View source for Glossary of cue sports terms

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The following is a glossary of traditional English-language terms used in the three overarching [[cue sports]] disciplines: ''[[carom billiards]]'' referring to the various {{gli|carom}} games played on a [[billiard table]] without {{gli|pockets}}; ''[[Pool (cue sports)|pool]]'', which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets; and ''[[snooker]]'', played on a large pocket table, and which has a sport culture unto itself distinct from pool. There are also games such as [[English billiards]] that include aspects of multiple disciplines.
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==Definitions and language==
The term ''{{gli|billiards}}'' is sometimes used to refer to all of the cue sports, to a specific class of them, or to specific ones such as English billiards; this article uses the term in its most generic sense unless otherwise noted.

The labels "[[British English|British]]" and "[[United Kingdom|UK]]" as applied to entries in this glossary refer to terms originating in the UK and also used in countries that were fairly recently part of the [[British Empire]] and/or are part of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], as opposed to [[US English|US]] (and, often, [[Canadian English|Canadian]]) terminology. The terms "American" or "US" as applied here refer generally to North American usage. However, due to the predominance of US-originating terminology in most internationally competitive [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] (as opposed to [[snooker]]), US terms are also common in the pool context in other countries in which English is at least a minority language, and US (and borrowed French) terms predominate in [[carom billiards]]. Similarly, British terms predominate in the world of snooker, [[English billiards]], and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]], regardless of the players' nationalities.

The term "blackball" is used in this glossary to refer to both [[Blackball (pool)|blackball and eight-ball pool]] as played in the UK, as a shorthand. Blackball was chosen because it is less ambiguous ("eight-ball pool" is too easily confused with the international standardized "[[eight-ball]]"), and blackball is globally standardized by an [[International Olympic Committee]]-recognized [[Sports governing body|governing body]], the [[World Pool-Billiard Association]] (WPA); meanwhile, its ancestor, eight-ball pool, is largely a folk game, like North American {{gli|bar pool}}, and to the extent that its rules have been codified, they have been done so by competing authorities with different rulesets. (For the same reason, the glossary's information on eight-ball, [[nine-ball]], and [[ten-ball]] draws principally on the stable WPA rules, because there are many competing amateur leagues and even professional tours with divergent rules for these games.)

Foreign-language terms are generally not within the scope of this list, unless they have become an integral part of billiards terminology in English (e.g. {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}}), or they are crucial to meaningful discussion of a game not widely known in the English-speaking world.

==1–9==
{{anchor|1–9|!–9|!-9|1-9|!–9|1–9}}
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| 1 ball |content=1 ball {{anchor|1-ball|1ball|one ball|one-ball|oneball|the 1|1, the|the one|one, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 1'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''1''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} yellow.</dd>

{{Term| 1-cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''See the [[One-cushion billiards]] main article.''</dd>

{{Term| 2 ball |content=2 ball {{anchor|2-ball|2ball|two ball|two-ball|twoball|the 2|2, the|the two|two, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 2'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''2''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} blue. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|yellow ball}} is numbered 2, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 1-pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">''See the [[One-pocket]] main article for the game.''</dd>

{{Term| 3 ball |content=3 ball {{anchor|3-ball|3ball|three ball|three-ball|threeball|the 3|3, the|the three|three, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the [[Three-ball]] main article for the game.}}
''Also '''the 3'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''3''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} red. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|green ball}} is numbered 3, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 3-cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''See the [[Three-cushion billiards]] main article for the game.''</dd>

{{Term| 4 ball |content=4 ball {{anchor|4-ball|4ball|four ball|four-ball|fourball|the 4|4, the|the four|four, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the [[Four-ball billiards]] main article for the game.}}
''Also '''the 4'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''4''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} purple or rarely pink. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|brown ball}} is numbered 4, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 5 ball |content=5 ball {{anchor|5-ball|5ball|five ball|five-ball|fiveball|the 5|5, the|the five|five, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 5'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''5''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} orange. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|blue ball}} is numbered 5, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 5-pins }}
<dd class="glossary">''See the [[Five-pin billiards]] main article for the formerly Italian, now internationally standardized game; or [[Danish pin billiards]] for the five-pin traditional game of Denmark.''</dd>

{{Term| 6 ball |content=6 ball {{anchor|6-ball|6ball|the 6|6, the|the six|six, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the {{section link|Nine-ball#Derived games}} section for the game.}}
''Also '''the 6'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''6''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} green. The 6 is the {{gli|money ball}} (or {{gli|game ball}}) in a game of [[Nine-ball#Derived games|six-ball]]. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining five object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 6. In other games, such as [[eight-ball]], the 6 is simply one of the regular object balls. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|pink ball}} is numbered 6, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 7 ball |content=7 ball {{anchor|7-ball|7ball|seven ball|seven-ball|sevenball|the 7|7, the|the seven|seven, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the [[Seven-ball]] main article for the game.}}
''Also '''the 7'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''7''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} maroon, brown, or rarely tan. Some variants, for the [[seven-ball]] game, are brown with a black or white stripe. The 7 is the {{gli|money ball}} (or {{gli|game ball}}) in a game of seven-ball. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining six object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 7. In other games, such as [[eight-ball]], the 7 is simply one of the regular object balls. In some [[American snooker]] ball sets, the {{gli|black ball}} is numbered 7, its point value.</dd>

{{Term| 8 ball |content=8 ball {{anchor|8-ball|8ball|the 8|8, the|the eight|eight, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:8-Ball.jpg|thumb|An 8 ball (with the cue ball behind it)]]
{{ghat|See the [[Eight-ball]] and [[Eight-ball pool (British variation)]] main articles for the games.}}
''Also '''the 8'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''8''; in both American- and British-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|solids|solid}} black, though some of the latter use an unnumbered {{gli|black ball}}. The 8 is the {{gli|money ball}} (or {{gli|game ball}}) in a game of [[eight-ball]] and related games. It is the last ball that must be {{gli|pocket|pocketed}}, after the {{gli|suit}} of seven {{gli|object ball|object balls}} belonging to the player who is shooting for the 8. (Pocketing the 8 early is a loss of game—unless done on the {{gli|break shot}}, in most rules variants.) In other games, such as [[nine-ball]] and [[straight pool]], the 8 is simply another object ball. Due to its striking colouration and regular use as a money ball, it is [[Eight ball (disambiguation)|commonly used as a symbol in popular culture]]<!--Intentional link to disambiguation page.-->.</dd>

{{Term| 9 ball |content=9 ball {{anchor|9-ball|9ball|the 9|9, the|the nine|nine, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the [[Nine-ball]] main article for the game}}
''Also '''the 9'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''9''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} yellow. The 9 is the {{gli|money ball}} (or {{gli|game ball}}) in a game of [[nine-ball]]. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining eight object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 9. In other games, such as [[eight-ball]], the 9 is simply one of the regular object balls.</dd>

{{Term| 9-pins }}
<dd class="glossary">''See the [[Goriziana]] main article for the game sometimes called ''nine-pins''.''</dd>

{{Term| 10 ball |content=10 ball {{anchor|10-ball|10ball|the 10|10, the|the ten|ten, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|See the [[Ten-ball]] main article for the game}}
''Also '''the 10'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''10''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} blue. The 10 is the {{gli|money ball}} (or {{gli|game ball}}) in a game of [[ten-ball]]. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining nine object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 10, and the 10 ball and pocket are {{gli|call shot|called}}. In other games, such as [[eight-ball]], the 10 is simply one of the regular object balls.</dd>

{{Term| 11 ball |content=11 ball {{anchor|11-ball|11ball|eleven ball|eleven-ball|elevenball|the 11|11, the|the eleven|eleven, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 11'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''11''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} red.</dd>

{{Term| 11 ball |content=12 ball {{anchor|12-ball|12ball|twelve ball|twelve-ball|twelveball|the 12|12, the|the twelve|twelve, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 12'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''12''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} purple or rarely pink</dd>

{{Term| 13 ball |content=13 ball {{anchor|13-ball|13ball|thirteen ball|thirteen-ball|thirteenball|the 13|13, the|the thirteen|thirteen, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 13'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''13''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} orange.</dd>

{{Term| 14 ball |content=14 ball {{anchor|14-ball|14ball|fourteen ball|fourteen-ball|fourteenball|the 14|14, the|the fourteen|fourteen, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 14'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''14''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} green.</dd>

{{Term| 15 ball |content=15 ball {{anchor|15-ball|15ball|fifteen ball|fifteen-ball|fifteenball|the 15|15, the|the fifteen|fifteen, the}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the 15'''.'' The {{gli|object ball}} numbered ''15''; in American-style pool ball sets, it is {{gli|stripes|striped}} maroon, brown, or rarely tan.</dd>

{{Term| 16-red clearance }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a total {{gli|clearance}} in which the {{gli|break}} starts with a {{gli|free ball}}. The break includes {{gli|potting}} a {{gli|colour ball}} counting as a {{gli|red}} and all 15 reds.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
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==A==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| above }}
<dd class="glossary">Used in [[snooker]] in reference to the position of the {{gli|cue ball}}. It is above the {{gli|object ball}} if it is off-straight on the {{gli|baulk cushion}} side of the imaginary line for a straight {{gli|pot}} (e.g. "he'll want to finish above the {{gli|blue ball|blue}} in order to go into the {{gli|pink ball|pink}} and {{gli|red ball|reds}}"). It is also common to use the term {{gli|high}} instead.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np">Shamos (1993).</ref></dd>

{{Term| action }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Gambling]] or the potential for gambling (US).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lively results on a ball, usually the {{gli|cue ball}}, from the application of {{gli|spin}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|cue action}}.''</dd>

{{Term| added }}
<dd class="glossary">Used with an amount to signify {{gli|money added}} to a tournament prize fund in addition to the amount accumulated from entry fees (e.g. "$500 added").<ref name="BDECrack">{{cite news |url= http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArchiveView.asp?BaseHref=BEG/1895/02/22&Page=4&SelectedEntity=Ar00431&skin=BEagle&GZ=T |title=Crack Billiards Players in Tournament |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |date=February 22, 1895 |page=4 |access-date=August 19, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110612095947/http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArchiveView.asp?BaseHref=BEG%2F1895%2F02%2F22&Page=4&SelectedEntity=Ar00431&skin=BEagle&GZ=T |archive-date=June 12, 2011}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| ahead race |content=ahead race {{anchor|ahead session|ahead-race|ahead-session}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''ahead session'''.''
A {{gli|match}} format in which a player has to establish a lead of an agreed number of {{gli|frame|frames}} ({{gli|game|games}}) in order to win (e.g. in a ten-ahead race, a player wins when she/he has won ten more {{gli|rack (noun)|racks}} than the opponent).<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''Contrast {{gli|race|race [to]}}.''</dd>

{{Term| aiming line }}
<dd class="glossary">An imaginary line drawn from the desired path an {{gli|object ball}} is to be sent (usually the center of a {{gli|pocket}}) and the center of the object ball.{{sfnp|Mataya Laurance|Shaw|1999}}</dd>

{{Term| anchor }}
<dd class="glossary">To {{gli|frozen|freeze}} a ball to a {{gli|cushion}}; such a ball may be said to be '''anchored''' (British: {{gli|tight}}). This term is largely obsolete [[Balkline|balkline billiards]] jargon.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p9">{{harvp|Shamos|1993|p=9}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| anchor nurse }}
<dd class="glossary">A type of {{gli|nurse|nurse shot}} used in [[carom billiards]] games. With one {{gli|object ball}} being {{gli|anchor|anchored}} ({{gli|frozen}}, British: {{gli|tight}}) to a {{gli|cushion}} and the second object ball just slightly away from the cushion, the {{gli|cue ball}} is gently grazed across the face of both balls, freezing the away ball to the rail and moving the frozen ball away the same distance its partner was previously, in an identical but reversed configuration, in position to be struck again by the cue ball from the opposite side to repeat this pattern, back and forth.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p9" /> ''Compare {{gli|cradle cannon}}.''</dd>

{{Term| anchor space |content=anchor space {{anchor|Parker's box|Parker box}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A {{convert|7x14|in|adj=on}} box drawn on [[Billiard table|the table]] in [[Balkline|balkline billiards]] where a {{gli|balkline}} meets with the {{gli|cushion}} that sets the area of the enclosed as part of both adjoining {{gli|balk}} spaces. Originally {{convert|3.5x7|in|cm}} (and called Parker's box), it was introduced to combat the {{gli|anchor nurse}}, and was increased to its current size to curtail the effectiveness of the {{gli|chuck nurse}}, which was developed as a response to the original box.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| angle of incidence }}
<dd class="glossary">The angle at which a ball approaches a {{gli|cushion}}, as measured from the [[perpendicular]] to the cushion.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p120">{{harvp|Knuchell|1974|p=120}}.</ref> The phrase has been in use since as early as 1653.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| angle of reflection }}
<dd class="glossary">The angle from which a ball rebounds off a {{gli|cushion}}, as measured from the [[perpendicular]] to the cushion.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="Knuchell 1974 p120" /></dd>

{{Term| angled ball |content=angled ball {{anchor|angled}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]] and [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], a {{gli|cue ball}} situated in the {{gli|jaws}} of a pocket such that a/the {{gli|ball-on}} cannot be struck directly.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 p32">{{harvp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=32}}.</ref> ''Compare {{gli|corner-hooked}}.''</dd>

{{Term| arc }}
<dd class="glossary">The extent to which the {{gli|cue ball}} curves as a result of a {{gli|semi-massé|semi-{{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}} or {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}} shot.</dd>

{{Term| apex |content=apex {{anchor|apex ball|apex of the triangle|apex of the diamond|apex of the rack|apex of the pack}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''apex ball''', '''apex of the triangle''', '''apex of the diamond''' or '''apex of the rack'''.}}
The ball placed at the front of a group of {{gli|rack|racked}} {{gli|object ball|object balls}} (i.e., toward the {{gli|break|breaker}} and furthest from the racker), and in most games situated over the table's {{gli|foot spot}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 p32" /></dd>

{{Term| around the table }}
<dd class="glossary">In carom games, a shot in which in attempting to score, the cue ball contacts three or more {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, usually including both {{gli|short rail|short rails}}.{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=5}}</dd>

{{Term| around the houses }}
<dd class="glossary">Used in snooker to describe the path that the {{gli|cue ball}} must take into and out of {{gli|baulk}} as a result of poor {{gli|position|position play}}, specifically coming around the {{gli|baulk colours}} off three or more {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, normally on a shot on the {{gli|blue ball|blue}} to finish on a {{gli|red ball|red}} as a result of finishing {{gli|low}} on the blue.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
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==B==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| back }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|stake}} (verb).''<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| back cut }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|cut shot}} in which if a line were drawn from the {{gli|cue ball}} to the {{gli|rail}} behind the targeted {{gli|object ball}}, perpendicular to that rail, the object ball would lie beyond the line with respect to the {{gli|pocket}} being targeted.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116">{{harvp|Brandt|2006|pp=86, 91–116}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| backer }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|stakehorse}}.''</dd>

{{Term| back spin |content=back spin {{anchor|Back spin|Backspin|Back-spin|Backward spin|back-spin|backspin|backward spin}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Steve Davis at German Masters Snooker Final (DerHexer) 2012-02-05 4.ogv|thumb|[[Steve Davis]] plays a back-spin ball to prevent the cue ball from falling into the side pocket.]]
{{ghat|Also '''backspin''', '''back-spin''', '''backward spin'''.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" />}}
''Same as {{gli|draw}}.'' ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''
''Contrast {{gli|top spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| backswing}}
<dd class="glossary">The part of the {{gli|stroke}} where a player's {{gli|cue stick}} is moved away from the {{gli|cue ball}} before striking it.{{sfn|Shamos|1999|p=13}}</dd>

{{Term| bag }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British. Same as {{gli|pocket}}.''</dd>

{{Term| baize }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Baize}}
A coarse [[woolen]] cloth used to cover billiard tables, usually green in colour. Sometimes called [[felt]], based on a similarity in appearance, though very different in makeup.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| balance point }}
<dd class="glossary">The point, usually around 18 inches from the bottom of a {{gli|cue}}, at which the cue will balance when resting on one hand.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 p32" /></dd>

{{Term| balk }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''balk space'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;An area defined on a [[billiard table]] by one or more {{gli|balkline|balklines}}. In the eponymous game of [[Balkline|balkline billiards]], there are eight balks defined by perpendicular balklines, in which only a set number of {{gli|carom|caroms}} may be scored before at least one ball must leave the area.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p15">{{harvp|Shamos|1993|p=15}}.</ref> In the earlier (and short-lived) "[[Balkline#History|champions' game]]", there were four triangular balks, one at each corner, defined by single diagonal balklines. ''Not to be confused with {{gli|baulk}}, but see second definition.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;An area defined on a [[billiard table]], in games such as [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], [[snooker]], [[English billiards]] and [[bagatelle]], by a single {{gli|balkline}} (drawn or imaginary) that runs across the table near the {{gli|head}} ({{gli|bottom}}) end; exactly where depends upon table type and size. This balk is where the cue ball is placed in {{gli|lag|lagging}} for lead, for making the opening {{gli|break}} shot, and sometimes for other purposes, depending upon the game. This usage of "balk" is strictly technical, and rarely used in practice. In pool, this area is called the {{gli|kitchen}} and is divided from the rest of the table by the {{gli|head string}}, while in snooker, English billiards and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] it is the somewhat differently sized and delimited {{gli|baulk}}, defined by the {{gli|baulk line}}. On baulk tables, which have {{gli|the D|a "D"}} inside baulk, and on pool tables with a {{gli|break box}} in the kitchen, the actual area from which to shoot is even smaller than the baulk or kitchen, respectively – a balk within the balk.</dd>

{{Term| balkline }}{{anchor|Balkline}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''balk line'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A line drawn horizontally from a point on a [[billiard table]]'s {{gli|rail}} to the corresponding point on the opposite rail, thus defining a region (a {{gli|balk}}). In the eponymous [[Balkline|balkline billiards]] there are four balklines, drawn parallel to and typically 14 or 18&nbsp;inches from the cushions of the table, dividing it into nine compartments or divisions, of which the outside eight are the balks, in which only a set number of caroms may be scored before at least one ball must leave the area.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p15" /> ''Not to be confused with {{gli|baulk line}}, though the concepts and etymologies are related. See {{gli|balk}}, second definition.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Formerly, in "[[Balkline#History|the champions' game]]", a line drawn diagonally from a {{gli|long rail|long}} to a {{gli|short rail}} at the corners of the [[Billiard table|table]], defining a triangular {{gli|balk|balk space}} at each.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A type of [[carom billiards]] game, also called [[Balkline|balkline billiards]], created to eliminate very high {{gli|run|runs}} in [[straight rail]] that relied on repetitive {{gli|nurse|nurse shots}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p15" /></dd>

{{Term| ball-and-pocket |content=ball-and-pocket {{anchor|ball and pocket}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|call-shot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ball-in-hand |content=ball-in-hand {{anchor|ball in hand|cue ball in-hand|cueball in-hand|cue ball in hand|cueball in hand|cue-ball-in-hand|cueball-in-hand}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''cue ball in-hand'''.''
The option of placing the {{gli|cue ball}} anywhere on the table prior to shooting, in a game of [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]]. Usually only available to a player when the opposing player has committed some type of {{gli|foul}} under a particular game's rules<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" />{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|pp=32, 36}} (cf. the [[free throw]] in [[basketball]] by way of comparison). ''See also {{gli|in-hand}} for the [[snooker]] definition.'' A common variation, used in games such as [[straight pool]] and often in {{gli|bar pool}}, is ball-in-hand "behind the head string", also "behind the line" or "from the kitchen", meaning the ball-in-hand option is restricted to placement anywhere behind the {{gli|head string}}, i.e., in the area of [[Billiard table|the table]] known as the {{gli|kitchen}}.</dd>

{{Term| ball-on |content=ball-on {{anchor|ball on|balls-on|balls on|on ball|on-ball|on balls|on-balls|on}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Not always hyphenated. Plural: '''balls-on'''.<ref name="WEPFRules">{{harvp|WEPF|2014}}.</ref> Also '''on[-]ball'''.}}
Any legally strikeable ball on the table in snooker and generally British terminology.{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=5}} For example, in [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]],<ref name="WEPFRules" /> if a player is playing {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}, any yellow ball (or any solid, from 1 to 7, if using a solids-and-stripes ball set) can be the ball-on until they are all {{gli|pot|potted}}, in which case the 8 ball is the ball-on. In [[snooker]], at the beginning of a player's turn, unless all are already potted, any {{gli|red ball}} can be the ball-on.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''Compare {{gli|object ball}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ball rack }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|rack (noun)|rack (noun), sense 1}}''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|scoring rack}}''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A {{gli|wall rack}} designed exclusively for storing balls</dd>

{{Term| ball return |content=ball return {{anchor|ball-return|ball return mechanism|ball-return mechanism}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A collection bin mounted below the foot end of a table, to which balls potted in any pocket will return by means of gravity-assisted gutters or troughs running from each pocket opening to the bin; these are the '''ball-return mechanism''', which may be internal to the table or an external gutter system. Ball returns have been in use since at least the 1700s. Pockets that simply collect balls are known as {{gli|drop pockets}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> A table without a ball return may be called a "drop pocket table", while a table featuring a ball return may be called a "gully table".{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|pp=37, 39}} Coin-operated {{gli|bar table|bar tables}} have ball-return mechanisms that separate the {{gli|cue ball}} from the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} so that the object balls are captured when pocketed until the game ends, then released when paid for again, while the cue ball is continually returned for continued play after {{gli|scratch|scratches}}. This type of table can use a variety of methods to distinguish the cue ball from object balls including the {{gli|Magnetic cue ball}}, the dense ceramic "{{gli|rock}}" and the oversized "{{gli|grapefruit}}" ball. Ball return mechanisms have also been devised that use a smaller, lighter cue ball, instead of a magnetic or heavier one. There are tables that use optical sensors to distinguish a standard cue ball from object balls.<ref name="Optical return">{{cite web |url= http://www.diamondbilliards.com/CommercialTables/SmartTable.aspx |title=The Smart Table Coin-op |publisher=Diamond Billiard Products |work=DiamondBilliards.com}}</ref> Some of them are also setup to return the 8 ball as well, so that pocketing it on the break does not end the game.</dd>

{{Term| banger }}
<dd class="glossary">A derogatory term for a recreational or beginning player who "bangs" the balls without any thought for {{gli|position}} nor attempt to control the {{gli|cue ball}}; also a reference to the predilection of beginners to often hit the cue ball far harder than necessary.<ref name="tcom" /> ''Compare British {{gli|potter}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bank |content=bank {{anchor|banks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|cushion}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|bank shot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bank shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''bank'''.'' Shot in which an {{gli|object ball}} is driven to one or more rails prior to being {{gli|pocket|pocketed}} (or in some contexts, prior to reaching its intended target; not necessarily a pocket). Sometimes "bank" is conflated to refer to {{gli|kick shot|kick shots}} as well, and in the UK it is often called a '''double'''.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 p32" /></dd>

{{Term| bank-the-8 |content=bank-the-8 {{anchor|bank the 8|bank-the-eight|bank the eight}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A rule variant common in {{gli|bar pool}} versions of [[eight-ball]], in which the 8-ball must be pocketed on a {{gli|bank shot}} (generally this would either be accomplished via a bank shot proper or a {{gli|kick shot}}); shooting the 8 straight in is a loss of game. Players may agree before the game begins to invoke this rule, or one player may challenge another player (who might accept or refuse) to conclude the game in this manner after it is already under way. Playing bank-the-8 can be considered rude if many other players are waiting to use the table, since it often makes the game last considerably longer. Often on bar tables three {{gli|scratch}}es while shooting for the 8 determines a loss. The same with last-pocket.</dd>

{{Term| bar player |content=bar player {{anchor|bar players|bar league|bar league player}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''bar league player'''.''
A player that predominantly plays in [[bar (establishment)|bars]]/[[Public house|pubs]], or is in a bar-based pool league. Often used pejoratively by [[pool hall]] players to refer to a perceived lesser skill level of such players. ''See also {{gli|bar pool}}, {{gli|bar table}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bar pool |content=bar pool {{anchor|bar rules|pub pool|pub rules|tavern pool}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''bar rules''', '''pub pool''', '''tavern pool'''.}}
[[Pool (cue sports)|Pool]], almost always a variant of [[eight-ball]], that is played by {{gli|bar player|bar players}} on a {{gli|bar table}}. Bar pool has rules that vary from region to region, sometimes even from venue to venue in the same city, especially in the U.S. Wise players thus ensure understanding of and agreement to the rules before engaging in a {{gli|money game}} under bar rules. Typical differences between bar pool and tournament eight-ball are the lack of {{gli|ball-in-hand}} after a {{gli|foul}}, the elimination of a number of fouls, and (with numbered ball sets) the requirement that most aspects of a shot be {{gli|call shot|called}} (including {{gli|cushion|cushions}} and other {{gli|object ball|object balls}} to be contacted) not just the {{gli|target ball}} and {{gli|pocket}}. Bar pool has evolved into this "nitpicky" version principally to make the games last longer, since bar pool is typically played on coin-operated tables that cost money per-game rather than per-hour. Competitive league pool played on bar tables, however, usually uses international, national or local/regional league rules, and is not what is usually meant by "bar pool". ''Not to be confused with the game of [[bar billiards]].''</dd>

