Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

double-cross

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.70 in modern English

Syllables: dou-ble-cross
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To betray or go back on; to deceive someone after having gained their trust and led them to believe that they were being aided.

Transitive verb

verb

Of breeding, to cross twice in hybridization, as (A × B) × (C × D); for example, in commercial hybrid seed corn, A through D are classically inbreds, and their grandoffspring is the seed for sale.

Transitive verb

noun

An act or instance of deliberate betrayal or deceit, especially in which one party violates a prior agreement or trust with a collaborator.

noun

Of a breeding, the hybrid product of double-crossing.

Example Sentences

"If you double-cross us, we'll track you down and kill you."
"I've been double crossed / By a double dealin', double winnin' / Looks like I'm the one who lost."
"The only problem is that Cosmo accidentally double-crosses the double-cross: By sheer luck he succeeds at the murder and gets away, which leaves the mob in the uncomfortable position of having to do the dirty work of rubbing him out themselves."

Etymology

First recorded in 1834 from thieves' slang cross (or on the cross) to refer to something dishonest, a play on straight or square: a crook going back on his partners would therefore be crossing the crossers, or double-crossing.

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

double-crosses (present, singular) double-crossing (participle, present) double-crossed (participle, past) double-crossed (past) double-crosses (plural)

Phrases

double-crosser double-double-cross

Synonyms

quisle sell out stab in the back assfuck betray burn cop out cross out cross up double-cross do someone dirty do the dirty on

Questions

What does double-cross mean?: To betray or go back on; to deceive someone after having gained their trust and led them to believe that they were being aided.
Where does double-cross come from?: First recorded in 1834 from thieves' slang cross (or on the cross) to refer to something dishonest, a play on straight or square: a crook going back on his partners would therefore be crossing the crossers, or double-crossing.

How to pronounce double-cross

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