sack-race

Two children hop in a sack-race at a school sports day.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A competitive running game: A "sack-race" is a race in which participants place both legs inside a sack (usually a large bag made of hessian or cloth), hold the top of the sack up to their waist, and hop or jump towards the finish line. It is typically played at children's parties, school sports days, or community events.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The children had a sack-race at the school picnic, hopping clumsily in their burlap bags. (A competitive hopping race using sacks.)
  • Winning the sack-race requires balance and coordination, not just speed. (The race demands specific skills beyond simple running.)

Advanced Usage

• "to run a sack-race": to participate in this specific type of race.

  • We used to run a sack-race every year at the family reunion. (We engaged in this race annually.)

• "sack-race hopping": the distinctive jumping motion used in the race.

  • Sack-race hopping can be surprisingly tiring after just a few metres. (The hopping motion is physically demanding.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sack (n): a large bag, often made of coarse material, used for holding goods or, in this context, for the race.

  • The contestants squeezed into the sack and waited for the starting signal. (The bag used in the race.)

• Race (n): a competition to see who is the fastest over a set distance.

  • The sack-race is a fun alternative to a standard running race. (A competition with a different form of movement.)

Synonyms

• Hop race: a race where participants hop or jump rather than run.
• Bag race: an alternative term for the same activity, emphasising the bag used.
• Burlap bag race: a more descriptive term specifying the material of the sack.

Related Idioms

• "To be in the same sack": an informal idiom meaning to be in the same difficult situation or to share a common fate (not directly related to the race, but using the word "sack").

  • After the budget cuts, all the departments were in the same sack, struggling to survive. (All departments faced the same hardship.)

• "To get the sack": an idiom meaning to be dismissed from a job (unrelated to the race).

  • He got the sack for arriving late every day. (He was fired from his job.)

Notes for Language Learners

• The word "sack-race" is a compound noun formed from "sack" (a bag) and "race" (a competition). It is always hyphenated in standard English.
• Do not confuse "sack-race" with "sack" as a verb (meaning to dismiss from employment) or "sack" as a noun (meaning a bag of goods). The race is purely a recreational activity.