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skip rope

skip rope

1 2.1
A long rope with handles that you jump over for exercise
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : cuerda para saltar
  • She brought her skip rope to the park and started jumping energetically.

Examples

  • Some girls play skip rope.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • I put my book down (Poe still) and skip rope in the den.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The children took turns using the skip rope during recess.

  • To stay fit, many people like to skip rope for exercise.

Synonyms

jump rope
vsskip rope
  • US
8 1.5

A rope with handles used for jumping over as it swings under your feet

is described more generally as swung around not only under feet and over head
skipping rope
vsskip rope
  • UK
1.6

A long rope with handles that you swing and jump over for exercise or play

is swung around in general not focused on the over and under pattern

Surface Forms

skip rope singular
skip ropes plural

Morphology

skip + rope

The meaning 'a rope used for skipping' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'skip' (to hop or jump lightly) with 'rope' (a cord). This verb+noun instrument/-purpose composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern (cf. 'jump rope') and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Skip rope comes from the simple image of a rope being swung while someone skips over it. That's why it means 'a rope used for jumping'.