double-cross
to trick someone
TRANSLATION
double-cross = ein Doppelspiel treiben double-cross = das Doppelspiel (woerterbuch.info) --- GOOGLE INDEX double-cross: approximately 1,700,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Wynter disappeared in March 1998, and underworld sources suggest he may have been killed after DOUBLE-CROSSING the family.
(BBC News)
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"A French woman, when DOUBLE-CROSSED, will kill her rival; the Italian woman would rather kill her deceitful lover; the English woman simply breaks off relations. But they all console themselves with another man."
- French actor Charles Boyer
(BBC News)
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"A French woman, when DOUBLE-CROSSED, will kill her rival; the Italian woman would rather kill her deceitful lover; the English woman simply breaks off relations. But they all console themselves with another man."
- French actor Charles Boyer
Did you
know?
double-cross
verb
- to deceive someone by working only for your own advantage in the (usually illegal) activities you have planned together
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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WORD ORIGIN
There are several theories regarding the origin of the expression double-cross, none of which have ever been confirmed.
In his book, A Man Called Intrepid, William Stevenson claims that the expression originated with the Double Cross System, a British military World War II counterintelligence operation. Apparently, the committee that ran the operation, whose goal was to turn known German agents into sources of disinformation, met regularly in room 20 at headquarters. The number on the door to the room was written in Roman numerals, hence XX. Stevenson writes that the committee members began calling themselves "Room 20," and finally, the "double-cross" operation.
Another theory is that double-cross began in London during the 18th century with a 'thief-taker' called Jonathan Wilde. In the days before regular police service, thief-takers were paid to deliver criminals to the court. Wilde got his information mainly through informers, often criminals themselves who Wilde protected as long as they were of use to him. Wilde marked each of his informants with a cross in a book. If they failed to supply enough or the right information or could no longer pay Wilde for his silence, he added a second cross and delivered them to the magistrates for trial. They were then double-crossed.
(sources: Wikipedia, The Phrase Finder)
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SYNONYMS
betray, cheat, con, cross, deceive, defraud, four-flush, hoodwink, juggle, mislead, sell, sell out, split, swindle, take in, trick, two-time
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
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ANTONYMS
be faithful, be loyal, undeceive
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"With trusted suppliers we have a gentleman's agreement, and I have never been double-crossed."
verb
- to deceive someone by working only for your own advantage in the (usually illegal) activities you have planned together
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
WORD ORIGIN
There are several theories regarding the origin of the expression double-cross, none of which have ever been confirmed.
In his book, A Man Called Intrepid, William Stevenson claims that the expression originated with the Double Cross System, a British military World War II counterintelligence operation. Apparently, the committee that ran the operation, whose goal was to turn known German agents into sources of disinformation, met regularly in room 20 at headquarters. The number on the door to the room was written in Roman numerals, hence XX. Stevenson writes that the committee members began calling themselves "Room 20," and finally, the "double-cross" operation.
Another theory is that double-cross began in London during the 18th century with a 'thief-taker' called Jonathan Wilde. In the days before regular police service, thief-takers were paid to deliver criminals to the court. Wilde got his information mainly through informers, often criminals themselves who Wilde protected as long as they were of use to him. Wilde marked each of his informants with a cross in a book. If they failed to supply enough or the right information or could no longer pay Wilde for his silence, he added a second cross and delivered them to the magistrates for trial. They were then double-crossed.
(sources: Wikipedia, The Phrase Finder)
---
SYNONYMS
betray, cheat, con, cross, deceive, defraud, four-flush, hoodwink, juggle, mislead, sell, sell out, split, swindle, take in, trick, two-time
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
ANTONYMS
be faithful, be loyal, undeceive
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"With trusted suppliers we have a gentleman's agreement, and I have never been double-crossed."
