figure of eight

American  

noun

1. figure eight.

2. a knot resembling the figure 8.

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figure of eight British  

noun

1. an outline of the number 8 traced on ice by a skater

2. a flight manoeuvre by an aircraft outlining a figure 8

3. 1. a knot in the shape of a figure 8 made to prevent the unreeving of a rope

   2. a climber's knot in the shape of a figure 8 made with a doubled rope to provide a secure loop

   3. an angler's knot sometimes used to attach a fly to a leader or dropper

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Etymology

Origin of figure of eight

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

figure of eight

The TLI placed Apollo on a "free-return trajectory" - often illustrated as a figure of eight shape.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2019

A pattern for the three women, hopping around one another in a figure of eight, already shows Mr. Taylor’s felicity of design.

From New York Times ● Dec. 18, 2016

Do you think we could do a figure of eight together?

From Hildegarde's Harvest by Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe

An octagon is a figure of eight sides.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 05, No. 28, February, 1860 by Various

She skated round and across the pond several times, then settled down to make a figure of eight, resolved to have it scored deeply in the ice before the Terror came.

From The Terrible Twins by Jepson, Edgar