red rover

American  

noun

1. a children's game in which two teams, some distance apart, face each other and take turns designating an opposing player to run toward their line. Any player who fails to break through their clasped hands becomes a member of that team.

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Etymology

Origin of red rover

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Example Sentences

Red rover, red rover: “Nova” tracks the progress of NASA’s Perseverance Rover in the new episode “Looking for Life on Mars.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2021

Red rover, red rover: “Expedition Mars” recalls the successes of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2016

Johann Sebastian Joust is a folk game like tag or red rover.

From Slate • Jan. 5, 2015

Prisoner's base, red rover and a score of games played in the streets of every American city were used to bring relaxation to the soldiers.

From The A.E.F. With General Pershing and the American Forces by Broun, Heywood

Down sunk the sun of bloody hue, His crimson light a cleaver To each red rover of a wave: To eye of fancy-weaver, Neptune, the god, seemed tossing in A raging scarlet fever!

From The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood by Hood, Thomas