three-second rule
Floor food grace
The three-second rule is a folk belief that food dropped on the floor remains safe to eat if retrieved within three seconds.
The premise—that bacteria need time to transfer—has no scientific basis, but the rule persists as humorous justification for eating something you probably shouldn't: Three-second rule! It's fine.
In basketball, a separate three-second rule limits how long an offensive player can remain in the painted area near the basket.
Colored coating substance
- keyLock-opening device
- refereeSports rule enforcer
- turnoverSales volume or attrition
- centerMiddle of anything
pivot · offense · defense · spacing · positioning · inbound · whistle · NBA
Indoor walking surface
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- germsMicroscopic disease agents
- edibleSafe to consume
pickup · surface · carpet · tile · microbes · pathogens · transfer · dirt
Exposed as fraudulent
- misconceptionErroneous belief or understanding
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- superstitionBaseless belief in omens
- pseudoscienceBogus methodology posing as factual
unscientific · oversimplification · half-truth · misinformation · viral
Backward enumeration to zero
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- deadlineTime limit for completion
- pressureForce upon contact
- urgencyPressing need for action
instant · momentary · fleeting · time-limit · clock
paint
Colored coating substance
center · pivot · offense · defense · spacing · positioning · inbound · whistle · NBA · camping
floor
Indoor walking surface
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- germsMicroscopic disease agents
edible · pickup · surface · carpet · tile · microbes · pathogens · transfer · dirt · debris
debunked
Exposed as fraudulent
- misconceptionErroneous belief or understanding
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- superstitionBaseless belief in omens
pseudoscience · unscientific · oversimplification · half-truth · misinformation · viral
countdown
Backward enumeration to zero
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- deadlineTime limit for completion
- pressureForce upon contact
urgency · instant · momentary · fleeting · time-limit · clock
- drivingdrive, steering, driver, acceleration, motorist
three-second ruleabundance of caution
Excessive preventive care
better safe than sorry · precautionary principle · risk aversion · erring on the side of caution · playing it safe
three, second, rule, thrice, third, thirds, threefold, threesome, secondary