Plural of five; the number 5 repeated or multiple instances of it, or a handball game played in British schools.
From Old English 'fif,' Proto-Germanic 'fimf,' and ultimately Indo-European roots. The handball game 'fives' is named for the game's features, possibly relating to five players or five walls.
The game of fives has been played in British schools for centuries—it's like handball but against a wall, and it's one of those hyper-regional sports that locals are passionate about while the rest of the world has never heard of it.
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