Definition

Noun: - A ceremonial circuit: A lap of honour is a celebratory lap completed by the winner or winning team around a track, field, or course immediately following a victory, to acknowledge the spectators' support and celebrate the achievement.

Usage

• The term is used specifically in the context of sports and competitive events to describe a victory celebration.
• It is typically performed by the individual or team that has just won a race, match, or tournament.

Examples

• After crossing the finish line, the marathon winner took a slow lap of honour to thank the cheering crowd.
• The team did a lap of honour around the stadium, holding the championship trophy high.

Advanced Usage

• "to do a lap of honour": This is the standard verb phrase used to describe the act of performing the celebratory lap.
  • The gold medalist did a lap of honour with her country's flag draped over her shoulders.
• The concept can be extended metaphorically to describe any celebratory circuit or tour following a success, though this is less common.
  • After the successful product launch, the CEO did a figurative lap of honour through the company's departments.

Variants and Related Words

• Victory lap: This is a direct synonym and is commonly used interchangeably with "lap of honour," especially in North American English.
  • The driver took a victory lap after winning the Grand Prix.

Synonyms

• Victory lap: A lap taken in celebration of a win.

Notes

• The phrase is a fixed noun phrase. The spelling "lap of honour" is standard in British English, while "lap of honor" is the American English spelling.
• It is distinct from a regular lap during competition; it is performed solely for celebration after the competition has concluded.

Noun

1. a lap by the winning person or team run to celebrate the victory