tetherball
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A game: A sport played by two people who use their hands or paddles to hit a ball that is attached by a rope to the top of a tall pole. The objective is for each player to hit the ball in opposite directions in an attempt to wind the rope completely around the pole. 2. The equipment for this game: The physical apparatus used to play the game, consisting of the ball, the rope (tether), and the pole.
Usage Examples
- As the game/activity:
- During recess, the children often play tetherball.
- Do you know the rules for tetherball?
- As the physical object:
- The school installed a new tetherball in the playground.
- He hit the tetherball so hard it swung all the way around the pole.
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used to refer to this specific playground or backyard game. It is considered a compound noun where "tether" describes the type of ball (a ball on a tether).
Variants and Related Words
- Tether (verb/noun): To tie or restrict with a rope or chain. In the game, the ball is to the pole.
- There are no common synonyms for the game itself, as it refers to a specific, unique sport.
Synonyms
- (For the of a game with a tethered ball) There is no direct single-word synonym. It can be described as a "pole ball game" or a "winding rope game."
Related Phrases
- Tetherball pole: The vertical pole to which the ball is attached.
- Tetherball set: The complete equipment for the game (pole, ball, rope, and often a base).
Notes on Meaning
The word has two closely related meanings: 1) the name of the sport itself, and 2) the primary piece of equipment (the ball-on-a-rope unit). The intended meaning is usually clear from context. For example, "Let's play tetherball" refers to the game, while "I hit the tetherball" refers to the ball.
Noun
- a game with two players who use rackets to strike a ball that is tethered to the top of a pole; the object is to wrap the string around the pole