on the double

Idioms and Phrases

Very quickly, as in You'd better get here on the double . This expression, also put as at the double , came from the military, where it means “double time”—that is, marching twice as fast as normally. [Early 1800s]

Example Sentences

The Blues became the first team in English top-flight history to win four titles in a row in 2024, but they missed out on the Double when Manchester United pulled off a surprising win against their rivals in the FA Cup final.

From BBC

Villa have also spent £35m on signing Ian Maatsen from Chelsea, £18.6m on the double signing of Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, £18m on Jaden Philogene’s return from Hull, £5m on Ross Barkley's move from Luton and £9m on Lewis Dobbin's transfer from Everton.

From BBC

That’s why the campaign likely will focus heavily on the “double disapprovers” — Americans who dislike both Biden and Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

“The number of plays he makes on the back end, the plays on the slow roller, the plays in the hole, the feeds on the double plays, the accuracy of the throws across the diamond, his understanding of the internal clock that he has with the speed of the base runner, it’s awesome,” Servais said.

From Seattle Times

A run scored on the double, and Cobb threw a called third strike past rookie Elly De La Cruz on his career-high 131st pitch for his eighth strikeout, sixth career complete game and second this year.

From Washington Times