parallel bars

American

noun

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

parallel bars British

plural noun

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

Etymology

Origin of parallel bars

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Earlier on Sunday, Britain's Giarnni Regini-Moran and Joe Fraser finished seventh and eighth respectively in the men's parallel bars final.

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2022

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

He denied that he was badly hurt, but he managed to look bravely-in-pain as he stumbled over to sit out the recess on the bench near the parallel bars.

From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023