▪ I. doubling, vbl. n.
(ˈdʌblɪŋ)
[-ing1.]
The action of the verb double, or its result.
1. a. Twofold increase, multiplication by two, dulication; † repetition (obs.).
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ix. xxiii. (1495) 361 Reflexion and reboundynge and dowblynge of the sonne bemes. 1570 Dee Math. Pref. 29 A Mechanicall Dubblyng of the Cube. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 221 To the doubling of his griefe. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Ability Wks. (Bohn) II. 44 The rapid doubling of the population. |
b. Brewing and Distilling. (See quots.)
| 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iv. 266 They..use their next small Wort instead of the first Water for brewing Ale or more Strong Beer from fresh Malt, which they call Doubling. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., Doubling. 1. The second distillation of low wines. |
c. Mus. The use by a single player of two (or more) musical instruments. Also attrib. (Cf. double v. 1 h.)
| 1926 Whiteman & McBride Jazz ix. 198 Most of the players perform on many different instruments... Doubling is, then, the main strength of the jazz orchestra. 1927 Melody Maker May 435/2 There is no doubt that doubling is an advantage, but a player should certainly not try to play a second instrument until he is an absolute master of the one he normally uses. Ibid. Aug. 809/2 A violinist anxious to learn a ‘doubling instrument’ quickly and easily. 1955 Keepnews & Grauer Pict. Hist. Jazz iii. 40 The excess of instruments on these bandstands indicates how much ‘doubling’ a musician was expected to do. 1968 Melody Maker 23 Nov. 18 Most of those at the colleges were drummers who had switched to vibes as a doubling instrument. |
d. The action of double v. 1 d.
| 1931 G. Jacob Orchestral Technique ix. 81 Unison doublings do not help much..except in the case of high trumpet parts being doubled in unison by clarinets. 1947 C. Gray Contingencies viii. 146 The various doublings and divisis which are now the bread-and-butter of every orchestral composer. |
2. concr. The lining of a garment; esp. in Heraldry.
| 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 79 b, In Armes it is called Ermyne..In Mantles (as M. G. Leyghe sayeth) they are called doblinges. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry i. iv. (1611) 12 Doublings or linings of roabes. 1708 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. iii. iii, A Viscount's mantle hath two doublings and a half of plain white fur. 1809 J. Home in Naval Chron. XXIV. 193 A mantling gules, the doubling argent. |
3. Naut. a. A piece of timber fitted on to the bitts; fir-lining. b. The covering or lining of a ship with an extra layer of planking; the extra layer itself. c. The double-seamed border or edging of a sail. d. pl. That part of a mast between the trestletrees and the cap.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Coussin de bittes, the fir-lining or doubling of the bits. 1835 Sir J. Ross Narr. 2nd Voy. ii. 11 Such effects are very apt to follow the doubling of vessels. 1883 Harper's Mag. Aug. 450/1 The lower part of the luff..laced..to the doublings of the mast. |
4. Building. (See quots.)
| 1842–76 Gwilt Encycl. Archit. Gloss., Doubling, a term used in Scotland to denote eaves' boards. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., Doubling..2. The double course of shingles or slates at the eave of a house. |
5. The folding of any substance; a fold.
| 1634 Peacham Gentl. Exerc. i. xiii. 43 Giving to every fold his proper naturall doubling. 1665 Hooke Microgr. 141 A kind of hem or doubling of the leaf. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 9 When you double up your Iron..to make it thick enough..and..work in the doubling into one another, and make it..one..lump. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. ii. ii. §11 The structure is so arranged by ramifications and doublings as to present a very extensive surface to the air. |
6. A sudden turn in running; fig. an evasion, a shift; deceitful or tricky action, double dealing.
| 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 26 Your wurship mai the better conceive there hole dealing and dubling with me. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xii. (1632) 715 Pestred with the doublings of Lawyers. 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. (1677) 92 When Hounds hunt a Female-Hare, she will use more Crossing and Doubling. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 31 ¶8 Mean doublings to escape the pursuit of criticism. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 189 To trace all the turns and doublings of his course..would be wearisome. |
7. attrib. (various technical senses: see the vb.).
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Clous des sabords, doubling-nails, to line the gun-ports. 1774 Hull Dock Act 25 Doubling planks that may be wrought upon the sides. 1875 Ure's Dict. Arts III. 793 (Silk Manuf.) The motions are given to the doubling-machine in a very simple way. |
▪ II. ˈdoubling, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That doubles, in various senses.
1. Making, or becoming, twice as much; increasing twofold; repeating, resounding, echoing; † stammering (quot. 1621).
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iv. Handy-crafts (1621) 228 He makes the trampled ground..shake with doubling sound. 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 23 Tears..whose violence deny'd Th' intended passage of her doubling tongue. 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. (1677) 13 Heads having doubling Croches, are called Forked Heads. 1711 Pope Temp. Fame 333 Thro' the big dome the doubling thunder bounds. 1787 Cavallo in Phil. Trans. LXXVIII. 14 Experiments made with those doubling or multiplying plates. 1801 Young ibid. XCII. 45 Doubling [= double-refracting] spars. |
2. Folding, bending.
| 1633 G. Herbert Temple, Longing i, With doubling knees and weary bones. |
3. Turning suddenly in running; fig. evasive.
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxvii. (1887) 164 Deepe dissembling and dubling hypocrisie. 1635 Quarles Embl. iv. iv. (1718) 201 The hindmost hound oft takes the doubling hare. 1735 Somerville Chase ii. 17 With Steps revers'd She forms the doubling Maze. 1755 H. Walpole Let. to H. S. Conway 15 Nov., Lord Egmont was doubling, absurd, and obscure. |