double whammy
noun informal
A twofold blow or setback: a double whammy of taxation and price increases...
- Losing Hampton could be a double whammy, a blow to the Mets and a boost to their N.L. East arch rival, the Braves.
- We've had a double whammy in the last couple of months in that oil prices have gone up and the Aussie has gone down, very, very sharply.
- Can we survive this sporting drought for another couple of weeks until the double whammy of the new football season and the Olympics hit with a vengeance?
Origin
1950s: originally with reference to the comic strip Li'l Abner (see whammy).