tetherball

American

[teth-er-bawl] / ˈtɛð ərˌbɔl /

noun

a game for two persons, in which each player, standing on each side of a post from the top of which a ball is suspended by a cord, hits the ball with the hand or a paddle in a direction opposite to that in which the other player hits it, the object being to coil the cord completely around the post.

Etymology

Origin of tetherball

First recorded in 1895–1900; tether + ball ¹

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.

Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and their fearless and foolhardy friends perform outrageous pranks and stunts, including ``Sweatsuit Cocktail’’ and ``Beehive Tetherball.’'

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2019

No masters of the bon mot, the Jackasses emerge from a "Lamborghini Tooth Pull" or a short, painful game of "Beehive Tetherball" with groans and sheepish curses.

From Time • Oct. 15, 2010

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