tug-of-war \ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷\noun (pluraltugs-of-war) 1.: a struggle for supremacy < a continual tug-of-war between the authorities and the masses — Alexander Dallin > 2.: an athletic contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope