sledging
sledging Lexical Profile
sledging Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British The activity or pastime of travelling or sliding over snow on a sledge.
"After the heavy snowfall, the children spent the entire afternoon sledging down the steep hill in the park."
In cricket and other sports, the practice of making taunting, insulting, or provocative remarks to an opposing player in order to disrupt their concentration.
"The umpire had to step in and warn the fielding team when the sledging became overly personal."
• verb
British To ride or travel over snow on a sledge (present participle of sledge).
"The explorers were sledging across the frozen tundra to reach the research station."
To taunt or verbally provoke an opposing player during a sporting match in order to break their concentration (present participle of sledge).
"The wicketkeeper was constantly sledging the new batter from behind the stumps."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, 'sledging' refers to riding down snowy hills on a sled (known as 'sledding' in American English). In Australian, New Zealand, and British sporting contexts—especially cricket—it refers to the practice of verbally taunting an opponent to break their concentration.
• Rhymes for sledging
Word Origin & Etymology
The winter recreation sense derives from Middle Dutch 'sleedse' (a sled). The cricket sense of verbal taunting originated in Australia in the 1960s or 1970s, reportedly from the phrase 'subtle as a sledgehammer'.