double-cross

Meaning

Verb

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.
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.

Noun

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

Synonyms

cheat

deceive

trick

dupe

betray

swindle

con

repeat

🔁

finagle

defraud

bilk

gull

bamboozle

hoodwink

double

victimize

change sides

turn traitor to

be treacherous

double pass

beguile

bluff

chicane

cozen

delude

fool

hoax

knave

lure

outwit

overreach

screw

sell-out

take in

Translations

doubler

trahir

hintergehen

traicionar

اختتل

ختتل

مكر

وارب

betrügen

verraten

sich im Bett umdrehen

راوغ

duper

tromper

changer de camp

Etymology

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.