{{Term| bar table |content=bar table {{anchor|pub table|tavern table|coin-operated table|coin operated table|coin-op table|coinop table|bar box|barbox}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''bar box''', '''pub table''', '''tavern table''', '''coin-operated table''', '''coin-op table'''.}}
A distinctive size of pool table found in [[bar (establishment)|bars]], [[Public house|pubs]], or [[tavern]]s as well as venues such as [[family entertainment center]]s, [[Video arcade|arcade]]s and [[bowling alley]]s. These are smaller than the full-size tables found in [[pool halls]]. While typical professional and competition tables are {{convert|9|x|4+1/2|ft|m|abbr=on}}, bar tables are typically {{convert|7|x|3+1/2|ft|m|abbr=on}}. In bars they are almost always coin-operated. Another distinguishing factor is the cue ball; these tables capture pocketed {{gli|object balls}} to remove them from play, but selectively return a {{gli|scratch|scratched}} cue ball. The cue balls historically were differently sized or of different density so they could be mechanically separated. Because this changes the [[mechanics]] of the cue ball, these cue balls do not play as competition cue balls, and they are therefore deprecated by aficionados. However, modern bar tables typically make use of a magnetic layer inside a regulation size and weight cue ball paired with a magnet mechanism within the table's {{gli|ball return}} system that separates out the cue ball without requiring cue ball characteristics that affect play.<ref name="RGivens">{{cite book |last=Givens |first=R. [Randi] |date=2004 |title=The Eight Ball Bible: A Guide to Bar Table Play |edition=illustrated |publisher=Eight Ball Press |isbn=0974727377}}</ref> Systems that use optical sensors to distinguish the cue ball have also been introduced.<ref name="Optical return" /> Pool hall players complain also that the {{gli|cloth}} used on bar tables is often greatly inferior (in particular that it is "slow" and that {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} does not "take" enough), and often find that the {{gli|cushion|cushions}} are not as responsive as they are used to.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| baulk |content=baulk {{anchor|baulk area|baulk-area|baulk end|baulk-end}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''baulk area''', '''baulk end'''.''
In [[snooker]], [[English billiards]], and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]],<ref name="WEPFRules" /> the area of the {{gli|bottom}} of the [[Billiard table|table]] that is between the {{gli|baulk line}} and the {{gli|baulk cushion}}, which houses {{gli|the D|the "D"}} and is somewhat analogous to the {{gli|kitchen}} in American-style [[pool (cue sports)|pool]].<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 p33">{{harvp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=33}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| baulk colour |content=baulk colour {{anchor|baulk color|baulk colours|baulk colors}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], any of the three {{gli|colour ball|colour balls}} that get {{gli|spot|spotted}} on the {{gli|baulk line}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> The left-to-right {{gli|green ball|green}}, {{gli|brown ball|brown}} and {{gli|yellow ball}} order is the subject of the [[mnemonic]] phrase "'''G'''od '''b'''less '''y'''ou".<ref name="Shamos 1999 p115">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=115}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| baulk cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], the {{gli|cushion}} opposite the {{gli|top cushion}} and bounded by the {{gli|yellow pocket|yellow}} and {{gli|green pocket|green pockets}}. Also known as the {{gli|bottom cushion}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| baulk line |content=baulk line {{anchor|baulk-line|baulkline}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''baulk-line'''.''<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10">{{harvp|WPBSA|2011|p=10}}.</ref>
A straight line drawn 29&nbsp;inches (73.66&nbsp;cm) from the face of the {{gli|baulk cushion}} on a standard 6&nbsp;×&nbsp;12&nbsp;foot [[snooker]] [[Billiard table|table]].<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> Its positioning varies on other sizes of tables. Baulk lines may also be drawn on [[English billiards]] tables, and even British-style [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] tables. The baulk line is an integral part of {{gli|the D|the "D"}}. The baulk line's position is always determined by measurement from the baulk cushion, in contrast to the similar but different {{gli|head string}}, the position of which is determined by the {{gli|diamond|diamonds}}. ''Not to be confused with {{gli|balkline}}.''</dd>

{{Term| baulk pocket}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a {{gli|corner pocket|corner pocket}} located at either end of the {{gli|baulk cushion}}. The {{gli|yellow pocket}} and {{gli|green pocket}} are both baulk pockets.</dd>

{{Term| baulk rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|bottom rail}} (UK), {{gli|head rail}} (US).''</dd>

{{Term| baulk spot }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''middle spot in baulk''', '''baulk line spot''', '''middle of the baulk-line spot''', etc.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|pp=23–24}}<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> }}
The {{gli|Spot}}, usually unmarked because of its obviousness at the intersection of the {{gli|baulk line}} and {{gli|long string}}. As such, it is also the middle of the flat side of {{gli|the D|the "D"}}. In snooker, ''same as {{gli|brown spot}}''.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|pp=23–24, 38}}<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> ''Compare {{gli|head spot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bed }}
<dd class="glossary">The flat surface of a table, exclusive of the {{gli|cushion|cushions}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 p33" /> The bed is covered with {{gli|cloth|billiard cloth}} like the cushions. The {{gli|playing area}} of the table consists of the bed except where the cushion overhangs the bed, i.e. it is all of the bed between the cushion {{gli|nose|noses}}. Quality beds are made of smooth-ground [[slate]], though very cheap tables may use [[particle board]] or [[plywood]]. The earliest beds were simply the surfaces of the wooden tables on which the game was played.</dd>

{{Term| be in stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|in stroke|In stroke}}.''</dd>

{{Term| below }}
<dd class="glossary">Used in snooker in reference to the position of the {{gli|cue ball}}. It is "below" the object ball if it is off-straight on the {{gli|top cushion}} side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. she will want to finish below the {{gli|black ball|black}} in order to go into the {{gli|red ball|red}}s). This may seem counterintuitive; see {{gli|above}} for an explanation.</dd>

{{Term| big |content=big {{anchor|bigs|big balls|big ones}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''bigs''', '''big balls''', '''big ones'''.}}
In [[eight-ball]], to be shooting the striped {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls (9 through 15); "you're big, remember", "you're big balls" or "I've got the big ones".<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''Compare {{gli|stripes}}, {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}, {{gli|high}}, {{gli|overs}}; contrast {{gli|little}}.'' ''Not to be confused with the carom billiards concept of a {{gli|big ball}}.''</dd>

{{Term| big ball }}
<dd class="glossary">A [[carom billiards]] metaphor, it refers to an object ball positioned and being approached in such a manner that a near miss will rebound off a cushion and still score. It is ''as if'' the ball were larger than normal, making it easier to contact. Normally a ball near a rail is a big ball, but only if being approached from an angle and if all the prerequisite rails have already been contacted. 
Not to be confused with the eight-ball term "the big balls", referring to the higher-numbered striped balls. In older British usage the concept was referred to as "large ball".<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''See also "{{gli|big pocket}}".''</dd>

{{Term| big pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">A [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] and occasionally [[snooker]] term (inherited from carom billiards by way of "{{gli|big ball}}", above), it is a metaphor for a shot that is very difficult to miss pocketing for any of a number of reasons, most commonly: either the object ball is positioned such that a near miss on one side of it will likely cause the cue ball to rebound off the rail into the object ball and pocket it anyway; or another ball is positioned such that if the target ball does not go straight in, it is still likely to go in off the other ball in a {{gli|kiss}}. It is ''as if'' the pocket, for this one shot, had become larger. The term can also refer to the angle of shot toward a pocket, especially a side pocket; the pocket is said to be "bigger", for example, on a shot that is only a 5-degree angle away from straight on, than on a 45-degree angle shot which is much more likely to hit one of the cushion points and bounce away.</dd>

{{Term| billiard }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''billiard shot'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is {{gli|carom|caromed}} off an {{gli|object ball}} to strike another object ball (with or without contacting cushions in the interim).<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In certain [[carom billiards]] games such as [[three-cushion billiards|three-cushion]], a successful attempt at making a ''scoring'' billiard shot under the rules for that game (such as contacting three cushions with the cue ball while executing the billiard). A failed attempt at scoring would, in this context, not be called "a billiard" by players of such games even if it satisfied the first, more general definition.<ref name="BCA 1992 np">{{harvp|BCA Rules Committee|1992}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| billiard marker }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A person who records the {{gli|points}} for each player during a game;<ref name="Shamos 1999 p28">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=28}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A {{gli|scoreboard}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p28"/></dd>

{{Term| billiards }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the US, Canada and in many different countries and languages (under various spellings) as well as historically, generally refers to all [[cue sport]]s;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes refers to just [[Carom billiards|carom games]] as opposed to [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] (especially in the US and Canada);</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In British terminology, chiefly refers to the game known in the rest of the world as [[English billiards]].</dd>

{{Term| billiards glasses |content=billiards glasses {{anchor|billiard glasses}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Billiards glasses.jpg|thumb|right|Billiards glasses]]
''Also '''pool spectacles''', '''snooker specs''', etc.''
[[Eyeglasses]] specially made for [[cue sports]], with tall lenses, set unusually high, so that when the head is lowered over the [[cue stick]] for aiming, with the nose pointing downward, the eyes can still look through the lenses instead of over them. They are especially popular among [[snooker]] players (notably, 1985 World Champion [[Dennis Taylor]]).</dd>

{{Term| black ball |content=black ball {{anchor|black balls|black|the black|black, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''the black'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], the highest-value {{gli|colour ball}} on the table, being worth seven points.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> It is placed on the {{gli|black spot}}.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9">{{harvp|WPBSA|2011|p=9}}</ref> In some snooker ball sets, it is numbered "7" on its surface.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chiefly British: The {{gli|8 ball}} in a pool set, applying both to the {{gli|casino balls}} typically used in [[blackball (pool)|blackball pool]] as well as the solids-and-stripes used in other pool games, such American-style [[eight-ball]], [[nine-ball]] and [[straight pool]].<ref name="WEPFRules" /> In some casino ball sets, the black ball is actually striped black on white.</dd>

{{Term| black spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The marked {{gli|spot}} on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|black ball}} is placed. On tournament-size tables, it is {{frac|12|3|4}} inches (324&nbsp;mm) from the {{gli|top cushion}}, on the {{gli|long string}}.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> That is, it is between the top cushion and the {{gli|pyramid}}.</dd>

{{Term| blank |content=blank {{anchor|duck egg|goose egg|cipher|naught}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;An unfinished bottom half of a two piece cue (the {{gli|butt}} section) with the splice completed, but the cue not yet [[Woodturning|turned]] on a lathe to produce the final shape, and certain features having not yet been added such as a {{gli|wrap}}, {{gli|joint|joint mechanism}}, {{gli|butt cap}}, {{gli|bumper}} and [[inlay]]s.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p29">{{harvp|Shamos|1993|p=29}}.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;An unsuccessful inning at the table. Also known as a '''duck egg''', '''goose egg''', '''cipher''' or '''naught'''.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p29" /></dd>

{{Term| blue ball |content=blue ball {{anchor|blue balls|blue|the blue|blue, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''the blue(s)'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], the {{gli|colour ball}} worth five points,<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> placed on the {{gli|blue spot}} in the centre of the table.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> In some ball sets, it is numbered "5" on its surface.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball pool]], a common alternate colour for {{gli|red ball|the reds}} {{gli|group}}.<ref name="BlackballRules">{{cite web |publisher=[[World Pool-Billiard Association]] |title=Blackball Rules |date=2012 |work=WPA-Pool.com |url= http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/the_rules_of_play |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130224111551/http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/the_rules_of_play |archive-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| blue spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The marked {{gli|spot}} on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|blue ball}} is placed. Regardless of table size, it is at the lengthwise and widthwise centre of the table (i.e. it is the same as the {{gli|centre spot}}.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /></dd>

