
| Your attempts to prevent a breach of the peace, | |
| Your race o’er the Derbyshire stubble; | |
| You must freely own that you felt like geese, | |
| When Sam Rogers GAVE YOU THE DOUBLE. |
1870. Daily News, 26 May. ‘The Metropolitan Police.’ The policeman must do his best to ‘keep square’ with the sergeant who looks after him and his beats, who can be down upon him at any moment and DOUBLE UPON HIM three or four times a-night.
1884. HAWLEY SMART, From Post to Finish, ch. i. Old Gregson would never PUT THE DOUBLE UPON US. No, it’s right enough, you may depend upon it.
