Definition

1. Noun:

   • A downhill skiing race in which competitors must ski between and around a series of marked poles or gates arranged in a winding course.
   • By extension, any similar race or timed event involving a winding course around obstacles, such as in canoeing, kayaking, or alpine skiing.

2. Verb:

   • To ski or move in a winding path between and around a series of obstacles or markers, such as gates or poles.
   • To participate in a slalom race.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She won the gold medal in the giant slalom at the Winter Olympics.
  • The canoe slalom event on the whitewater rapids is thrilling to watch.

• Verb:

  • The skier will slalom through the gates with incredible speed and precision.
  • We watched the athletes slalom down the challenging course.

Advanced Usage

• "To run a slalom": To complete a slalom course.

  • It took her just under a minute to run the slalom perfectly.

• "Slalom course": The specific, marked path containing the gates for a slalom event.

  • The slalom course was set on a steep part of the mountain.

Variants and Related Words

• Giant Slalom (n): A type of alpine skiing slalom with gates set farther apart than in regular slalom, requiring longer, faster turns.
• Slalomist (n): A person who competes in slalom races.
• Slaloming (n/gerund): The action of moving in a slalom manner.
  • His slaloming through the crowded sidewalk was impressive.

Synonyms

• Noun: Obstacle race, zigzag race, gate race.
• Verb: Weave, zigzag, maneuver.

Related Phrases

• "Slalom pole/gate": One of the pairs of poles or markers that define the course.
  • He missed a gate and was disqualified from the slalom.

Idioms

(This word is highly specific to sports and does not commonly feature in idiomatic expressions outside of this context.)

Noun

1. a downhill race over a winding course defined by upright poles

Verb

1. race on skis around obstacles