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gymkhana

 - 3 dictionary results

gym⋅kha⋅na

[jim-kah-nuh]
–noun
1. a field day held for equestrians, consisting of exhibitions of horsemanship and much pageantry.
2. Also called autocross. a competition in which sports cars are timed as they travel on a closed, twisting course that requires much maneuvering.
3. any of various other sporting events, as a gymnastics exhibition or surfing contest.
4. a place where any such event is held.

Origin:
1860–65; < Hindi gdkhānā lit., ball-house (influenced by gymnastics )
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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gym·kha·na   (jĭm-kä'nə)   
n.  
  1. Any of various meets at which contests are held to test the skill of the competitors, as in equestrianship, gymnastics, or sports car racing.

  2. The place where such an event is held.


[Probably alteration (influenced by gymnastics) of Hindi geṁd-khānā, racket court : geṁd, ball (of Dravidian origin) + khānā, house (from Persian khāna, variant of khān; see khan2).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

gymkhana

originally in 19th-century India and England, a display of athletics and equestrian events; in the 20th century, also a form of automobile sport in which a series of events is planned to test driving skill and demonstrate accurate car handling. Auto gymkhanas usually are held on parking lots on which a series of short but intricate courses are laid out. A typical event is a race over a tight, twisting course marked out by pylons or similar devices; competing drivers complete the course one at a time and are timed to 1100 second and penalized for errors, such as brushing a pylon or going off course. Other events may include driving in reverse, 180 and 360 turns, parking tests, and braking tests

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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