double
Americanadjective
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twice as large, heavy, strong, etc.; twofold in size, amount, number, extent, etc..
a double portion; a new house double the size of the old one.
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composed of two like parts or members; twofold in form; paired.
double doors; a double sink.
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of, relating to, or suitable for two persons.
a double room.
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twofold in character, meaning, or conduct; dual or ambiguous.
a double interpretation.
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deceitful; hypocritical; insincere.
Assuming the identity of the deceased man, the salesman began leading a double life, keeping it secret from his live-in girlfriend.
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(of musical instruments) producing a tone an octave lower than the notes indicate.
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duple, as time or rhythm.
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folded in two; having one half folded over the other.
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(of a bed or bedclothes) full-size.
a double blanket.
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Botany. (of flowers) having many more than the normal number of petals.
double petunias; double hollyhocks.
noun
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anything that is twofold in size or amount or twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc.
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a duplicate or counterpart; something exactly or closely resembling another.
This dress is the double of that.
He is the double of his cousin.
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Also called double room. a type of hotel accommodation with two beds, or sometimes a double bed, for occupancy by two persons.
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a fold or plait.
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an alcoholic drink containing twice the usual amount of alcohol.
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a sudden backward turn or bend, as of a fox on the run in fox hunting; reversal.
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a trick or artifice, as of argument in a formal debate.
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a substitute actor or singer ready to take another's place, especially onstage; understudy.
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Movies, Television.
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a substitute who performs feats or actions too hazardous or difficult for a star.
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Baseball. two-base hit.
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Military. double time.
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(used with a singular verb) doubles, a game or match in which there are two players on each side, as in tennis.
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(in bridge or other card games)
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a challenge by an opponent that the declarer cannot fulfill the designated contract, increasing the points to be won or lost.
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a hand that warrants such a challenge.
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Bridge. a conventional bid informing one's partner that a player's hand is of a certain strength.
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Bowling. two strikes in succession.
He needed a double in the tenth frame to win.
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any of certain feasts in the Roman Catholic Church, marked by a doubled antiphon and taking precedence over lesser feasts.
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Music Rare. a variation.
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a former coin of France, the sixth part of a sol, issued in silver in the 14th century, later made of copper.
verb (used with object)
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to make double or twice as great; to add an equal amount to.
The baby doubled its weight in a year.
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to bend or fold with or as with one part over another (often followed by over, up, back, etc.).
Double the edge over before sewing.
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to clench.
He doubled his fists.
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to be or have twice as much as.
Income doubled expenditure.
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Nautical.
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to sail around (a projecting area of land).
to double Cape Horn.
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to add a new layer of planking or ceiling to (an old wooden hull).
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to pair; couple.
The players were doubled for the tournament.
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Music. to reduplicate by means of a tone in another part, either at the unison or at an octave above or below.
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(in bridge and other card games)
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to challenge (the bid of an opponent) by making a call that increases the value of tricks to be won or lost.
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to challenge the bid of (an opponent).
He doubled me into game.
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Baseball.
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to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a two-base hit.
He doubled him to third.
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to cause (a run) to be scored by a two-base hit (often followed byin ).
He doubled in the winning run.
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to put out (a base runner) as the second out of a double play (often followed byup ).
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verb (used without object)
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to become double.
My money doubled in three years.
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to bend or fold (often followed by up orover ).
to double over with pain.
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to turn back on a course or reverse direction (often followed byback ).
He doubled back by another road and surprised us.
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Military. to march at the double-time pace.
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to serve in two capacities or in an additional capacity.
She doubles as producer and director.
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to act as a double in a play, motion picture, or the like.
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Music. to play an instrument besides one's regular instrument (usually followed byon ).
The saxophonist doubles on drums.
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(in bridge and other card games) to double the bid of an opponent.
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Baseball. to make a two-base hit.
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to double-date.
adverb
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to twice the amount, number, extent, etc.; twofold; doubly.
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two together.
There are only a few beds, so some of the children will have to sleep double for the night.
verb phrase
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double down. see double down.
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double up
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to share quarters planned for only one person or family.
Because of the room shortage, we had to double up.
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to bend over, as from pain.
He doubled up in agony.
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idioms
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double or nothing, a bet having as its outcome either the doubling of a previous loss or debt or the canceling of that loss or debt. Also double or quits
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on the double,
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without delay; rapidly.
The fire engines came on the double.
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in double time, as marching troops.
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at the double, on the double.
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double in brass, to serve in two capacities; be able to do work different from one's own.
