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Truth or dare? is a mostly verbal party game requiring two or more players. Players are given the choice between answering a question truthfully, or performing a "dare". The game is particularly popular among adolescents and children, and is sometimes used as a forfeit when gambling.[citation needed]
| Players | 2 or more |
|---|---|
| Playing time | None |
| Chance | low |
| Skills | creativity, embarrassment tolerance |
History
edit
The game has existed for hundreds of years, with at least one variant, "questions and commands", being attested as early as 1712:
A Christmas game, in which the commander bids their subjects to answer a question which is asked. If the subject refuses or fails to satisfy the commander, they must pay a forfeit [follow a command] or have their face smutted [dirtied].[1]
Truth or dare may ultimately derive from command games such as the ancient Greek basilinda (in Greek: βασιλίνδα). This game is described by Julius Pollux: "in which we are told a king, elected by lot, commanded his comrades what they should perform".[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "E. Cobham Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898". Archived from the original on 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ "Joseph Strutt, Sports and Pastimes of the People of England, 1903". Archived from the original on 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2013-01-20.