double take


noun

a rapid or surprised second look, either literal or figurative, at a person or situation whose significance had not been completely grasped at first: His friends did a double take when they saw how much weight he had lost.

Origin of double take

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example sentences from the Web for double-take

British Dictionary definitions for double-take

double take

noun

(esp in comedy) a delayed reaction by a person to a remark, situation, etc