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Double-cross

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An instance of betrayal of one who had been led to believe that the betrayer was assisting them.
  2. 2
    The hybrid product of double-crossing.
Verb
  1. 1
    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."

  2. 2
    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.

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

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