In the game of basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, a double dribble is a violation in which a player dribbles the ball, clearly holds it with a combination of either one or two hands (while either moving or stationary), and then proceeds to dribble again without first either attempting a field goal

Field goal (basketball)

In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...

 or passing off to a teammate. Double dribbling can also occur if a player tries to dribble using both hands at the same time.

Official NBA rules

In the National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

, a dribble is movement of the ball, caused by a player in control, who throws or taps the ball into the air or to the floor.

The dribble ends when the player:

1. Touches the ball simultaneously with both hands
2. Permits the ball to come to rest while he/she is in control of it
3. Touches the ball more than once while dribbling, before it touches the floor.

Officials' hand signals

If a double dribble occurs, the official will first blow his whistle. To signal the violation of a double dribble, the official will place both hands straight with fingers straight out in front of him/her palms facing the ground and move one hand up and the other hand down. The double dribble sign is called the "illegal dribble" sign in the rule book.

Penalty

If a double dribble violation occurs, then the ball is awarded to the opposing team out of bounds nearest the point where the violation took place under NCAA and NFHS rules. Under NBA rules, the ball is awarded to the opposing team at the nearest spot but no closer to the baseline than the free throw line extended.