three-legged race: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal
Quick answer
What does “three-legged race” mean?
A children's party game or sports day event where two participants stand side-by-side, with the adjacent legs of each person tied together, forcing them to run as a single, three-legged unit.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A children's party game or sports day event where two participants stand side-by-side, with the adjacent legs of each person tied together, forcing them to run as a single, three-legged unit.
By extension, any situation requiring close cooperation and coordination between two parties, often used metaphorically to describe a partnership where success depends on perfect synchronization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Concept and term are identical in both varieties. 'Sports Day' (UK) vs 'Field Day' (US) is a common context.
Connotations
Evokes nostalgic, festive, and slightly chaotic childhood memories. No negative connotations.
Frequency
Equally low in both, used mainly in the context of describing childhood games, school events, or as a nostalgic reference.
Grammar
How to Use “three-legged race” in a Sentence
to do/run/have a three-legged raceto tie someone's legs for a three-legged raceto compete in the three-legged raceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “three-legged race” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We decided to three-leg-race our way across the sports field for a laugh.
American English
- They three-legged-raced to the finish line, barely staying upright.
adjective
British English
- The three-legged-race event was the highlight of the fête.
American English
- They practiced their three-legged-race strategy in the backyard.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'The merger felt like a three-legged race at first, but we soon found our rhythm.'
Academic
Rare, except perhaps in sociology or sports studies describing childhood games.
Everyday
Primary context. Used to describe the game or metaphorically for any clumsy joint effort.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “three-legged race”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “three-legged race”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “three-legged race”
- Using 'three-legs race' (incorrect pluralisation within the compound).
- Confusing it with a 'sack race' (where legs are inside a sack).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is for two people. The 'three legs' refer to the two legs of one person and the tied-together middle leg they create as a pair.
In a three-legged race, two people have adjacent legs tied together. In a sack race, a single person hops inside a large sack or pillowcase.
Informally, yes, especially in past tense (e.g., 'We three-legged-raced'). It's a creative, non-standard usage derived from the noun.
Close coordination, synchronized timing (often by counting '1, 2, 1, 2...'), and holding onto each other tightly to move as a single unit.
A children's party game or sports day event where two participants stand side-by-side, with the adjacent legs of each person tied together, forcing them to run as a single, three-legged unit.
Three-legged race is usually informal in register.
Three-legged race: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθriː ˈleɡ.ɪd ˈreɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθriː ˈleɡ.ɪd ˈreɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be like a three-legged race (metaphor for awkward cooperation)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the number 3: two people have four legs total, but when tied together, they run on three 'combined' legs.
Conceptual Metaphor
COOPERATION IS A SYNCHRONIZED RACE; DIFFICULT COOPERATION IS BEING TIED TOGETHER.
Practice
Quiz
In a metaphorical sense, describing a business partnership as a 'three-legged race' suggests: