double takes
Surprised second glances
A double take is a delayed reaction where someone looks at something, looks away, then looks back sharply upon realizing what they saw.
The comedy comes from the gap between perception and comprehension: He did a double take when he noticed his ex at the party.
The term originates in film acting but now describes any such startled second glance.
- reactAnswer a stimulus
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- comedyWork meant to amuse
- physical comedyHumor from bodily mishaps
- astonishmentIntense sudden wonder
amazement · slapstick · hesitation · slow burn · respond · reexamination · recognition · realization · disbelief · vaudeville · classic comedy · stare · gape · timing · comic timing · pratfalls · Laurel and Hardy · Three Stooges
- flirtingpickup line, wink, winking, hair flip, chat-up line
- jokesjokes, joke, puns, one-liners, pun
- stage comedyslapstick, pratfalls, sketches, skits, vaudeville
- tomfoolerysilliness, foolery, clownery, clownishness, goofing off
- Visual Comedyslapstick, pratfall, pratfalls, sight gag, sight gags
- comedy typesclown, satire, parody, farce, slapstick
double takesoverlooking
Failing to see or consider
ignoring · obliviousness · inattention · tuning out · disregard
double, take, doubles, doubled, doubling, doubly, takes, taken, taking