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parallel bars

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.

Origin of parallel bars

First recorded in 1865–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for parallel bars

parallel bars

pl n
  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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012