cartwheel
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A gymnastic or acrobatic movement: A circular, sideways rotation of the body where a person lands on one hand, then the other, followed by the feet, with arms and legs extended like the spokes of a wheel.
- A type of wheel: A large, simple wheel with wooden spokes and a metal rim, traditionally used on carts and wagons.
- A silver dollar (U.S., informal, dated): A slang term for a large, silver one-dollar coin.
Verb:
- To perform a cartwheel: To execute the acrobatic movement of turning one's body sideways in a complete circle, supported by the hands.
Usage and Examples
- As a Noun (Acrobatic Movement):
- The gymnast finished her routine with a perfect cartwheel.
- The children were doing cartwheels on the lawn.
- As a Noun (Wheel):
- The old wagon had a broken cartwheel.
- As a Noun (Coin, informal):
- He paid for the drink with a cartwheel.
- As a Verb:
- She can cartwheel across the entire field.
- They cartwheeled down the hill in celebration.
Advanced Usage
- "to turn cartwheels": An alternative phrasing meaning to perform cartwheels, often used figuratively to express great joy or excitement.
- He was so happy he felt like turning cartwheels.
- The verb form is typically used intransitively (without a direct object).
Variants and Related Words
- Cartwheeling (gerund/noun): The action of performing cartwheels.
- Her constant cartwheeling showed her boundless energy.
Synonyms
- Handspring (noun): A similar acrobatic move where the body flips forward or backward from hands to feet. (Note: A handspring involves a different body position and rotation than a cartwheel).
- Wheel (noun): The general term, but lacks the specific structural or acrobatic connotations.
- Silver dollar (noun): The formal term for the coin.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "To do/go into cartwheels": To react with excessive or frantic activity, often due to surprise or panic (figurative).
- My schedule went into cartwheels after the meeting was canceled.
- While not a phrasal verb, the action is sometimes described with prepositions like "across" or "down" to indicate direction.
- She cartwheeled across the stage.
Noun
- a dollar made of silver
- acrobatic revolutions with the body turned sideways and the arms and legs outstretched like the spokes of a wheel
- a wheel that has wooden spokes and a metal rim
Verb
- do cartwheels: perform an acrobatic movement using both hands and feet