three-legged race

American  

noun

1. a race among a number of paired contestants, each contestant having one leg tied to the adjacent leg of their partner.

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three-legged race British  

noun

1. a race in which pairs of competitors run with their adjacent legs tied together

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Etymology

Origin of three-legged race

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The two men navigated the terrain in a way that some observers compared to a three-legged race.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2021

“It’s a three-legged race with the contestants going in opposite directions.”

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2018

It’s as if they imagine collaborative fiction as a kind of three-legged race: goofy and fun at an office picnic, but ill suited to a serious runner.

From Salon • May 25, 2015

Caleb found a way to participate in nearly all of the physical activities, including the three-legged race, for which an extra “leg” was attached to his walker.

From Washington Post • Jun. 23, 2013

Parents were watching their children show off, and there were even some events for the parents too, such as the three-legged race and pass-the-grapefruit.

From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech