A double lift is a sleight of hand maneuver used by magicians in card magic. It is a method by which the identity of the top card may be kept secret by lifting the top two cards as one, making it seem as if only the top card is picked up. Similar techniques may be applied to more than two cards to perform a triple or even quadruple lift.[1] The term was coined by Theo Annemann.[2]
When the card is shown to the audience, the audience is tricked into believing that they are shown the top card in the deck where in fact they are shown the second card. When the cards are displayed, the maneuver is sometimes called the "double turnover".
Some versions of the ambitious card routine rely almost entirely upon this sleight. In combination with a few other mechanics and good showmanship, entire routines can be made out of this single move.