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The broad outlines of the Double Cross deception have been known since 1972, when Sir John Masterman, the former chairman of the double agent committee, controversially published his account of the operation in defiance of official secrecy.
Ben Macintyre

Meaning of "double agent" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF DOUBLE AGENT

double agent play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF DOUBLE AGENT

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Double agent is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES DOUBLE AGENT MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Double agent

A double agent, or double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on a different target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization themselves. Double agentry may be practiced by spies of the target organization who infiltrate the controlling organization, or may result from the turning of previously loyal agents of the controlling organization by the target. The threat of execution is the most common method of turning a captured agent into a double agent or a double agent into a re-doubled agent. It is unlike a defector, who is not considered an agent as agents are in place to function for an intelligence service and defectors are not, but some consider that defectors in place are agents until they have defected. Double agents are often used to transmit disinformation or to identify other agents as part of counter-espionage operations. They are often very trusted by the controlling organization since the target organization will give them true, but useless or even counterproductive, information to pass along.

Definition of double agent in the English dictionary

The definition of double agent in the dictionary is a spy employed by two mutually antagonistic countries, companies, etc.

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE DOUBLE AGENT

double act
double album
double back
double bar
double bass
double bassoon
double bed
double bedroom
double bill
double bind
double bluff
double boiler
double bond
double bounce
double bridle
double chin
double coconut
double concerto
double consonant
double cream

WORDS THAT END LIKE DOUBLE AGENT

agent
alkylating agent
chelating agent
chemical agent
county agent
estate agent
export agent
free agent
insurance agent
intelligent
newsagent
oxidizing agent
patent agent
reagent
real-estate agent
release agent
secret agent
special agent
surface-active agent
travel agent
wetting agent

Synonyms and antonyms of double agent in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «double agent» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF DOUBLE AGENT

Find out the translation of double agent to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of double agent from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «double agent» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

双重间谍
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

agente doble
570 millions of speakers

English

double agent
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

डबल एजेंट
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

عميل مزدوج
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

двойной агент
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

agente duplo
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

ডাবল এজেন্ট
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

agent double
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Ejen berganda
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Doppelagent
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

二重スパイ
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

더블 에이전트
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Kaping pindho agen
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

điệp viên hai mang
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

இரட்டை முகவர்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

दुहेरी एजंट
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

Çift madde
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

doppio agente
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

podwójny agent
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

подвійний агент
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

agent dublu
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

διπλός πράκτορας
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

dubbele agent
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

dubbelagent
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

dobbeltagent
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of double agent

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «DOUBLE AGENT»

The term «double agent» is regularly used and occupies the 74.674 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
65
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «double agent» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of double agent
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «double agent».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «DOUBLE AGENT» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «double agent» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «double agent» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about double agent

EXAMPLES

QUOTES WITH «DOUBLE AGENT»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word double agent.
1
Ben Macintyre
The broad outlines of the Double Cross deception have been known since 1972, when Sir John Masterman, the former chairman of the double agent committee, controversially published his account of the operation in defiance of official secrecy.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «DOUBLE AGENT»

Discover the use of double agent in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to double agent and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
God's Double Agent: The True Story of a Chinese Christian's ...
Anyone who cares about the persecution of God's household in China and in the Middle East should read this book.
Bob Fu, Nancy French, 2013
2
Double Agent: The Critic and Society
He examines the development of practical criticism, the rise and fall of literary journalism, and the growth of American Studies, and rereads the work of critics like Arnold, Walter Pater, I.A. Richards, Roland Barthes, Edmund Wilson, R.P. ...
Morris Dickstein, 1996
3
Double Agent Snow
Based on recently de-classified MI5 files and previously unpublished sources, Double Agent Snow is the story of a secret Battle of Britain, fought by Snow and his opposing spymasters, Thomas 'Tar' Robertson of MI5 and Nikolaus Ritter of the ...
James Hayward, 2013
4
Harriet the Spy, Double Agent
Praise for Harriet the Spy® and Her Friends Harriet the Spy® “Harriet is . . . wholly relatable whether you’re eleven or several times that age.”—EW.com Harriet Spies Again By Louise Fitzhugh and Helen Ericson Winner of the Edgar ...
Louise Fitzhugh, Maya Gold, 2009
5
Dope Double Agent: the Naked Emperor on Drugs
Dope Double Agent is a war on drugs story, one that starts in the 60s and only ends with the last lines of the book.
Michael Agar, 2006
6
Double Agent
Chris Panos, is a spy for God... Double Agent is a sequel to God's Spy a best seller... This Book will help the reader to step forward into new heights... Double Agent has a unique style written for the cross over market.
Chris Panos, 2002
7
Double Agent
Thrasher never took chances with his freedom.
Debra Kayn, 2011
8
Zigzag: The Incredible Wartime Exploits of Double Agent ...
A film of ZigZag is in the works with Tom Hanks producing and Mike Newell directing.
Nicholas Booth, 2013
9
Double Agent: A Thriller
Double Agent is third book in the Snapshot series.
Sean Sweeney, 2011
10
The Interpreter: Journal of a German Double Agent in ...
Set during the occupation of France of 1940 - 44 during which time the author fought as a member of the resistance. the story follows her interrogation imprisonment and subsequent unexpected release by the German Nazi Officer Frank Van ...
Marcelle Kellermann, 2011

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «DOUBLE AGENT»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term double agent is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Eric Holder, Wall Street Double Agent, Comes in From the Cold
Eric Holder has gone back to work for his old firm, the white-collar defense heavyweight Covington & Burling. The former attorney general ... «RollingStone.com, Jul 15»
2
“Big Brother 17” Week 2 Recap
Austin is a character that is big talk, but no bite at the moment. Jeff is another double agent. He has good relations with everyone in the house, ... «LA Canyon News, Jul 15»
3
Ask A Trans Woman: Caitlyn Jenner's Transition
... identifying as a Republican so she can sneak into their ranks and be all super-secret-double agent and just blow the Fox News addled minds ... «Rainbow Times, Jul 15»
4
Football transfer rumours: Chelsea to increase £20m bid for Real …
For 26-year-old Richards is in fact a double agent, sent into Villa's ranks to for one purpose and one purpose only, to tap up Fabian Delph. «The Guardian, Jul 15»
5
Ex-Double Agent: Books, Movies Were my Training Against Russians
The FBI gave him virtually no training, so he taught himself to be a double agent against the Russians, Naveed Jamali tells Newsmax TV. «Newsmax, Jul 15»
6
The Mob's IT Department
Adibelli was clever, recruiting Van De Moere and Maertens the way a spymaster develops a double agent. By the time they understood what ... «Bloomberg, Jul 15»
7
'Call of Duty: Black Ops 3' Zombie mode: San Diego Comic-Con …
... on the story of a group of technologically-enhanced soldiers making their way through Uzbekistan as they attempt to locate a double agent. «ChristianToday, Jul 15»
8
King & Seeley 'Spyral' Out of Control on "Grayson" Comic Books
Speaking of trust, in the latest issue, thinking he's a double agent, Dick knocks out Agent 1 in an attempt to gain some distance between him ... «Comic Book Resources, Jul 15»
9
Breaking Down Donald Trump's Business Backlash
A double agent. Gone full circle double agent showing how crazy that party is. Every time he opens his mouth he galvanizes the opposition. «Access Hollywood, Jul 15»
10
Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky on trial in 1963
Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky on trial in 1963. Soviet double agent Oleg Penkovsky on trial in Russia in 1963. He was later found guilty. «Daily Mail, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Double agent [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/double-agent>. Apr 2024 ».
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