double-nickel
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
The national speed limit of 55 miles per hour introduced in the USA in 1974.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
But in 1982 they found a loophole: Keep the double-nickel speed limit, but effectively allow motorists to drive up to 65 by designating that speed a “waste of a finite resource” and setting the fine at $15.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The number 55 (by extension).
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “double-nickel” mean?
The national speed limit of 55 miles per hour introduced in the USA in 1974.
Is “double-nickel” formal or informal?
double-nickel is generally slang.