double tap

English

Alternative forms

• double-tap, doubletap

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

double tap (plural double taps)

1. (idiomatic) A tactical shooting technique of pulling the trigger of a weapon twice in quick succession to deliver two shots to the same target zone.
2. Two shots or bullets such fired.
   • 2013 July 31, Gary J. Crawford, Double Tap: A Sam Mccloud Novel‎^[1], Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 89:

     “You said yourself that it looked like a professional hit with a double tap to the head. She could have hired it done and what better alibi than to be in another state when the murder took place,” Danny said.

3. (by extension) A bombing strategy where the same target is attacked twice, with the second attack targeting rescuers and mourners.
   • 2016, Christine Sixta Rinehart, Drones and Targeted Killing in the Middle East and Africa: An Appraisal of American Counterterrorism Policies, Lexington Books, →ISBN, page 91:

     Perhaps initially in Afghanistan, the double tap was useful as al-Qa'ida or Taliban members would collect the bodies.

Verb

double tap (third-person singular simple present double taps, present participle double tapping, simple past and past participle double tapped)

1. To shoot twice.
2. To click twice on a touchscreen.
   • 2020 June 27, Chad V. Holtkamp, The Spook & Goon Space Adventures Series: Missions 4-6 (The SPOOK & GOON Space Adventures Series Boxset)‎^[2], CVH Group, Inc., →ISBN, →OCLC:

     Peitz tapped the screen and scrolled through a variety of drink icons. He double tapped a couple of others to add the extras and the comm dinged once it registered the final selection.

   • 2015 October 29, Stewart Melart, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus for Seniors: The Complete Guide (1)‎^[3], Conceptual Kings:

     To open an app, tap an item or toggle a switch by choosing the item and then double tapping the screen. When the selected item is double tapped, it will invoke the command as desired.