egg-and-spon race

Definition

Noun: An "egg-and-spoon race" is a race in which participants must carry an egg balanced on a spoon, typically held in their mouth or hand, while running to the finish line. The objective is to complete the race without dropping the egg.

Usage Examples

Advanced Usage

• "To run an egg-and-spoon race": to participate in or organize such a race.
  • The school decided to run an egg-and-spoon race as a fun activity for the students.
• "Egg-and-spoon race" as a metaphor: Used to describe a situation requiring delicate balance or careful handling under pressure.
  • Negotiating the deal felt like an egg-and-spoon race — one wrong move and everything could fall apart.

Variants and Related Words

• Egg-and-spoon (n): a shortened form, often used informally.
  • The egg-and-spoon is a classic party game.
• Spoon race (n): a similar race using a spoon, though not necessarily with an egg.
  • The spoon race was a hit at the picnic.

Synonyms

• Balance race: a race emphasizing balance (general term).
• Steady-hand race: a race requiring a steady hand (informal).

Related Idioms

• To have a steady hand: to be able to keep something balanced or stable.
  • You need a steady hand to win an egg-and-spoon race.
• To drop the ball: to make a mistake (idiom, not directly related but similar in meaning to dropping the egg).
  • He dropped the egg in the egg-and-spoon race — a classic example of dropping the ball.