It is a small firm, and everyone doubles in brass when emergencies arise.
adjective
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as much again in size, strength, number, etc
a double portion
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composed of two equal or similar parts; in a pair; twofold
a double egg cup
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designed for two users
a double room
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folded in two; composed of two layers
double paper
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stooping; bent over
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having two aspects or existing in two different ways; ambiguous
a double meaning
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false, deceitful, or hypocritical
a double life
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(of flowers) having more than the normal number of petals
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maths
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(of a root) being one of two equal roots of a polynomial equation
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(of an integral) having an integrand containing two independent variables requiring two integrations, in each of which one variable is kept constant
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music
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(of an instrument) sounding an octave lower than the pitch indicated by the notation
a double bass
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(of time) duple, usually accompanied by the direction alla breve
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adverb
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twice over; twofold
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two together; two at a time (esp in the phrase see double )
noun
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twice the number, amount, size, etc
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a double measure of spirits, such as whisky or brandy
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a duplicate or counterpart, esp a person who closely resembles another; understudy
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a wraith or ghostly apparition that is the exact counterpart of a living person; doppelgänger
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a sharp turn, esp a return on one's own tracks
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an evasive shift or artifice; trick
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an actor who plays two parts in one play
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bridge a call that increases certain scoring points if the last preceding bid becomes the contract
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billiards snooker a strike in which the object ball is struck so as to make it rebound against the cushion to an opposite pocket
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a bet on two horses in different races in which any winnings from the horse in the first race are placed on the horse in the later race
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(often capital) RC Church one of the higher-ranking feasts on which the antiphons are recited both before and after the psalms
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music an ornamented variation in 16th and 17th century music
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Also called: double time. a pace of twice the normal marching speed
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tennis See double fault
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the narrow outermost ring on a dartboard
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a hit on this ring
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at twice normal marching speed
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quickly or immediately
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verb
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to make or become twice as much
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to bend or fold (material, a bandage, etc)
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to clench (a fist)
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(tr; often foll by together or up) to join or couple
he doubled up the team
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(tr) to repeat exactly; copy
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(intr) to play two parts or serve two roles
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(intr) to turn sharply; follow a winding course
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nautical to sail around (a headland or other point)
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music
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to duplicate (a voice or instrumental part) either in unison or at the octave above or below it
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to be capable of performing (upon an instrument additional to one's normal one)
the third trumpeter doubles on cornet
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bridge to make a call that will double certain scoring points if the preceding bid becomes the contract
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billiards snooker to cause (a ball) to rebound or (of a ball) to rebound from a cushion across or up or down the table
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chess
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to cause two pawns of the same colour to be on the same file
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to place both rooks of the same colour on the same rank or the same file
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to act as substitute (for an actor or actress)
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(intr) to go or march at twice the normal speed
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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doublesimple
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doublessimple
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have doubledperfect
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has doubledperfect
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am doublingprogressive
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are doublingprogressive
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is doublingprogressive
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have been doublingperfect progressive
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has been doublingperfect progressive
Past
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doubledsimple
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had doubledperfect
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was doublingprogressive
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were doublingprogressive
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had been doublingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of double
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin duplus, equivalent to du(o) two + -plus -fold
Explanation
Something is double if it has two parts or if there are two versions of it. If you order a double dip ice cream cone, there will be two scoops of ice cream for you to lick. If you fall while you're roller skating and end up with a double arm fracture, it means you broke your arm in two places. A joke with a double meaning has two of them, and if you double your tips at the coffee shop by smiling more at customers, you're making twice as much money. In addition to the adjective and verb versions of double, there's the noun: your double is someone who looks exactly like you.
Vocabulary lists containing double
Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
California has confirmed 52 measles cases in the first 6½ months of the year; that’s more than double the 25 cases reported in all of 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
In New York City alone, roughly 4,440 people were ordered removed in June by an immigration judge because they missed their hearings, which is more than double the number in May.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
More than 1,000 individuals had IRA balances of at least $25 million in 2024, more than double the number with similar-size accounts in 2019.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The £1.5 billion "repowering" project will take 10 years to complete and will double the electricity output from 539 megawatts to 1 gigawatt, which is enough to power about 650,000 homes.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
At last she came to a set of double doors marked with silver.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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Marco Rubio, who doubles as secretary of state and national security adviser, was in the Philippines, attending an Asian security conference, when the announcement was made.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Singles courts are 32-feet long, doubles are 45 feet and all have a wooden surface.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Both players averaged over 100 and managed over 50% on the doubles in a high-quality match but Smith hit when it mattered most to progress.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
It expands on a short-term agreement struck between Pakistan's Washington embassy and the firm in October, though the new arrangement doubles the monthly payment to $50,000.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
She pulls her legs up to lotus position on the couch and doubles over with laughter.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
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Measles cases have doubled in California so far this year compared to last year — and 2026 is barely half over.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies said Thursday net profit doubled in the second quarter as conflict in the Middle East pushed up hydrocarbon prices.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The Keeley Small Cap Fund has held TTM for more than five years, and the stock has more than doubled this year.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Firetruck costs have more than doubled over the past decade and production delays have lengthened, with delivery times now stretching up to five years, Warren and Banks say in a statement accompanying the resolution.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
His might is increased by his belt of strength, Megingjord: when he wears it, his strength is doubled.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
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Another factor was a more than doubling in capital expenditures to $5.8 billion during the three-month stretch compared with the year-ago period.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The prison population in England and Wales has risen steeply since the mid-1990s, doubling in size between 1992 and 2012.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The road’s opening resulted in a near doubling of total cars visiting the park in just one year, park staff said in an Instagram post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Mehta favors making concentrated bets—and doubling down on his winners.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The barbs released, and Matthias let out a pained huff of breath, doubling at the waist, human once more.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.