Meaning & use
double parked
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“double parked” is a form of “double-park”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Past tense and past participle of double-park: stopped a vehicle beside another already parked at the curb, so it blocks part of the road.
Grammar: Often used without an object: he double-parked outside the shop.
Patterns
- double-park outside something
- be double-parked
He double parked outside the bakery and ran in for bread.
The delivery driver double parked and switched on his hazard lights.
A van was double parked, so the buses could not get past.
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing a vehicle standing next to a parked car and blocking part of the road.
Grammar: Often before a noun or after be: a double-parked truck.
Patterns
- a double-parked car
- be double-parked
A double-parked taxi caused a long line of traffic.
The cyclist swerved around a double-parked van.
Every morning there are double-parked cars outside the school.
Common combinations
- double parked outside
- She double parked outside the pharmacy for a minute.
- double-parked car
- A double-parked car blocked the bike lane.
- double-parked delivery truck
- A double-parked delivery truck narrowed the street to one lane.
- ticketed for double parking
- He was ticketed for double parking near the station.
- double parked with hazard lights on
- The driver double parked with the hazard lights on.
Synonyms and how they differ
- illegally parked
- Illegally parked covers any parking offence, while double parked names one specific one.
- stopped
- Stopped says only that the car is not moving, with no hint of blocking the road.
- blocking
- Blocking describes the effect on traffic, but a double-parked car also sits next to another parked car.
Opposites
Word family
- double-park verb
- to park beside another parked vehicle
- double parking noun
- the act of parking this way
- parking noun
- leaving a vehicle in a place
Commonly confused: double parked or parallel parked?
double parked vs parallel parked
Parallel parked means parked in line with the curb in a gap between cars, which is legal; double parked is not.
Practice
The delivery driver ____ outside the store, and traffic backed up behind him.
Choose one answer.
Double parked fits because it blocks the road. The other choices would not cause a traffic jam.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “double parked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.