dog-fall

dog-fall

Two wrestlers are locked in a dog-fall on the mat.

Definition

Noun: In wrestling, a "dog-fall" refers to a situation where both wrestlers fall to the mat simultaneously, with neither gaining a clear advantage or victory. The term implies a tie or draw in the fall, often resulting in no points awarded to either competitor.

Usage Examples
  • (Both fell together without a winner.)
  • (A simultaneous fall is uncommon.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to call a dog-fall": to declare that both wrestlers have fallen at the same time.

    • The referee called a dog-fall after both athletes hit the mat simultaneously. (The official ruled it a tie.)
  • "dog-fall rule": a specific regulation in wrestling that governs how to handle simultaneous falls.

    • According to the dog-fall rule, no points are given for that fall. (The rule dictates no scoring.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Dogfall (n): a variant spelling of "dog-fall," meaning the same thing.
    • The match was a dogfall, so they had to wrestle again. (The result was a tie.)
Synonyms
  • Draw: a contest that ends with no winner.
  • Tie: a result where both sides are equal.
  • Simultaneous fall: a wrestling term for both wrestlers falling together.
Related Idioms
  • "fall to a draw": to end in a tie.

    • The match fell to a draw after a dog-fall. (It ended without a winner.)
  • "go down together": to fall simultaneously, often used metaphorically.

    • Both wrestlers went down together in a dog-fall. (They fell at the same time.)