Hurdle

Definition

A movable rectangular frame of wood, plastic, or metal used as a temporary fence or barrier, or in athletics, one of a series of barriers to be jumped over in a race. Metaphorically, it refers to any obstacle or difficulty to overcome.

Example Usage

Getting financing was the biggest hurdle in launching our startup, but we finally cleared it.

Origin

From Old English 'hyrdel' or 'hyrdle', related to Germanic words for lattice or wicker.

Fun Fact

Olympic hurdle races have specific heights: 110 meters for men (42 inches) and 100 meters for women (33 inches).

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

Related Terms

Beginner

PR day

The day you attempt to break your personal records, typically accompanied by excessive pre-workout, questionable form, and aggressive grunting. It's when gym-goers become their own hype squad and film everything for proof.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Intermediate

touch-and-go

A lifting technique where you bounce the weight off your body or the floor between reps instead of pausing and resetting, conserving energy but sacrificing control. The express lane of questionable form.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Beginner

press

In fitness contexts, any exercise where you push weight away from your body, because apparently "push" wasn't fancy enough. The bench press, shoulder press, and leg press are all variations of this movement pattern that gym bros use to measure their self-worth. Not to be confused with the media press, though both can make you feel equally crushed.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Intermediate

Push-Pull-Legs

A training split dividing workouts by movement pattern: chest/shoulders/triceps, back/biceps, leg day. Balanced and practical, assuming you don't skip leg day.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Intermediate

chipper

A workout format with a long list of different exercises performed once in sequence, chipping away at the list. Starts cheerfully, ends with existential questions.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Beginner

cheaters

A sarcastic or accusatory label for a team or competitor caught using unfair tactics or exploiting loopholes. Typically used in sports when someone's success seems suspiciously convenient.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

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See “Hurdle” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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