1. A double quantity; twice as much or many; a number or magnitude multiplied by two.

1393    J. Gower Confessio I. 170   He saith that other have shall The double of that his felawe axeth.

a1400  (1325)    Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 7644   Dauid him þe doubil broght.

c1430    Art Nombryng (1922) 7   If thow truly double the halfis and truly half the doubles.

c1500    Three Kings’ Sons (E.E.T.S.) 76   There were moo slayn of them by double than they were that assailed them.

1611    Bible (A.V.) Isa. lxi. 7   In their land they shal possesse the double.

1715    tr. D. Gregory Elements Astron. I. ii. §59. 350   The arcs GL, LH‥respectively the doubles of AE, EB.

1875    B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. 485   Ten, which is the double of five.

 2. A thing that is an exact repetition of another.

 †a. A duplicate, copy, transcript (of a writing). Obs. (chiefly Sc.)

1543    Sc. Acts Mary (1814) 436 (Jam.)   The auctentik dowble of thir our souerain ladeis lettrez of summondis.

1628    R. Boyle Diary in Lismore Papers (1886) II. 259   My laste will and testament, with a dowble therof, both signed.

1752    J. Louthian Form of Process (ed. 2) 60   Of which Warrant, the Messenger‥is‥ordained to give a just Double‥to the Prisoner himself.

 b. A counterpart; an image, or exact copy (of a thing or person).

 c. spec. The apparition of a living person; a wraith, fetch.

1798    Geraldina II. 189   Lady Withers, who is this Lady’s double, and attends her constantly.

1818    H. J. Todd Johnson’s Dict. Eng. Lang.,   Double‥4. In modern times, used for resemblance; as, his or her double, meaning another person extremely like the party.

1826    B. Disraeli Vivian Grey II. iii. v. 50,   I fancy, that in this mysterious‥woman, I have met a kind of double of myself.

1826    W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 1012   The ‘fetch’ or double of the Gottingen student.

1871    R. A. Proctor Light Sci. 294   The appearance of a double or ‘fetch’ has ever been held‥to signify approaching death.

 †d. pl. Two of the same kind; twins. Obs.

1413    Pilgr. Sowle (1483) v. x. 100   Gemini that ben cleped twynnes or doubles.