Is there a word for two persons dodging each other on the street?


While walking on a path, sometimes two person try to dodge each other. Like one guy steps left, and at the same time, other guy steps left and then switches direction and so does the other guy. Is there a word to describe this?



Answer



This is called a droitwich.


From The Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd:



DROITWICH (n.) A street dance. The two partners approach from opposite directions and try politely to get out of each other's way. They step to the left, step to the right, apologise, step to the left again, apologise again, bump into each other and repeat as often as unnecessary.



The Meaning of Liff is a humorous work of fiction in which the names of British towns are given alternative meanings. This definition of droitwich also has an entry in urban dictionary along with notable alternatives: the pavement tango and the get-past-you shuffle.


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