{{Term| body english }}
<dd class="glossary">The useless but common practice of contorting one's body while a shot is in play, usually in the direction one wishes a ball or balls to travel, as if in the vain hope that this will influence the balls' trajectories; the term is considered humorous.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''See also {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bottle |content=bottle {{anchor|shake bottle|pea bottle|pill bottle|tally bottle|kelly bottle|Kelly bottle|kelly pool bottle|Kelly pool bottle}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''shake bottle''', '''pea bottle''', '''pill bottle''', '''tally bottle''', '''{{Not a typo|kelly}} bottle'''.}}
The bottle used in various games to hold numbered {{gli|pea|peas}}, it is employed to assign random spots to players in a roster (such as in a tournament), or to assign random balls to players of a game (such as in [[kelly pool]] and [[bottle pool]]).<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" />{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=6}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| bottom }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly British:'' The half of the [[Billiard table|table]] from which the {{gli|break|break shot}} is taken. This usage is conceptually opposite that in North America, where this end of the table is called the {{gli|head}}. ''Contrast {{gli|top}}.'' ''See also {{gli|baulk}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly American:'' Exactly the opposite of the above – the {{gli|foot}} end of the table. No longer in common usage.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|bottom spin}}, i.e. same as {{gli|screw}} (British), {{gli|draw}} (American).''</dd>

{{Term| bottom cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' The {{gli|cushion}} on the {{gli|bottom rail}}. Also known as the {{gli|baulk cushion}}, especially in [[snooker]]. ''Compare {{gli|head cushion}} (U.S.); contrast {{gli|top cushion}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bottom rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' The {{gli|short rail}} at the {{gli|bottom}} of the [[Billiard table|table]]. Traditionally this is the rail on which the table manufacturer's logo appears. Also known as the {{gli|baulk rail}}, especially in [[snooker]]. ''Compare {{gli|head rail}} (U.S.); contrast {{gli|top rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bottom spin |content=bottom spin {{anchor|bottomspin|bottom-spin}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''bottomspin''', '''bottom-spin''', '''bottom'''.}} ''Same as {{gli|back spin}}, i.e. {{gli|screw}} (UK), {{gli|draw}} (US).'' ''Contrast {{gli|top spin}}.'' ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| bouclée |content={{lang|fr|bouclée|nocat=y}} {{anchor|bouclee}} }}
<dd class="glossary">A type of {{gli|bridge}} formed between the thumb and forefinger, creating a loop for the [[Cue stick|cue]] to pass through. Principally used in [[carom billiards]], the term is [[French language|French]] for 'curled'.<ref name="Collins">{{cite book |title=[[Collins English Dictionary]] |edition=5th [online] |chapter=bouclée |date=2012 |orig-date=2000 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |location=New York |chapter-url= https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bouclee}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| break |content=break {{anchor|break shot|break off|break-off|breakshot|break-shot|breakoff|breaks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''break shot''' or '''break off''', as a noun.'' Typically describes the first shot in most types of billiards games. In [[Carom billiards|carom games]] it describes the first point attempt, as shot from an unvarying {{gli|cue ball}} and {{gli|object ball|object balls}} placement; in many [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] games it describes the first shot, which is used to separate the object balls that have been {{gli|rack (verb)|racked}} together;<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A series of consecutive {{gli|pot|pots}} by a player during a single {{gli|inning}}. Most often applied in [[snooker]] and [[English billiards]], e.g., "The player had a break of 89 points."<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> (Chiefly British; ''compare US {{gli|run}}''.) ''See also [[maximum break]] and [[century break]].''</dd>

{{Term| break and dish |content=break and dish {{anchor|break-and-dish}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|break and run}}'' (chiefly British).</dd>

{{Term| break and run |content=break and run {{anchor|break-and-run|break and run out|break-and-run-out}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''break and run out'''.''
''Chiefly American:'' In [[Pool (cue sports)|pool games]], when a player {{gli|break|breaks}} the {{gli|rack|racked}} {{gli|object ball|object balls}}, {{gli|pocket|pockets}} at least one ball on the break, and commences to {{gli|run out}} the remaining object balls without the opponent getting a {{gli|visit}} at the table. Hyphenated when used as an adjective or compound noun instead of a verbal phrase. ''See also {{gli|run the table}}, {{gli|rack and run}}.''</dd>

{{Term| break ball }}
<dd class="glossary">In straight pool, the last object ball left on a table before the remaining fourteen balls must be racked so the player at the table may continue their run. It is called the "break ball" because it is common for players to try to leave this ball in such a position that they may easily pot it and billiard off of it to break open the rack of fourteen balls and continue their run.</dd>

{{Term| break box |content=break box {{anchor|break-box|breakbox|breaking box|breaking-box|breakingbox}} }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Nine-ball break box diagram.png|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Diagram showing the {{gli|break box}} and its relation to the {{gli|kitchen}} area and {{gli|head string}}]]
In [[European Pocket Billiard Federation]] (EPBF) [[nine-ball]], the break box is a zone in the "{{gli|kitchen}}" of the {{gli|head}} (British: {{gli|bottom}}) of the [[Billiard table|table]], from which the {{gli|break|break shot}} must be taken with the {{gli|cue ball}}.<ref name="Jewett BD 2008-02">{{BDMag|first=Bob|last=Jewett|date=February 2008|title=Killing Me Softly?: The Outbreak of the Soft Break Threatens the Game of 9-ball|volume=30|issue=3|pages= 34–35}}</ref><ref>{{BDMag|first=Mike|last=Panozzo|date=February 2008|title=Long Live the Cup!|volume=30|issue=3|pages= 34–35}}</ref> The break box consists of the middle 50% of the kitchen area, delimited latitudinally by the {{gli|head rail}} (British: {{gli|bottom rail}}) and {{gli|head string}} (not the {{gli|baulk line}}), and longitudinally by two parallel lines drawn (on the cloth, or more often imaginarily) from the head rail {{gli|diamond|diamonds}} that are closest to the {{gli|head}} {{gli|corner pocket|corner pockets}}, out to the head string ''(see illustration to the right)'' on either side. This departure from [[World Pool-Billiard Association|WPA]] World Standardised Rules defeats the common break-from-the-side-rail technique for pocketing the 9 ball to win the game on the break; while 9 ball breaks are still possible, they are much more difficult under this rule.<ref name="Jewett BD 2008-02" /> This EPBF Euro-Tour requirement was added in 2008 to the Europe vs. US [[all-star]] team event, the [[Mosconi Cup]], but has not otherwise been seen much by non-Europeans {{as of|lc=y|2011|post=.}}</dd>

{{Term| break down one's cue }}
<dd class="glossary">To take one's two-piece [[cue stick]] apart. When done before a game's conclusion, it may indicate that the game is conceded.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> Different leagues have different rules on this matter.</dd>

{{Term| bridge }}
<dd class="glossary">Either the player's hand or a {{gli|mechanical bridge}} used to support the shaft end of the cue stick during a shot. Also the particular hand formation used for this purpose (there are many).<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| bridge hand }}
<dd class="glossary">The hand used by a player as a {{gli|bridge}} during a normal shot that does not involve a {{gli|mechanical bridge}}. The bridge hand is usually a player's non-dominant hand.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| brown ball |content=brown ball {{anchor|brown balls|brown|browns|the brown|brown, the|brown-ball}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the brown'''.''
In [[snooker]], the highest-value {{gli|baulk colour}}, worth four points.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p38">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=38}}.</ref> It is placed on the {{gli|brown spot}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p38" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "4" on its surface.</dd>

{{Term| brown spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The {{gli|spot}} (often not marked) on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|brown ball}} is placed. Regardless of table size, it is the middle point of the {{gli|baulk line}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p38" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> I.e., it is the ''same as the {{gli|baulk spot}}.''<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> The left-to-right order of the {{gli|green ball|green}}, brown and {{gli|yellow ball|yellow balls}} is the subject of the [[mnemonic]] phrase "'''G'''od '''b'''less '''y'''ou".<ref name="Shamos 1999 p115" /></dd>

{{Term| bumper }}
<dd class="glossary">The bumper on the bottom of a cue, usually made from rubber, which insulates the {{gli|butt cap}} from contact with the floor and greatly reduces noise. The bumper was first patented in 1880.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| burnish }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;To seal the pores of a wooden [[Cue stick|cue]]'s {{gli|shaft}} by rubbing vigorously with some material. Leather is commonly employed for the task, as is [[Banknote|paper money]].</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;To similarly vigorously rub the edge of a {{gli|cue tip}} (especially a new one) to fortify it against {{gli|mushroom|mushrooming}} and ensure that it is perfectly flush with the {{gli|ferrule}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;To smooth out minor dents in the {{gli|shaft}} with a rigid {{gli|burnisher}}.</dd>

{{Term| burnisher }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A pad, usually of leather, used to {{gli|burnish}} (seal the wood pores of) a {{gli|shaft|cue shaft}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A rigid {{gli|tip tool}} used to finish and harden the sides of a new {{gli|cue tip}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A {{gli|shaft}} maintenance tool, most commonly a cylindrical glass rod, used for smoothing minor nicks in the shaft. This is sometimes done after swelling the wood at the nick site with some moist application.</dd>

{{Term| bushka rings }}
<dd class="glossary">Named after their innovator, legendary cuemaker [[George Balabushka]], bushka rings are decorative bands of material incorporated into pool cues, commonly just above the {{gli|wrap}} area, in the form of ebony and ivory blocks, or sometimes other materials, alternating in a checked pattern.<ref>{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Brad |title=Blue Book of Pool Cues |editor1-first=Paul |editor1-last=Rubino |editor2-first=Victor |editor2-last=Stein |publisher=Blue Book Publications |date=1996 |page=103 |isbn=9781886768024}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| business, doing |content=business, doing {{anchor|business|doing business}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Collusion between matchplay opponents who prearrange the winner of a match on which other people's money is wagered, in order to guarantee a payday.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /></dd>

{{Term| butt }}
<dd class="glossary">The bottom portion of a pool cue which is gripped by a player's hand.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| butt cap }}
<dd class="glossary">A protective cap mounted on the end of the {{gli|butt}} of a cue.</dd>

{{Term| button }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|point}} bead on a {{gli|scoring string}}.<ref name="BDESaw">{{cite news |url= http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArchiveView.asp?BaseHref=BEG/1893/12/20&Page=8&SelectedEntity=Ar00807&skin=BEagle&GZ=T |title=Saw Good Billiards: Union Leaguers Entertained by Four Star Cue-wielders |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |date=December 20, 1893 |page=8 |access-date=August 19, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110612093715/http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArchiveView.asp?BaseHref=BEG%2F1893%2F12%2F20&Page=8&SelectedEntity=Ar00807&skin=BEagle&GZ=T |archive-date=June 12, 2011}} Usage clearly demonstrated in context. NB: Each section of the newspaper page scans on this site can be clicked for a readable closeup.</ref></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==C==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| calcutta }}
<dd class="glossary">A players' auction at a pool tournament. Each player is called and players and spectators bid on the player. The highest bidder(s) pays their bid to the calcutta, and by doing so invest in that player's success. If a player wins or places in the tournament, those who "bought" the player receive a percentage of the total calcutta payout, usually tracking the percentage payout of the tournament prize fund. Typically, players have the option of purchasing half of themselves when the high bid is won by a third party. Like {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} and {{gli|scotch doubles}}, usually not capitalized.</dd>

{{Term| call }}
<dd class="glossary">Any instance of a player having to say what they are about to do. For example, in [[straight pool]] a player must ''call'' the pocket in which a ball is intended to be potted. More formal terms, used in rule books and instructional materials, include {{gli|designate}} and {{gli|nominate}}. ''Contrast {{gli|fish}}, {{gli|slop}}.''</dd>

{{Term| call-safe |content=call-safe {{anchor|called-safe|call safe|called safe|call-safety|called-safety|call safety|called safety}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''called-safe'''}}
Applies specifically to games that enforce "{{gli|call-pocket}}/call-safe" rules, which require the player to either call the ball and pocket, or call a {{gli|safety}} on every shot. After a legal shot, where a called ball is not pocketed as designated, the incoming player has the option to pass the shot back to the player who missed the called shot. If a player calls "safe", then after a legal shot, the incoming player must accept the next shot, and may not pass the shot back to the player who called "safe".<ref>{{cite web |last=Tucker |first=Joseph E. |title=Rulebook: Guidelines for American Rotation (AR) |date=2014 |publisher=American Billiard Club |url= http://AmericanBilliardClub.com/play/rulebook/|work=AmericanBilliardClub.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141006172622/http://www.americanbilliardclub.com/play/rulebook/ |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> A call-shot/call-safe [[nine-ball]] example: Player A calls the {{gli|ball-on}}, the 3 ball in this case, in the corner pocket but misses the shot. The {{gli|cue ball}} rolls down table and comes to rest behind the 5 ball leaving no clear path to the 3 ball for the incoming player B. Since player A did not call "safe", incoming player B may elect to pass the shot back to player A (who must shoot).</dd>

{{Term| call-shot |content=call-shot {{anchor|called-shot|call shot|called shot|call-pocket|called-pocket|call pocket|called pocket|call the pocket|call your pocket}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''called-shot'''; '''call-pocket''' or '''called-pocket'''.}}
Describes any game in which during normal play a player must call the ball to be hit and the intended pocket; "eight-ball is a call-shot game."<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Sometimes referred to as "call[ed]-pocket", "{{gli|ball-and-pocket}} rules", etc., to distinguish it from the common North American {{gli|bar pool}} practice of requiring every ''aspect'' of shots to be called, such as {{gli|carom|caroms}}, {{gli|kick|kicks}}, and {{gli|cushion|cushions}} to be contacted (this is sometimes also ambiguously referred to as "call-shot", but more accurately termed "call-everything" or "call-it-all"). Commonly in bar rules terminology, call-shot indicates how the shot will be made as compared to call-pocket which means simply that the ball must go into that pocket, details unnecessary. Though games with called shots technically require all shots to be called, obvious shots are seldom actually called, though such implied called shots must still be made. ''See also {{gli|gentlemen's call}}.''</dd>

{{Term| called ball }}
<dd class="glossary">The ball designated by a player to be pocketed on a shot.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| called pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">The pocket designated by a player to which a ball is to be shot.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| cannon |content= cannon {{anchor|canon|cannons|canons|cannon shot|canon shot|cannoning|canoning}} }}
<dd class="glossary">British/Australian and sometimes Canadian term for {{gli|carom}}. Formerly (19th century) sometimes spelled ''canon''.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Philp |editor-first=Robert Kemp |editor-link=Robert Kemp Philp |chapter=2595. Troco or Lawn Billiards |title=Enquire Within upon Everything |date=1884 |edition=69th |page=[https://archive.org/details/enquirewithinupo00philuoft/page/365 365] |publisher=Houlston & Sons |location=London |url= https://archive.org/details/enquirewithinupo00philuoft |via=Internet Archive}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| carambole |content=carambole {{anchor|caramboles|carambola|carambolas|caramboled|caramboling}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''carambola'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The red {{gli|object ball}} in [[carom billiards]] games. The term is thought to be [[Etymology|derived]] from an orange-coloured, tropical Asian fruit, called a ''carambola'' in [[English (language)|English]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], and several other languages, in turn from {{lang|mr-Latn|karambal}} in the [[Marathi language]] of [[India]].<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Douglas |date=2001 |title=Carom |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |url= http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=carom |access-date=January 31, 2007}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A general-purpose term for [[carom billiards]] games.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Obsolete.) Alternative name for the game of [[straight rail]].</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;A {{gli|carom}} shot.</dd>

{{Term| card }}
<dd class="glossary">''Short for {{gli|tournament card}}.''<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| carom |content=carom {{anchor|caroms|caromed|caroming|carom shot|carom shots|roquet}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Not to be confused with the disk-flicking traditional board game [[carrom]], which is sometimes played with a small cue stick.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Carom'' came into use in the 1860s and is a shortening of ''carambola'', which was earlier used to describe the red object ball used in many billiards games.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> In modern usage, the most general meaning of the word refers to any type of strike and rebound,<ref>Lexico Publishing Group, LLC (2006). [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/carom Carom – Dictionary.com]. Retrieved January 31, 2007.</ref> (a {{gli|carambole}}) off a cushion or especially a ball.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;More specifically, short for a ''carom shot'', a {{gli|cannon}} in British terminology, in which a point is scored in [[carom billiards]] games by careening the cue ball into the two object balls.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In pocket games as a general class, ''carom'' or ''carom shot'' is sometimes used more loosely, between the above two definitions, to refer to clipping an object ball with the cue ball to attempt to send either or both to desirable locations, not necessarily scoring in the process. In games in which pocketing the cue ball is a goal (e.g. [[Russian pyramid]]), ''carom'' can refer to sending the cue ball into a pocket after contacting an object ball (called a {{gli|losing hazard}} in [[English billiards]], it nevertheless scores points; but it is a foul in [[snooker]], called an {{gli|in-off}}, and in [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], called a {{gli|scratch}}).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Short for [[carom billiards]], as in "I do better at carom than at pool." Sometimes pluralized in this sense as ''caroms''.</dd>

{{Term| carom billiards}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Main article: [[Carom billiards]]}}
One of the main classes of [[cue sports]], possibly the oldest, and certainly the dominant competitive form until well into the 20th century. It is played on a table without pockets, and scoring is generally done by driving a {{gli|cue ball}} into contact with one {{gli|object ball}}, then having the cue ball contact one or more {{gli|cushions}} before contacting another object ball; however, there are numerous variations, some of which involve additional objects, such as upright {{gli|pins}} as targets or {{gli|hazard}}s. Carom balls are usually larger than pool balls, and most often supplied in sets of three, though some games such as [[yotsudama]] require four. Historically the most popular carom games in the modern era were [[straight rail]] and [[cushion caroms]], followed by [[balkline billiards]], in turn supplanted by [[three-cushion billiards]] which remains a major competitive world sport and is the dominant cue sport in many countries. Some games, such as [[English billiards]], are hybrids between carom and [[pocket billiards]].</dd>

{{Term| carpetbagger }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|lemon}} and {{gli|sandbag}}.''</dd>

{{Term |carrom }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Not to be confused with [[carom billiards]].}}
[[Carrom]] is a table-top game of India, sometimes played with a small [[cue stick]] though more often with the fingers, in which small disks are slid on a game board to knock other disks into pockets cut into the corners of the board. It is ancestral to several other games, including [[novuss]], [[pichenotte]], [[pitchnut]], [[crokinole]], and [[Chapayev]]<!--Capitalized; it's a personal eponym.-->. Its historical relationship to billiards games is unclear.</dd>

{{Term| casino balls}}
<dd class="glossary">A set of pool balls divided into {{gli|suit}}s ({{gli|group}}s) of red and yellow balls (typically unnumbered, aside from the black 8-ball) instead of stripes and solids. Most often used for the game of [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] (British-style eightball pool).</dd>

{{Term| catch a stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|stroke, catch a|Stroke, catch a}}.''</dd>

{{Term| centre spot |content=centre spot {{anchor|center spot|centre-spot|center-spot|centrespot|centerspot}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''center spot'''.''
The spot (usually unmarked, except in [[snooker]])<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> at the geometric center of the {{gli|bed of table|bed}} of the table.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> It lies at the intersection of the {{gli|center string}} and {{gli|long string}}. In [[snooker]], it is more commonly known as the {{gli|blue spot}}<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> Uncommonly it is also called the {{gli|middle spot}}.</dd>

{{Term| centre string |content=centre string {{anchor|center string|centrestring|centerstring|centre-string|center-string}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''center string'''.''
The (usually unmarked) line bisecting the centers of the two {{gli|long rail|long rails}} (and of the {{gli|side pocket|side [Brit.: centre] pockets}} if any) and the {{gli|center spot}}. It thus runs widthwise (i.e. the short way) across the center of the table. Its intersection with the {{gli|long string}}, running lengthwise down the middle of the table, defines the position of the center spot.</dd>

{{Term| centre pocket |content=centre pocket {{anchor|center pocket|centre pockets|center pockets|centre-pocket|center-pocket}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Youth-centre-girl-billiards-wallpaper-preview.jpg|thumb|A player with her bridge hand close to the centre pocket]]
In the UK, one of the two {{gli|pocket|pockets}} one either side of a [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], [[snooker]] or [[English billiards]] table halfway up the {{gli|long rail|long rails}}. They are cut shallower than {{gli|corner pocket|corner pockets}} because they have a 180 degree aperture, instead of 90 degrees. Also sometimes called a '''middle pocket'''. These terms are not generally used in the US, where '''{{gli|side pocket}}''' prevails.</dd>

{{Term| century |content=century {{anchor|century break|century breaks|centuries}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Century break}}
''Also '''century break'''.''
In [[snooker]], [[English billiards]] and other British usage, a {{gli|break}} of 100 points or more, which requires {{gli|pot|potting}} at least 25<!-- the last 10 reds with blacks + yellow + green + brown + blue + pink = 100 --> balls consecutively, in snooker, but can be earned via a combination of scoring techniques in English billiards, etc. A century also means scoring 100+ points in a single turn in [[straight pool]]. A '''century of centuries''' is the achievement of 100 or more century breaks in a career, a feat [[List of snooker players with over 100 century breaks|few players have performed to date]]. ''See also {{gli|double century}}.''</dd>

{{Term| chalk }}
<dd class="glossary">A powdered substance placed on a [[Cue stick|cue]]'s {{gli|cue tip|tip}} to increase its [[friction]] and thereby decrease slippage between the tip and {{gli|cue ball}}. Cue "chalk" is not [[chalk]] ([[calcium carbonate]]), but a compound of [[silica]] and [[aluminium oxide]]. Chalk is sold in compressed, dyed (commonly blue) cubes wrapped on five sides with a paper label, and is applied (properly) in a manner similar to lipstick on the mouth. Chalk is essential to shots involving {{gli|spin}}; failure to use it frequently during a game is likely to lead to {{gli|miscue|miscuing}}.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|pp=44–45}} Modern cue chalk was co-invented by pro player [[William A. Spinks]] and engineer [[William Hoskins (inventor)|William Hoskins]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Clark |first=Neil M. |title=The World's Most Tragic Man Is the One Who Never Starts |date=May 1927 |magazine=[[The American (magazine)|The American]] |url= http://www.toaster.org/hoskins_tragic.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060825063214/http://www.toaster.org/hoskins_tragic.html |archive-date=August 25, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{US patent|0578514}}, March 9, 1897.</ref> ''See also {{gli|talc}}, often incorrectly referred to as "{{gli|hand chalk}}".''</dd>

{{Term| chasing one's money }}
<dd class="glossary">The inability of some players to stop gambling once they have lost money because they "have" to get their money back.</dd>

{{Term| cheat the pocket |content=cheat the pocket {{anchor|cheat-the-pocket|cheating the pocket|cheating-the-pocket}}}}
<dd class="glossary">To aim at an object ball such that it will enter one side or the other, rather than the center, of a pocket (and possibly striking the {{gli|facing}} of the pocket then rebounding into the pocket). This permits the cue ball to strike the object ball at a different {{gli|contact point}} than the most obvious one. Cheating the pocket is employed for {{gli|position play}}, to allow a ball to pass another partially obscuring the path to the pocket, and to prevent {{gli|scratch|scratches}} on dead-straight shots in cases where draw is not desirable (or may not be dependable, e.g. because of distance from the pocket or {{gli|smash-through}}).<ref>{{cite book |last=Capelle |first=Philip B. |title=Play Your Best Pool |date=1995 |publisher=Billiards Press |isbn=9780964920408 |page=17}}</ref> The amount of pocket cheatability available varies widely by game, due to equipment differences. [[Pool (cue sports)|Pool]] has wide and thus very "cheatable" pockets, while [[snooker]] and [[Russian pyramid]] have pockets barely wide enough to admit a ball and therefore little room for error or for pocket-cheating.</dd>

{{Term| check side }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''checkside''' or '''check'''.'' A type of {{gli|english|spin}} imparted to the {{gli|cue ball}} to make it rebound off a {{gli|cushion}} at a shallower angle than it would if the spin had not been used. Normally played when the natural angle is no good to the player for the next shot.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|p=48}}</dd>

{{Term| chesney }}
<dd class="glossary">Sometimes known as a "Chesney Allen", a slight indentation in the table's slate which can add behavioral aspects to any ball passing over it. Tables containing a chesney are legal for match play, but are generally avoided by serious and professional players.</dd>

{{Term| Chinese snooker }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Chinese Snooker.png|thumb|right|A Chinese snooker on the red ball]]
A situation where the {{gli|cue ball}} is directly in front of another ball in the line of the shot such that the player is {{gli|hampered}} by it, having to {{gli|bridge}} over it awkwardly with the likelihood of a {{gli|foul}} looming if the object ball is inadvertently touched.<ref>{{cite book |last=Green |first=Jonathon |title=Dictionary of Jargon |date=January 1987 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofjarg00jona/page/112 112] |isbn=9780710099198 |quote='''Chinese snooker''' ''n'' |url= https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofjarg00jona |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive |access-date=February 26, 2009}}</ref> The term is most common in the game of [[snooker]] but is also used in US parlance.</dd>

{{Term| chuck nurse |content=chuck nurse {{anchor|chuck|chuck nurse shot}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Known as a '''{{gli|rocking cannon}}''' in British terminology.
A type of {{gli|nurse}} used in [[carom billiards]] games. With one object ball {{gli|frozen}} (British: {{gli|tight}}) to a {{gli|cushion}} and the second object ball a few inches away from the cushion, the cue ball is gently rebounded off the frozen ball, not moving it, but with just enough speed to meet the other object ball, which rocks in place but does not change position. Developed to thwart the restrictions emplaced by the {{gli|Parker's box}}.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=8}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Loy |first=Jim |title=The Chuck Nurse |date=2000 |work=Jim Loy's Billiards/Pool Page |url= http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/chuck.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070128002628/http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/chuck.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2007}} Provides an animated illustration of precisely how the chuck nurse works.</ref></dd>

{{Term| choke }}
<dd class="glossary">To commit errors while shooting, especially at the {{gli|money ball}}, due to pressure.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|p=50}} ''See also {{gli|dog}}, {{gli|one-stroke}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cinch a ball }}
<dd class="glossary">To play a shot with the stroke and speed that makes it easiest to pocket the object ball, even at the expense of sacrificing position.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| cinch a pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">To maneuver a ball on a shot so that it will be favorably positioned for later play into a particular pocket, even at the expense of sacrificing position or the inning to achieve that result.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| cinch position }}
<dd class="glossary">To play a shot using a more difficult application of stroke and speed to achieve a certain desired position for the next shot, even at the expense of or sharply increasing the likelihood of a miss.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| clean }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly British.'' Describing a {{gli|pot}} that goes straight into the {{gli|pocket}} without touching either {{gli|knuckle}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly American.'' Describing a shot in {{gli|bar pool}}: the {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} of an {{gli|object ball}} in a manner such that the target object ball does not {{gli|kiss shot|kiss}} any other object ball, and is not {{gli|bank shot|banked}}, {{gli|kick shot|kicked}}, {{gli|carom|caromed}}, or {{gli|combination shot|combo'd}} in, and without {{gli|double kiss|double-kissing}}, though it may hit the {{gli|knuckle|knuckles}}, and depending upon local bar-rules may be allowed to contact either of the cushions, not just at the knuckle, that run into the target pocket. Usage example: "The 7 in that corner, clean". Usage can be narrower, to indicate clean ''other than as already specified'', e.g. "bank the 7 in that corner, clean".</dd>

{{Term| clearance |content=clearance {{anchor|clear|clearing}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sufficient space to legally execute a shot, without a {{gli|foul}} ({{gli|fault}}), e.g. from striking a {{gli|ball-on|ball that is not on}}. Usage examples: "I wonder if I really have clearance for the 8"; "I bet you can't clear the 6 and make that shot." Can apply to any shot situation, including vertically: "a long {{gli|jump shot}} that has to clear three balls."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]] and British [[blackball (pool)|blackball]], the successful {{gli|pot|potting}} of all object {{gli|ball-on|balls-on}} in a single {{gli|frame}}. A player is said to have "cleared up" or to have "cleared the table". Also, if a snooker player compiles a {{gli|break}} consisting of all 15 {{gli|red ball|reds}} with {{gli|colour ball|colours}}, then the colours in sequence, this is known as a "{{gli|total clearance}}". ''Compare {{gli|break and run}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A type of maneuver, the '''{{vanchor|clearance shot}}''' or '''{{vanchor|clearing shot}}''', in which the {{gli|cue ball}} ball is used to move one or more balls out of the way (directly or some by subsequent impact) then continue on to a desired destination. E.g., in a game of [[nine-ball]], if the 1 and the 7 were clustered together along a cushion with the 9 behind them near a pocket, and the cue ball could strike the 1 full face with a result of the 1 heading off the 7 toward the top rail and the 7 rebounding quickly across the table from the cushion, the cue ball, with {{gli|top spin}} could retain enough post-impact momentum to continue forward and pocket the 9 as long as both the 1 and the 7 were ''cleared'' out the way first. In a game like [[eight-ball]], a clearance shot might also be used at the end of an inning to move some problem balls that are blocking an otherwise easy {{gli|run}}, and leave the cue ball in a {{gli|safe}} position, in hopes of having a better layout to work with in the next inning. {{gli|Tickie}} shots are among the most common clearance approaches, especially for very short distances of intended cue ball travel past the initial contact. ''"Clearance" is essentially the opposite of "{{gli|gather shot|gather}}", though the latter term is largely confined to [[carom billiards]].''</dd>

{{Term| cling }}
<dd class="glossary">Phenomenon in which two balls, (usually the {{gli|cue ball}} and an {{gli|object ball}}) have some foreign material – typically often residual cue-tip {{gli|chalk}} or dirt picked up from unbrushed {{gli|cloth}} – between the balls at the {{gli|point of contact}}, resulting in the struck object ball being thrown offline from the expected trajectory, and often also affecting the post-impact behavior of the cue ball. Cling is an exaggerated form of {{gli|throw}}, caused by momentary but unusually gripping friction imparted by the chalk or other residue. ''Also known as {{gli|skid}}, or in the UK, {{gli|kick}} (sense 2).'' A typical precaution against cling is to ask for the cue ball and/or object ball to be cleaned by the referee in order to remove chalk that is already on the ball prior to the shot; and (including in non-refereed games) players cleaning the cue ball personally after gaining {{gli|ball-in-hand}}. The table cloth can also be brushed between matches. When conditions seem ripe for clings (e.g. visibly dirty balls) some skilled players resort to pre-emptively using (and compensating for) {{not a typo|{{gli|gearing outside english}}}}, a general anti-throw technique. However, no precaution can ward against cling resulting from chalk transferred from the cue tip to the cue ball during a single shot. Coincidental cling can therefore cause unpredictable play and occasionally lead to rudimentary shots being missed at even the highest levels of the game.<ref name="DGAcling1" /><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm BBC Sport video] investigating the cause of {{gli|cling}} (a.k.a. {{gli|kick|kicks}} or {{gli|skid}}); retrieved 4 May 2007</ref> "Cling" (and derived words like "clung", "clinger", "clinging", etc.) may be used as a mass noun, less commonly as a count noun, as a verb, and rarely as an adjective ("cling is annoying", "two clings in one frame", "they clung", "unintentional cling shot", respectively). ''See {{gli|kick}} for [[snooker]]-specific notes.'' ''See also {{gli|dead ball}}, sense 2.''</dd>

{{Term| closed bridge}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''loop bridge'''.''
A bridge formed by the hand where a finger (normally the [[index finger]]) is curved over the cue stick and the other fingers are spread on the cloth providing solid support for the cue stick's direction. A closed bridge is less common in snooker play than in other games.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|pp=52–53}} ''Compare {{gli|open bridge|Open bridge}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cloth }}
<dd class="glossary">The [[baize]] cloth covering the tables playing surface and rails, usually made from wool or a wool-nylon blend. In use since the 15th century, cloth is traditionally green-coloured, chosen for its evocation of grass. Sometimes cloth is improperly referred to as "felt." The properties of the cloth used to cover a table, as well as environmental conditions that can affect it—notably humidity, the degree it has been stretched when installed, and its level of cleanness—have a profound effect on play.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p53">{{harvp|Shamos|1993|p=53}}.</ref> ''See also {{gli|fast}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cloth speed |content=cloth speed {{anchor|cloth-speed|speed of the cloth|clothspeed}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|table speed}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cluster }}
<dd class="glossary">Two or more object balls that are touching or are close together. Rarer uses of the term include the intended action of a {{gli|gather shot}}, and a {{gli|run}} of points.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p53" /></dd>

{{Term| cocked-hat double |content=cocked-hat double {{anchor|cocked hat double|cocked-hat|cocked hat}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A term applied especially in [[snooker]] for a type of double off three cushions, e.g. around the {{gli|baulk colour|baulk colours}} and into a {{gli|centre pocket}}. Such a shot is very difficult to make and would not normally be played as anything more than a {{gli|shot for nothing}}.</dd>

{{Term| collar |content=collar {{anchor|collars}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The protector of the {{gli|joint}} of the [[Cue stick|cue]] on the joint end of the {{gli|butt}} and {{gli|shaft}} (i.e., the '''butt collar''' and '''shaft collar''' respectively). Most modern cues use collars of steel and/or other materials, but [[carom billiards]] cues usually have a collarless wood-on-wood joint,<ref name="Kilby 2009" /> as do "{{gli|sneaky pete|sneaky petes}}".</dd>

{{Term| collision-induced side spin |content=collision-induced side spin {{anchor|collision-induced sidespin|collision-induced side-spin|collision-induced english|collision induced side spin|collision induced sidespin|collision induced english}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|Side spin}} imparted to an {{gli|object ball}} by the friction from the hit of the {{gli|cue ball}} during a {{gli|cut shot}}.</dd>

{{Term| collision-induced throw |content=collision-induced throw {{anchor|collision induced throw}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cut-induced throw}}.''</dd>

{{Term| colour ball |content=colour ball {{anchor|colour balls|colour-ball|colour-balls|coloured ball|coloured balls|colour|colours|color ball|color balls|color-ball|color-balls|colored ball|colored balls|color|colors}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Set of Snookerballs.png|thumb|right|A complete set of snooker balls with 15 red balls, six '''coloured balls''' and a cue ball]]
{{ghat|Also '''coloured ball(s)''', '''colour(s)'''; American spelling '''color''' sometimes also used.}}
1.&nbsp; In [[snooker]], any of the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} that are not {{gli|red ball|reds}}. A colour ball must be {{gli|pot|potted}} after each red in the continuation of a {{gli|break}}, and are {{gli|re-spot|re-spotted}} until the reds run out, after which the colours must be potted in their order:
*{{gli|yellow ball|yellow}} (2 points);
*{{gli|green ball|green}} (3 points);
*{{gli|brown ball|brown}} (4 points);
*{{gli|blue ball|blue}} (5 points);
*{{gli|pink ball|pink}} (6 points);
*{{gli|black ball|black}} (7 points).
Although the full term includes "ball" after the colour, they are most commonly referred to with the omission of "ball", just stating the colour (e.g. "he's taken five blacks with reds so far").</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp; In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]], a generic, collective term for the {{gli|red ball|red}} and {{gli|yellow ball|yellow}} {{gli|group|groups}} of {{gli|object ball|object balls}}, corresponding to the (originally American, but used much more widely today) {{gli|solids}} and {{gli|stripes}}, respectively.<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>

{{Term| combination |content={{vanchor|combination|combinations|combination shot|combination shots|combination-shot|combo|combo shot|combo-shot|combos}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''combination shot''', '''combo'''.''
Any shot in which the cue ball contacts an object ball, which in turn hits one or more additional object balls (which in turn may hit yet further object balls) to send the last-hit object ball to an intended place, usually a pocket.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In the UK this is often referred to as a {{gli|plant}}.</dd>

{{Term| concession }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], when a player offers the {{gli|frame}} to their opponent, even though balls remain on the table. An accepted concession formally concludes a frame, although the opponent reserves the right not to accept the concession, in which case the frame will continue. A player typically concedes a frame when they {{gli|snookers required|require snookers}}. Conceding a frame before the snookers required stage is regarded as unsporting conduct that will incur a warning from the {{gli|referee}}. If the player has already been warned, they will be penalised the following frame.</dd>

{{Term| contact point |content={{vanchor|contact point|point of contact|contact-point|point-of-contact|contact}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp; {{ghat|Also '''point of contact'''.}}The point on each of two balls at which they touch at the moment of impact.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; The point on the {{gli|cue ball}} at which the {{gli|cue tip}} hits it on the shooting stroke. If this point is not dead-center on the ball, {{gli|spin}} will be imparted to the ball.</dd>

{{Term| containing safety }}
<dd class="glossary">A type of {{gli|safety|safety shot}} in the middle of a safety exchange that is not intended to put the opponent in a difficult situation regarding their next safety, but rather played so as to not leave an easy {{gli|pot}} on. A typical example in [[snooker]], which sees the most shots of this kind, is a slow {{gli|roll-up}} into the {{gli|pack}}.</dd>

{{Term| corner-hooked |content=corner-hooked {{anchor|corner hooked|cornerhooked|corner-hook|cornerhook|corner hook}}}}
<dd class="glossary">When the corner lip of a pocket blocks the path of the cue ball from contacting an intended object ball. Interchangeable with "{{gli|tittie-hooked}}".<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| corner pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">Any of the four {{gli|pocket|pockets}} in each corner of a pool or [[snooker]] table. They have a 90 degree aperture and as such are cut deeper than center pockets, which have 180 degree apertures.</dd>

