tug-of-war
tug-of-war — noun
1. a rope game where two teams pull from either end, and the winners move their opp
a rope game where two teams pull from either end, and the winners move their opponents beyond the center mark
The class held a tug-of-war on sports day after lunch.
pattern: hold a tug-of-war
Jisoo slipped in the mud during the village tug-of-war.
Two fire crews won the charity tug-of-war at the summer fair.
Our team lost the tug-of-war when the rope burned Ada's hands.
The final tug-of-war drew the loudest cheers from the parents.
- contest
broader word for any competitive event, while tug-of-war names this specific rope game
- match
general word for a sports event; tug-of-war is one particular kind of match
- competition
can describe many different events, not only teams pulling a rope
文法句型
have + a tug-of-war
win/lose + the tug-of-war
tug-of-war + between + teams
用法筆記
Usually used with have, hold, win, or lose when talking about the game. It refers to the literal event with one rope and two sides pulling against each other.
常見錯誤
2. a long and intense struggle where each side keeps pulling for control, advantage
a long and intense struggle where each side keeps pulling for control, advantage, or ownership of one thing
The divorce became a tug-of-war over who would keep the house.
pattern: tug-of-war over + question
Budget talks turned into a tug-of-war between the mayor and council.
pattern: tug-of-war between + sides
The island is still a tug-of-war between two powerful countries.
For years, control of the company was a tug-of-war between the brothers.
Amira felt stuck in a tug-of-war between both parents.
- power struggle
closer in meaning, but focuses more directly on political or organizational control
- standoff
suggests both sides are stuck, while tug-of-war stresses repeated pulling from each side
- battle
broader and often stronger; tug-of-war highlights back-and-forth pressure
- agreement
both sides reach the same decision instead of fighting over it
- cooperation
the sides work together rather than pulling against each other
文法句型
a tug-of-war between + sides
a tug-of-war over + noun phrase
a tug-of-war for + control/possession
用法筆記
Often followed by between to name the opposing sides and by over or for to show what they want. This figurative sense usually describes a prolonged struggle, not one brief disagreement.