Meaning & use
double cross
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To cheat or betray someone, especially by doing the opposite of what you promised.
Grammar: Takes an object: double-cross someone.
Patterns
- double-cross someone
- double-cross someone on something
He double-crossed his partner by selling the plans to a rival company.
She felt double-crossed when her friend told everyone her secret.
The spy double-crossed his own agency and worked for the enemy.
nouncountable
An act of cheating or betraying someone, especially after they trusted you.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a double cross' or 'double crosses'.
Patterns
- a double cross
- commit a double cross
The deal turned out to be a double cross; they never intended to pay.
He was furious about the double cross and vowed to get revenge.
Word forms
| third person singular | double-crosses |
|---|---|
| past tense | double-crossed |
| past participle | double-crossed |
| -ing form | double-crossing |
| plural | double crosses |
Common combinations
- double-cross a friend
- You should never double-cross a friend for money.
- double-cross someone on a deal
- They double-crossed us on the deal at the last minute.
- feel double-crossed
- She felt double-crossed when her colleague took all the credit.
- a double cross
- The whole plan was a double cross from the start.
Synonyms and how they differ
- betray
- More general and often more serious; can be used for emotional betrayal, not just cheating.
- cheat
- Focuses on breaking rules to gain an advantage, not necessarily on betrayal of trust.
- deceive
- Means making someone believe something false; it does not always involve breaking a promise.
Opposites
Word family
- double-crosser noun
- A person who double-crosses others.
Commonly confused: double cross or double cross (symbol)?
double cross vs double cross (symbol)
In some contexts, a double cross is a symbol (like a cross with two bars), but the common meaning is betrayal.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'double-cross' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Double-cross' means to betray or cheat someone, so 'She double-crossed her business partner' is correct. The other options confuse it with 'cross' meaning to go across or a gesture.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “double cross”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.