{{Term| count |content=count {{anchor|counts|Count|Counts|counting|counted|to count|count, to}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp; A successful shot or score; more common in carom games.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; The running score during a game {{gli|inning}} where multiple successive points have been made.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| coup }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|running a coup}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cotgrave }}
<dd class="glossary">Similar to {{gli|fluke}} whereby a shot is played with seemingly no aim to a {{gli|pot}} or {{gli|snooker}} but ends up with the desired outcome.</dd>

{{Term| counter rack | content=counter rack {{anchor|counting rack|counter ball rack}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''counting rack''', '''counter ball rack''',{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=187}} etc.}}
''Same as {{gli|scoring rack}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cradle cannon }}
<dd class="glossary">A type of {{gli|nurse}} shot used in [[English billiards]] in which two coloured balls are positioned on either side of the mouth of a snooker table pocket but not touching and, thus placed, can be successively contacted and scored off over and over by the cue ball without moving them. The cradle cannon's first known use was by Walter Lovejoy in 1907. The unofficial record using the shot is held by [[Tom Reece]] who in 1907, over the course of a month, scored 499,135 points using the cradle cannon before stopping without missing. This feat prompted the Billiards Association to outlaw the shot. The official record is held by William Cook with 42,746 points scored.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|p=62}} ''Compare {{gli|anchor nurse}}.''</dd>

{{Term| creep }}
<dd class="glossary">Deviation of a ball from its initial direction of travel. Often the result of a poor-quality table and may be an artifact of the {{gli|cloth}}, the {{gli|bed}}, a ball with uneven weight distribution, or simply the floor the table stands on being uneven. It should not be confused with the {{gli|nap}} of the cloth.</dd>

{{Term| cribbage }}
<dd class="glossary">A set of paired balls in the game of [[Cribbage (pool)|cribbage pool]] that have a combined number value of 15. For example, the 8 ball and the 7 ball added together equal 15 and thus constitute one cribbage if pocketed in succession.<ref name="Fels">{{cite book |last=Fels |first=George |title=Pool Simplified, Somewhat |date=2000 |publisher=Courier Dover Publications |location=Mineola, New York |pages=9, 88–89 |isbn=9780486413686}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| cross }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Hilfsqueue the cross.png|thumb|A "cross rake" rest]]
''Also '''cross rake''' or '''jigger'''.'' A type of {{gli|rest}}, with a straight {{gli|shaft}} and "x"-shaped head for resting the {{gli|cue}} upon.</dd>

{{Term| cross-corner }}
<dd class="glossary">A bank shot that rebounds off a cushion into a corner pocket across the table.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| cross double }}
<dd class="glossary">A British term describing a {{gli|bank shot}} in which the {{gli|cue ball}} crosses the future path of the {{gli|object ball}}. Such shots are usually played into a {{gli|center pocket}} because there is the danger of a {{gli|double kiss|double-kiss}} if played to a {{gli|corner pocket}}.</dd>

{{Term| cross-side }}
<dd class="glossary">A bank shot that rebounds off a cushion and into a side pocket.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| crotch }}
<dd class="glossary">The corner formed by the rails on a carom billiards table. In modern [[straight rail]] rules, only three {{gli|count|counts}} may be made while both {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are inside the boundaries of the crotch before one ball must be driven away. The boundaries of each of the four crotch areas are measured by drawing a line from the first {{gli|diamond}} on the {{gli|end rail}} to the second diamond on the {{gli|long rail}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| Crucible curse |content=Crucible curse {{anchor|crucible curse|Crucible curse, the|the Crucible curse|The Crucible curse}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Crucible curse}}
The phenomenon that ({{as of|lc=y|2019|post=)}} no first-time winner of the [[World Snooker Championship]] has successfully defended the title the following year since it moved to the [[Crucible Theatre]] in 1977.</dd>

{{Term| cue }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Noun:'' ''Also '''cue stick'''.'' A stick, usually around 55 to 60 inches in length with a tip made of a material such as leather on the end and sometimes with a joint in the middle, which is used to propel billiard balls. Light-weight, shorter cues are sometimes also used in billiards-related disc games, including [[novuss]] and some forms of [[carrom]], [[crokinole]]/croquignole, and [[pichenotte]]/[[pitchnut]].
{{Main|Cue stick}}</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Noun:'' Sometimes "cue" is short for {{gli|cue ball}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Verb:'' ''Same as {{gli|stroke}}, definition 1''</dd>

{{Term| cue action }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' The posture and timing used by players on their shots, often indicative of how they play in their shot selection. A fast, natural player would tend to be more aggressive whereas a less naturally gifted player might have a slow action and tend to be more conservative on the table. It is widely thought that better snooker players get lower to the table with their chins on the {{gli|cue}}, have a straight back leg, their elbow hinging in line with the shot, and a straight follow-through after the {{gli|cue ball}} has been struck.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}</dd>

{{Term| cue ball |content=cue ball {{anchor|cueball|cue balls|cueballs|cue-ball|cue-balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''cue-ball''', '''cueball'''.''
The [[Billiard ball|ball]] in almost any [[cue sport]], typically white in colour, that a player strikes with a [[cue stick]].<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Sometimes referred to as the "white ball", "whitey" or "the rock".<ref>[[MSG Plus|MSG+]] re-broadcast of the [[2011 Mosconi Cup]] 9-Ball Championship, final (aired August 12, 2012, 1:00 p.m.). [[Shane Van Boening]] and [[Johnny Archer]] vs. [[Nick van den Berg]] and [[Niels Feijen]]. In-context commentary at 18 min. in by pro player and pool writer Jerry Forsyth: "He left the rock in a perfect line."</ref> In [[Russian pyramid]], the cue ball is usually red, but any ball can be used as a cue ball, with the exception of the ''dynamic pyramid'' variant. ''For more information, see the [[billiard ball]] main article.''</dd>

{{Term| cue ball control }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|position play}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cue holder }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A portable device for holding cues upright and at the ready for immediate use. The most common types are either weighted and placed on a table top, with semicircular cut-outs into which cues may lean, or clamping varieties that firmly affix to a table and which have clips or holes into which cues are placed for added security.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|cue stand}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|wall rack}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cue power }}
<dd class="glossary">A chiefly British term describing the amount of control a player can retain when playing shots with heavy {{gli|spin}} and great pace; "it took tremendous cue power to get onto the 2 ball having been relatively straight on the 1".</dd>

{{Term| cue rack |content=cue rack {{anchor|cue racks|cuerack|cue-rack|cueracks|cue-racks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|cue stand}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|wall rack}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cue stand |content=cue stand {{anchor|cue stands|cuestand|cue-stand|cuestands|cue-stands}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A piece of stand-alone or "island" furniture designed to store [[cue stick]]s and sometimes other accessories such as the {{gli|mechanical bridge}} ({{gli|rest}}), [[billiard ball|balls]], {{gli|chalk}}, etc., when not in use. ''Contrast {{gli|wall rack}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cue stick |content=cue stick {{anchor|cuestick|cue sticks|cuesticks|cue-stick|cue-sticks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''cue-stick''', '''cuestick'''.''
''Same as {{gli|cue}}.''
{{Main|Cue stick}}</dd>

{{Term| cue tip }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Further|Cue stick#Tips}}
A formed tip, usually made of leather, that is affixed to the end of the cue stick that comes into {{gli|contact}} with the cue ball.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| curve shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|semi-massé|semi-{{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}}. Compare {{gli|swerve shot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cueist }}
<dd class="glossary">A player of [[cue sports]].</dd>

{{Term| cushion |content=cushion {{anchor|cushions}} }}
<dd class="glossary">The elastic bumpers mounted on all {{gli|rail}}s of a [[billiards table]], usually made from [[rubber]] or [[synthetic rubber]], off which the balls rebound.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Before the advent of [[vulcanized rubber]] manufacturing in the mid-19th century, cushions of early billiard tables were often simply cloth stuffed with straw, cotton, or other fibers; they were not very elastic, but simply quieter than bare wooden boards. The existence of cushions and rails dates to the era of outdoor [[ground billiards]], the courts for which were often bounded by short [[wicker]] or wood fences, sometimes padded. ''For specific modern cushion parts, see: {{gli|facing}}, {{gli|knuckle}}, and {{gli|nose}}.''</dd>

{{Term| cut-induced throw |content=cut-induced throw {{anchor|cut induced throw|CIT}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|Throw}} (object-ball {{gli|deflection}} away from the {{gli|tangent line}} path of the {{gli|object ball}}), induced by ball-against-ball "sliding" friction on all {{gli|cut shot}}s to at least some degree.<ref name="DGAthrow1" /><ref name="DGAthrow2" /> Sometimes more vaguely referred to as {{gli|collision-induced throw}}. One of several types of throw; ''see {{gli|throw}} for details.''</dd>

{{Term| cut shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Technically, any shot that is not a center-to-center hit, but almost always employed when describing a shot that has more than a slight degree of angle.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==D==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| "D", the |content="D", the {{anchor|the "D"|The "D"|the D|"D"|d, the|the d|D, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A semicircle with an {{frac|11|1|2}}-inch (291&nbsp;mm) radius, drawn behind a snooker table's {{gli|baulk line}}, centred on the middle of the line, and resembling the upper case letter "D" in shape. The "D" is also used in [[English billiards]] and sometimes also in [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] and other pool games played on [[Snooker table|British-style tables]].<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> The size of the "D" is typically scaled down on smaller tables.</dd>

{{Term| dart stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">A short and loose stroke performed in a manner similar to the way one throws a dart; usually employed for a {{gli|jump shot}}. ''See also {{gli|nip draw}}.''</dd>

{{Term| dead |content=dead {{anchor|dead combination|dead combo|dead on|dead-on|dead kiss}}}}
<dd class="glossary">When two or more {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are {{gli|frozen}} or nearly frozen to each other, such that {{gli|cue ball|cue-ball}} contact with one object ball, without the necessity of great accuracy, will almost certainly pocket an intended object ball in the {{gli|cluster}}. The most common form of dead arrangements are the '''dead combination''' or '''dead combo''' (a {{gli|combination|combination shot}} in which contact with the first object ball will pocket another one), and the '''dead kiss''', in which contact with the first object ball will pocket it off of another one. See also {{gli|wired}}.</dd>

{{Term| dead cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">Same as {{gli|dead rail}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| dead ball }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|dead ball shot}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A ball that has been used for some time, with a dirty surface, as opposed to a slick new (or highly polished used) ball.<ref name="BDESaw" /> A {{gli|spin|spinning}} dead ball will transfer more spin to other balls it comes into contact with, and not be as {{gli|fast}} on the cloth. Even {{gli|cut shot}} angles may be affected because of the {{gli|cling}} or {{gli|skid}} (British: {{gli|kick}}) effect, and professional players often ask a referee to clean a ball, mid-game.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}<!--Should be easy to source.--> Others may actually be more used to dead balls and prefer them.<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| dead ball shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|kill shot}}.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| dead frame |content=dead frame {{anchor|dead frames}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In {{gli|snooker}}, a {{gli|frame}} played after the result of the match has already been determined, e.g. "Lindrum crossed the winning line at 76–38 on the second Thursday, ending at 94–49 ahead after the completion of the dead frames.";<ref>{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Luke |last2=Gadsby |first2=Paul |title=Masters of the Baize: Cue Legends, Bad Boys and Forgotten Men in Search of Snooker's Ultimate Prize |date=2005 |publisher=Mainstream |location=Edinburgh |isbn=9781840188721 |page=47}}</ref> "Rea showed his best form&nbsp;... to win the final 'dead' frame".<ref>{{cite news |title=Pulman too good for Rea |date=March 17, 1964 |work=[[Birmingham Post]] |page=21}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| dead rail }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|cushion}} that has either lost a degree of elastic resiliency or is not firmly attached to the wooden {{gli|rail}}; or a rail that is not firmly bolted to the table frame. In all three cases, the result is that balls rebound from the cushion with less energy than is normal.</dd>

{{Term| dead stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">When a player is playing flawlessly, just "cannot miss" and the game seems effortless.</dd>

{{Term| deadweight }}
<dd class="glossary">Describing a {{gli|pot}} played at such a pace as to just reach the {{gli|pocket}} and drop in without hitting the back.</dd>

{{Term| deciding frame |content=deciding frame {{anchor|decider|deciding rack}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''decider''' or '''deciding rack'''.'' The frame that decides the winner of a match when two opponents are tied (at a draw) on an equal number of frames, with just one remaining. The total number of frames in a match is set at an odd number to allow the final frame to act as a tie-breaker – a decider – in the event of the match reaching this frame.</dd>

