jackstraws
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A game of skill and steady hands: A game in which players take turns attempting to remove thin, often carved sticks (called jackstraws or spillikins) from a scattered pile without disturbing any of the others.
Usage
The word "jackstraws" is used as a singular noun to refer to the game itself. It is typically treated as an uncountable noun when naming the activity. * The children spent the afternoon playing jackstraws. * Do you know the rules for jackstraws?
Examples
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The game has historical roots and is known by various names worldwide, such as "spillikins" or "pick-up sticks." The term "jackstraw" originally referred to a simple, straw-stuffed effigy.
Variants and Related Words
- Jackstraw (noun): Refers to a single stick or piece used in the game of jackstraws.
- He successfully removed the blue jackstraw from the pile.
- Spillikins (noun): A synonym for the game of jackstraws or the sticks used in it.
- Pick-up sticks (noun): A common modern name for the same or a very similar game.
Synonyms
- Spillikins
- Pick-up sticks
- Mikado (a specific variant with colored sticks and different point values)
Notes on Meaning
"Jackstraws" refers specifically to the game. The individual pieces are "jackstraws" or a "jackstraw." The word is not commonly used in other contexts outside of naming this game.
Noun
- a game in which players try to pick each jackstraw (or spillikin) off of a pile without moving any of the others