twice

[ twahys ]

adverb

1. two times, as in succession:

   Write twice a week.

2. on two occasions; in two instances:

   I phoned him twice.

3. in twofold quantity or degree; in double the amount or degree:

   twice as much.

twice

/ twaɪs /

adverb

1. two times; on two occasions or in two cases

   he coughed twice

2. double in degree or quantity

   twice as long

Word History and Origins

Origin of twice¹

before 1150; Middle English twies, equivalent to twie twice ( Old English twige, cognate with Old Frisian twīa, Old Saxon tuuīo; twi- ) + -s -s ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of twice¹

Old English twiwa ; related to Old Norse tvisvar , Middle Low German twiges

Idioms and Phrases

see cheap at twice the price ; lightning never strikes twice ; once bitten, twice shy ; think twice .

Example Sentences

“I heard them say, ‘He was shot twice,’” the father, Joseph Dossi, remembers.

From The Daily Beast

The cops gave chase and the gunman fired the big revolver twice more.

From The Daily Beast

He beat his illness twice, wrote about his battles with the disease, and continued broadcasting even as his health was failing.

From The Daily Beast

And with regular clients that see him at least twice a month, relationships inevitably form.

From The Daily Beast

He won re-election twice as governor of New York, and had the hubris to run for a fourth term before being defeated in 1994.

From The Daily Beast

We had six field-pieces, but we only took four, harnessed wit twice the usual number of horses.

From Project Gutenberg

Twice a year the formal invitation was sent out by the old nobleman to his only son, and to his two nephews.

From Project Gutenberg

Afterwards we saw you once or twice at tea at the Ritz, and you took off your hat, so you must have remembered then.

From Project Gutenberg

Our class has swelled to about a dozen persons now, and a good many others come and play to him once or twice and then go.

From Project Gutenberg

One old aunt in particular visited him twice a year, and stayed six months each time.

From Project Gutenberg