Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):
   • To bend over or curl one's body, typically due to intense laughter or severe pain: The action of sharply flexing the torso forward.
   • To share accommodations (like a room or bed) intended for a single person: To occupy a space designed for one person along with another person out of necessity.
2. Verb (transitive):
   • In gambling, to use winnings from one bet as the stake for a subsequent wager: To risk the money won from a first bet on a further bet.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (intransitive - bending over):
• Verb (intransitive - sharing space):
• Verb (transitive - gambling):

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The phrase often implies a reaction that is sudden, involuntary, and physically compelling when referring to laughter or pain.
• In the context of sharing space, it frequently conveys a sense of inconvenience, overcrowding, or making do with limited resources.
• In gambling contexts, "double up" specifically refers to a betting strategy and is not used for simply doubling a quantity in other situations.

Variants and Related Words

• Double over: A near-synonymous phrasal verb, especially for the meaning of bending over due to pain or laughter. (e.g., )
• Double (verb): To become twice as great or numerous. (e.g., ) This is a distinct, more common meaning of the base word.

Synonyms

• For bending over: Bend over, curl up, hunch over.
• For sharing space: Share, bunk together, room together.
• For gambling: Re-bet, parlay (though 'parlay' often implies a series of bets).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Double down: Primarily means to strengthen one's commitment to a strategy, especially in the face of opposition. It originates from blackjack but is now used more broadly. (e.g., ) Note: This is related but distinct from "double up" in gambling.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• Double up (on something): To get or use twice the amount of something, or for two people to share one portion or item. (e.g., / ) This idiomatic extension connects to the "sharing" meaning.

Verb

1. stake winnings from one bet on a subsequent wager
2. share a room or a bed designed for only one person
3. bend over or curl up, usually with laughter or pain
   • He doubled and vomited violently