Dictionary

double-cross en · NOUN

Etymology

First recorded in 1834 from thieves' slang cross (or on the cross) to refer to something dishonest, a play on straight or square: a crook going back on his partners would therefore be crossing the crossers, or double-crossing.

Meanings

1. An act or instance of deliberate betrayal or deceit, especially in which one party violates a prior agreement or trust with a collaborator.
   • The only problem is that Cosmo accidentally double-crosses the double-cross: By sheer luck he succeeds at the murder and gets away, which leaves the mob in the uncomfortable position of having to do the dirty work of rubbing him out themselves. 1985, Raymond Carney, The Films of John Cassavetes, Pragmatism, Modernism, and the Movies, page 185:
2. Of a breeding, the hybrid product of double-crossing.

Forms

double-cross en · VERB

Etymology

First recorded in 1834 from thieves' slang cross (or on the cross) to refer to something dishonest, a play on straight or square: a crook going back on his partners would therefore be crossing the crossers, or double-crossing.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To betray or go back on; to deceive someone after having gained their trust and led them to believe that they were being aided.
   • If you double-cross us, we'll track you down and kill you.
   • I've been double crossed / By a double dealin', double winnin' / Looks like I'm the one who lost. 1979, First Choice, “Double Cross”, in Hold Your Horses:
2. (transitive) Of breeding, to cross twice in hybridization, as (A × B) × (C × D); for example, in commercial hybrid seed corn, A through D are classically inbreds, and their grandoffspring is the seed for sale.

Forms

Deriveds

double-crosser · double-double-cross

Synonyms

renegade · sell the pass · cross out · double-cross · stab in the back · betray · do the dirty on · quisle · sell down the river · traitorize · cop out · swike · sell out · stab in the back · play someone false · false · burn · quisle · sell · turncoat · let down · do someone dirty · sell out · go back on · knife · cross up · assfuck · sell down

Translations (13)

pl wystawić do wiatru (to betray or go back on) · bg играя двойна игра (to betray or go back on) · de hintergehen (to betray or go back on) · pl wystawiać do wiatru (to betray or go back on) · ru обвести́ вокру́г пальца́ (to betray or go back on) · ru преда́ть (to betray or go back on) · de ein Doppelspiel treiben mit (to betray or go back on) · cmn 背叛 (to betray or go back on) · bg измамвам (to betray or go back on) · de aufs Kreuz legen (to betray or go back on) · el προδίδω (to betray or go back on) · bg предавам (to betray or go back on) · cmn 出賣 /出卖 (to betray or go back on)