# How did the phrase "double-dollar" arise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 2, 2022, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901 "2022-12-02T02:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/1 "2022-12-02T02:48:35Z")
It sounds like something that originated in gambling parlance, now mostly used for things like lottery tickets or scratch-offs. By extension it’s used for things like 2-for-1 sales or matching-fund charities. But I don’t actually know. Anyone? P.S. and its use as some sort of variable flag in programming, but that’s obviously a newer thing. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/2 "2022-12-02T04:30:34Z")
Don’t think I’ve ever heard the phrase “double dollar.” Is it a two-dollar bill? Like a “double sawbuck” is a twenty? ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/3 "2022-12-02T05:26:36Z")
I’ve never heard this phrase either. Maybe it’s a regional thing? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/4 "2022-12-02T10:14:04Z")
I have a vague recollection of $$ being used as a variable in computer programing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/5 "2022-12-02T10:19:33Z")
I have never heard this phrase before, but it sounds like it’s simply something like “double [your] dollar” or that each dollar is worth double. If I’m intuiting the meaning of the phrase correctly, it seems simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/6 "2022-12-02T15:47:36Z")
Double dollars are the currency used in the _Trigun_ universe, with the main character Vash the Stampede having a $$60,000,000,000 (sixty billion double dollar) bounty on his head. The setting is heavily influenced by Old West culture. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/7 "2022-12-02T17:16:42Z")
Another vote for “never heard of it.” OP please provide more context. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/8 "2022-12-02T20:35:17Z")
Yeah, also never heard this phrase before. OP, where are you located? Maybe it’s some small regionalism. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/9 "2022-12-02T21:30:18Z")
The OP specifically mentions matching charitable contributions, where “double your dollar” is a common phrase. Never heard it without the “your”. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/10 "2022-12-02T21:44:11Z")
Yep. The phrase as quoted is unknown to me. However, "double your dollar” likely goes back a while. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-phrase-double-dollar-arise/975901/11 "2022-12-02T23:29:27Z")
I’ve never heard the phrase, and googling “double dollar” doesn’t turn up any obvious uses as described by the OP. Most of the hits are related to computer programming.