kiss-in-the-ring

A group of children play kiss-in-the-ring in the park.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A children's game: "kiss-in-the-ring" is a traditional children's game in which players form a circle, one player chases another, and when caught, the chaser kisses the caught player before they rejoin the circle.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The children played kiss-in-the-ring during recess, laughing as they ran around the circle. (The game of chasing and kissing within a ring.)
  • Kiss-in-the-ring was once a popular party game for young people in the 19th century. (A historical recreational activity.)

Advanced Usage

• "to play kiss-in-the-ring": to engage in this specific game.
  • The teenagers were too shy to play kiss-in-the-ring at the picnic. (They avoided the game because of embarrassment.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kissing game (n): a broader category of games involving kissing, such as spin the bottle or post office.
  • Kiss-in-the-ring is one type of kissing game. (A specific example within a group of similar games.)

Synonyms

• Chase and kiss game: a descriptive term for the activity.
• Catch-and-kiss: an informal synonym used in some regions.

Related Idioms

• No direct idioms: The word is too specific to have common idiomatic usage.

Phrasal Verbs

• No common phrasal verbs: The word is a compound noun and does not form phrasal verbs.

Additional Notes

• Historical context: "kiss-in-the-ring" was particularly popular in Victorian-era Britain and North America as a social game for young people, often played at parties or school gatherings. It is now considered old-fashioned.