parallel bars

American  

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) a gymnasium apparatus consisting of two wooden bars on uprights, adjustable in height, and used for swinging, vaulting, balancing exercises, etc.

2. (used with a singular or plural verb) a competitive event for men on such an apparatus.

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parallel bars British  

plural noun

1. gymnastics

   1. (functioning as plural) a pair of wooden bars on uprights, sometimes at different heights, for various exercises

   2. (functioning as singular) an event in a gymnastic competition in which competitors exercise on such bars

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Etymology

Origin of parallel bars

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Lukas Dauser of Germany took gold in the men’s parallel bars with a huge 15.400, finishing ahead of China’s Shi Cong and Kaito Sugimoto of Japan.

From Washington Times • Oct. 8, 2023

Zou Jingyuan of China picked up gold in the men’s parallel bars.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2023

Jarman - a four-time Commonwealth and two-time European champion in 2022 - will return on Sunday for the parallel bars and vault finals, with Hepworth set to join him in the latter.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2023

Along with the ban, Kuliak must return the bronze medal he won in parallel bars, the International Gymnastics Federation said.

From Seattle Times • May 18, 2022

Lithe gymnasts twirled on parallel bars and uneven bars and took long running leaps at pommel horses, trying to time their precise movements to coincide with the slow roll of the ship.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown