डंड (dand)

noun Mainly known through the fixed exercise term डंड (dand) -- a push-up-like calisthenic movement -- and its related sense of a stick or staff used as a tool or weapon.
Sense 1 : a calisthenic push-up-style exercise (as done in akharas/gyms)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बैठक (baithak, often paired with डंड (dand) as a set: squats and push-ups)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In an अखाड़ा (akhaadaa, traditional wrestling gym), डंड (dand) and बैठक (baithak, squats) are the two pillars of daily training that every wrestler's routine is built around, and Indian fitness culture still uses these words even in modern gyms.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with the English 'push-up' one-for-one, but डंड (dand) traditionally refers to a specific full-body swinging movement done in Indian wrestling gyms (अखाड़ा, akhaadaa), not a strict Western push-up. 2) Almost always used in the plural when talking about a workout routine: डंड लगाना (dand lagaanaa, 'to do push-ups') rather than a single डंड.
Sample Sentences:
पहलवान रोज़ सुबह सौ डंड लगाता है। The wrestler does a hundred push-ups every morning.
(pahalvaan roz subah sau dand lagaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस्ताद ने कहा, बीस डंड लगाओ। The trainer said, do twenty push-ups.
(ustaad ne kahaa, biis dand lagaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डंड और बैठक दोनों करो, तभी शरीर बनेगा। Do both push-ups and squats, only then will your body build up.
(dand aur baithak donon karo, tabhii shariir banegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अखाड़े में हर नया लड़का पहले डंड ही सीखता है। In the akhara, every new boy learns push-ups first.
(akhaade men har nayaa ladkaa pahle dand hii siikhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल मैंने पचास डंड लगाए थे। Yesterday I did fifty push-ups.
(kal mainne pachaas dand lagaae the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम रोज़ डंड लगाते तो अब तक ताकतवर हो गए होते। If you had done push-ups every day, you would have become strong by now.
(agar tum roz dand lagaate to ab tak taakatvar ho gae hote।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी चाहते हैं कि हम सुबह-शाम डंड लगाएँ। The guruji wants us to do push-ups morning and evening.
(gurujii chaahte hain ki ham subah-shaam dand lagaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अखाड़े में डंड लगाए जाते हैं, यह सदियों पुरानी परंपरा है। Push-ups are done in the akhara, it is a centuries-old tradition.
(akhaade men dand lagaae jaate hain, yah sadiyon puraanii parampraa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
वह डंड लगा रहा है, उसे मत छेड़ो। He is doing push-ups, don't disturb him.
(vah dand lagaa rahaa hai, use mat chhedo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जिम में भी लोग अब पुराने अंदाज़ में डंड लगाने लगे हैं। Even in gyms, people have now started doing push-ups in the old style.
(jim men bhii log ab puraane andaaz men dand lagaane lage hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : a stick, staff, or rod (as a tool, weapon, or symbol of authority)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: लाठी (laathii), छड़ (chhad)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is the same root seen in दंड (dand, punishment) and डंडा (dandaa, stick) -- the idea of a rod as an instrument of control or correction runs through the whole family, echoing the older image of a raja's staff as a symbol of justice.
Sample Sentences:
साधु के हाथ में एक लंबा डंड था। The sage had a long staff in his hand.
(saadhu ke haath men ek lambaa dand thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
राजा अपने हाथ में डंड लेकर सभा में आया। The king came into the assembly holding a staff in his hand.
(raajaa apne haath men dand lekar sabhaa men aayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह डंड न्याय और अधिकार का प्रतीक माना जाता है। This staff is regarded as a symbol of justice and authority.
(yah dand nyaay aur adhikaar kaa pratiik maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
तपस्वी हमेशा एक डंड साथ रखते हैं। Ascetics always keep a staff with them.
(tapasvii hameshaa ek dand saath rakhte hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यदि मार्ग में डंड होता, तो चलना आसान होता। If there had been a staff on the path, walking would have been easier.
(yadi maarg men dand hotaa, to chalnaa aasaan hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
गुरु ने शिष्य को एक डंड भेंट किया। The guru presented the disciple with a staff.
(guru ne shishy ko ek dand bhent kiyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह डंड टेककर धीरे-धीरे चल रहा था। He was walking slowly, leaning on his staff.
(vah dand tekkar dhiire-dhiire chal rahaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपना डंड मुझे दे दो, मैं इसे उठाकर रख देता हूँ। Give me your staff, I'll pick it up and put it away.
(apnaa dand mujhe de do, main ise uthaakar rakh detaa hoon।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
प्राचीन चित्रों में राजा को डंड सहित दिखाया जाता है। In ancient paintings, the king is shown holding a staff.
(praachiin chitron men raajaa ko dand sahit dikhaayaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): डंड (dand)
(sg.m.oblique): डंड (dand)
(pl.m.direct): डंड (dand)
(pl.m.oblique): डंडों (dandon)