twice
/twʌɪs
/adverb
1Two times; on two occasions: the earl married twice the tablets should be taken twice a day...
- He won twice at Darley Moor and on several occasions he has picked up the first novice award.
- He sits down only twice, and takes very occasional sips from a single glass of water.
- Arthur had also been telephoning Violet at least twice a week for over twelve months.
1.1Double in degree or quantity: I’m twice your age an engine twice as big as the original...
- If the average wage doubles, then we'll all have twice as much to spend on where we live.
- We are now testing degrees of engagement at a time when we have twice as many people on the books.
- She used to be an athlete and speaks twice as fast as I can write; she has a racing demon of a voice.
Phrases
be twice the man/woman (that someone is)
once bitten, twice shy
think twice
Origin
Late Old English twiges, from the base of two + -s3 (later respelled -ce to denote the unvoiced sound); compare with once.