Double dog dare

Double dog dare is a term that has been in use since the mid- to late 1800s, though it experienced a renaissance in the 1980s. We will examine the meaning of the term double dog dare, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.

A double dog dare is a challenge of epic proportions. The term double dog dare is listed in the book The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought by Alexander F Chamberlain, written in 1896. Words and phrases that are found in schoolyards are often in use long before they are documented. Primarily used in the South and Midwest regions of the United States, the term double dog dare enjoyed a resurgence of popularity due to the 1983 movie A Christmas Story. In the movie, set in 1940, one child double dog dares another child to touch a frozen flagpole with his tongue. As may be imagined, this scenario does not end well. Double dog dare is sometimes rendered with a hyphen, as in double-dog dare. Double dog dare is used as a noun or a verb, related words are double dog dares, double dog dared, double dog daring.

Examples

In addition to the half marathon, folks may take on the “Double-Dog Dare” and turn their half marathon into a full marathon (the start time is 5 a.m.). (The Spectrum)

Quality bottles should not have a double-dog-dare-you-to-drink-it dead worm inside. (The Fort Worth Weekly)

The Q is also available piled into sandwich form, and a hot link chili cheese dog with burnt end chili, cheese sauce, and yet more cheese is like a double-dog-dare-you provocation on a plate. (City Pages)

Reflecting on the evolution of youthful mischief and behavior over the last 60 years, one item which has seems to have survived the test of time has been the double-dog dare. (The Huffington Post)