A pulling force or movement exerted in opposition to another pulling force, creating tension or struggle.
From counter- + tug. Tug comes from Old Norse togga meaning 'to pull.' Countertug describes reciprocal pulling actions.
In a tug-of-war, each side applies countertugs—when both teams pull with equal force, they create a moment of perfect balance that can be broken by a tiny shift in strength or technique.
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