{{Term| deflection }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Displacement of the {{gli|cue ball}}'s path away from the parallel line formed by the [[cue stick]]'s direction of travel; occurs every time {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} ({{gli|side spin}}) is employed. The degree of deflection increases as the amount of {{Not a typo|english}} applied increases. It is also called '''squirt''', typically in the United States, or '''cue-ball deflection'''. The physics of the squirt or deflection phenomenon has been analyzed in other contexts, such as with [[Puck (ice hockey)|ice-hockey pucks]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mathavan |first1=S. |last2=Jackson |first2=M. R. |last3=Parkin |first3=R. M. |title=Application of high-speed imaging to determine the dynamics of billiards |date=September 2009 |journal=[[American Journal of Physics]] |volume=77 |issue=9 |publisher=[[American Association of Physics Teachers]] |doi=10.1119/1.3157159 |page=792 |bibcode=2009AmJPh..77..788M |url= http://billiards.colostate.edu/physics/ajp_09_hsv_article.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220205538/http://billiards.colostate.edu/physics/ajp_09_hsv_article.pdf |archive-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Cross |first=Rod |title=The polar moment of inertia of striking implements |date=July 2010 |journal=Sports Technology |volume=3 |pages=215–219 |issue=3 |doi=10.1080/19346182.2011.564287 |s2cid=39388180 |url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232993626 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160701204237/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232993626_The_polar_moment_of_inertia_of_striking_implements |archive-date=July 1, 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=June 24, 2016}} [http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~cross/PUBLICATIONS/53.%20PolarMOI.pdf Alt URL]</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''object-ball deflection''': same as {{gli|throw}}.''</dd>

{{Term| deliberate foul |content=deliberate foul {{anchor|deliberate fault}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''deliberate fault'''.'' A shot, especially common in [[straight pool]] and in some variants of [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] (but not WEPF/EPA rules<ref name="WEPFRules" />), in which a player intentionally commits a {{gli|foul}} with the object in mind of either leaving the opponent with little chance of {{gli|run out|running out}} or simply to avoid shooting where no good shot is presented and to do anything else would give the opponent an advantage. It is often referred to in straight pool as a "back scratch."</dd>

{{Term| designate }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|call}}. (Formal.)''</dd>

{{Term| develop }}
<dd class="glossary">To move a ball (usually deliberately) from a safe position, e.g. close to the middle of a {{gli|cushion}} or in a {{gli|cluster}}, so that it becomes {{gli|pot|pottable}}.</dd>

{{Term| diamond |content=diamond {{anchor|diamonds}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[File:Pool table diamond samples2.jpg|thumb|right|A manufacturer's sample board showing various styles of {{gli|diamond}} inlays for [[billiard table]]s]]
One of a number of identical markings, usually inlaid into the surface above the rail cushions, used as target or reference points. Three equally spaced diamonds are normally between each pocket on a pool table. On a [[Carom billiards|carom]] table, the pockets themselves are replaced by additional diamonds. Diamonds get their name from the shape of the markings traditionally used; though many today are round, square, etc., these rail markings are still referred to as "diamonds". They are also referred to as {{gli|sight|sights}}, especially in British English. ''(See also {{gli|diamond system}}.)''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[File:Seven-ball diamond rack 1a.jpg|thumb|left|{{gli|rack|Racking}} up a game of [[seven-ball]] using the {{gli|diamond}} [[Rack (billiards)|rack]] more commonly used for [[nine-ball]], but sideways. The [[Billiard ball|1 ball]] is about to be placed on the {{gli|foot spot}} to complete the rack.]]
A particular shape of [[Rack (billiards)|ball rack]], in the form of a [[parallelogram]] ("diamond shape"), used for {{gli|rack|racking}} games of [[nine-ball]] and [[seven-ball]], though the {{gli|triangle|triangle rack}} can also be used for the former, and [[hexagon]]al racks also exist for the latter. ''(See also {{gli|triangle}}.)''{{clear|left}}</dd>

{{Term| diamond system }}
<dd class="glossary">Any system for {{gli|bank shot|banking}} or {{gli|kick shot|kicking}} balls off multiple rails which uses table {{gli|diamonds}} as aiming references.</dd>

{{Term| dirty combo }}
<dd class="glossary">A combination in 8-ball or blackball that involves balls of differing groups</dd>

{{Term| discipline }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A [[cue sports]] game (such as [[eight-ball]], [[three-cushion billiards]], [[Balkline|18.2 balkline]], etc.), especially as a professional or serious amateur specialization: "He was a World Champion in three billiards disciplines."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;An [[artistic pool]] term for a category of [[trick shot]]s; artistic pool is divided into eight disciplines, and [[Artistic Pool & Trick Shot Association|APTSA]] tournaments present both discipline-specific and all-around awards.<ref name="APTSA Rules" /></dd>

{{Term| dish }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|run out}}'' (chiefly British). ''See also {{gli|break and dish}}.''</dd>

{{Term| divot }}
<dd class="glossary">An indentation in the {{gli|cloth}} of the [[Billiard table|table]], especially at the {{gli|foot spot}} where the {{gli|apex|apex ball}} is often tapped into secure position during {{gli|rack (noun)|racking}}. In extreme cases, the indentation may actually be in the slate {{gli|bed}} of the table, from excessive tapping over many years, and can cause unexpected {{gli|table roll}}s. A {{gli|racking template}} is used to intentionally create minor divots for all of the balls in a rack.</dd>

{{Term| dog |content=dog {{anchor|dogs|dog it|dogged|dogging|to dog|dog, to}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''dog it'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A widespread term in US parlance describing missing a relatively easy shot—often in the face of pressure. Can be used in many forms: "I dogged the shot"; "I hope he dogs it"; "I'm such a dog."<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /><ref name="USOpen06-2">[[SportsNet New York]] broadcast of 2006 [[US Open Nine-ball Championship]] (aired November 29, 2007). [[John Schmidt (pool player)|John Schmidt]] vs. [[Tyler Eddy]]. In-context commentary by pool pro [[Danny DiLiberto]]. "[John] Schmidt unbelievably dogs a straight in eight ball."</ref> ''See also {{gli|choke}}, {{gli|one-stroke}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|slop}} shot'' (chiefly Southern US, colloquial).</dd>

{{Term| dots }}
<dd class="glossary">In chiefly UK parlance, the non-striped ball {{gli|group}} of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 1 through 7 and have a solid colour scheme. ''Compare {{gli|solids}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|low}}, {{gli|small}}, {{gli|little}}, {{gli|spots}}, {{gli|unders}}; contrast {{gli|stripes}}.''</dd>

{{Term| double }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|bank shot}}'' (chiefly British).</dd>

{{Term| double century |content=double century {{anchor|double-century break|double century break|double-century break}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''double-century break'''.''
In [[English billiards]], a {{gli|break}} of 200–299 {{gli|point|points}} (i.e. double a {{gli|century}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Geet Sethi crowned World Billiards Champion for the 8th Time! |date=2006 |work=TNQ.in |publisher=TNQ Sponsorship (India) Pvt. Ltd. |url= http://www.tnq.in/GS_newstory.html |access-date=November 30, 2007}} Establishes usage.</ref> Larger multi-centuries are regularly achieved. Rare in amateur play, triple centuries are routine (and quadruples not uncommon) at [[World Professional Billiards Championship]]s; 2007 winner [[Mike Russell (billiards player)|Mike Russell]] shot four triples in the final round alone, while of sixteen competitors, three shot quadruple centuries (one once, one twice, and Russell three times). ''Quintuple'' centuries are rare even at the professional level, with only the 494 shot by nine-time world champion Russell (who has more such titles than any other player in history as of 2007) coming close in that event.<ref>{{cite web |title=2007 World Professional Billiards Championship |at="Tournaments" section |date=2007 |work=EABAonline |publisher=English Amateur Billiards Association |url= http://www.eaba.co.uk/tournaments/2006-07/worldProfessional2007.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110928024131/http://www.eaba.co.uk/tournaments/2006-07/worldProfessional2007.html |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> {{As of|2007|post=,}} Peter Gilchrist holds the world record, with a ''[[Numerical prefix|tredecuple]]'' century of 1346 consecutive points.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sethi's world record billiards break surpassed by Gilchrist |date=September 18, 2017 |orig-date=October 6, 2007 |agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]] |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |url= https://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-sethi-s-world-record-billiards-break-surpassed-by-gilchrist-1125888}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| double cheeseburger, the }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|hill-hill|hill, hill}}.''</dd>

{{Term| double-elimination }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Double-elimination tournament}}
<span id="Double elimination"></span><!--Old heading title; may be linked-to from somewhere.-->''Also '''double elimination'''.''
A tournament format in which a player must lose two {{gli|match|matches}} in order to be eliminated.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Contrast {{gli|single-elimination}}.''</dd>

{{Term| double hit }}
<dd class="glossary">An illegal shot ({{gli|foul}}) in which the [[cue stick]]'s {{gli|tip}} contacts the {{gli|cue ball}} twice during a single {{gli|stroke}}. Double hits often occur when a player shoots the cue ball when it is very close to an {{gli|object ball}} or {{gli|cushion}}, because it is difficult to move the cue stick away quickly enough after the cue ball rebounds off the cushion or object ball.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| double kiss }}
<dd class="glossary">A situation in which two moving balls strike each other. Often happens when a ball strikes a second ball that is close to a rail, and it rebounds back into the first ball; usually but not always unintended.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /><ref name="USOpen06-2" /></dd>

{{Term| double shimmed }}
<dd class="glossary">A pool table where two [[shim (engineering)|shims]] have been placed on the sides of each pocket (in the {{gli|jaws}} beneath the cloth), making the pockets "tighter" (smaller). Such tables are "tougher" than unshimmed or single-shimmed tables.</dd>

{{Term| double the rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Sometimes called a '''snake shot'''.'' A carom billiards shot, common in [[three-cushion billiards]], where the cue ball is shot with {{gli|reverse english|reverse {{Not a typo|english}}}} at a relatively shallow angle down the rail, and spins backwards off the adjacent rail back into the first rail.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| double the pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">To intentionally rebound the {{gli|cue ball}} off both of the {{gli|pocket}} {{gli|point|points}} to achieve {{gli|position}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| doubles }}
<dd class="glossary">A form of team play in which two players compete against another team of two players in any given {{gli|frame}} or {{gli|match}}. In a doubles game, the first player from the breaking team is the only one who shoots during the opening {{gli|inning}}, with control of the table passing to a member of the opposing team at the end of that inning, then upon the end of the opponent's inning to the doubles partner of the original player, and next to the second opponent, play proceeding in this doubly alternating manner until concluded. ''Also {{gli|pairs}} (chiefly British).'' ''Contrast {{not a typo|1={{gli|scotch doubles}}}}.''</dd>

{{Term| down-table }}
<dd class="glossary">Toward the {{gli|foot}} of the [[Billiard table|table]].</dd>

{{Term| drag shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot played slowly and with heavy {{gli|draw}} and {{gli|follow-through}} so that the {{gli|cue ball}} can be struck firmly but with a lot of the pace taken out, allowing more control than just a gentle tap that would travel as far. Also called "Drag Draw".</dd>

{{Term| draw }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also known as {{gli|back spin}}, a type of spin applied to the {{gli|cue ball}} by hitting it below its {{gli|equator}}, causing it to spin backwards even as it slides forward on the cloth. Back spin slows the cue ball down, reduces its travel, and narrows both the {{gli|carom|carom angle}} after contact with an {{gli|object ball}}, and {{gli|angle of reflection}} off a {{gli|cushion}}. There are several variant terms for this, including "bottom" and "bottom spin" in the US and "screw" in the UK. Draw is thought to be the first spin technique understood by billiards players prior to the introduction of leather tips, and was in use by the 1790s.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The schedule of fixtures in a [[tournament]].</dd>

{{Term| draw shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is struck below its equator with sufficient {{gli|draw}} to make it reverse direction at the moment of contact with an {{gli|object ball}} because it is still {{gli|back spin|back-spinning}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> When the object and cue balls are lined up square, the reversal will be directly backwards, while on a cut shot, the effect will alter the {{gli|carom}} angle. It can also refer to any shot to which draw is applied, as in "draw it off the foot rail just to the left of the center diamond". ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| drill }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A set practice routine;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;To beat badly; "I drilled my opponent."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In British terminology, a {{gli|bank shot}}.</dd>

{{Term| drop pockets }}
<dd class="glossary">Netted or cupped pockets that do not return the balls to the foot end of the table by means of a gutter system or sloped surface beneath. Instead, they must instead be retrieved manually.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| dry break }}
<dd class="glossary">A break shot in pool on which zero object balls are potted.</dd>

{{Term| duck }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun): Derived from "sitting duck", usually referring to an {{gli|object ball}} sitting close to a {{gli|pocket}} or so positioned that is virtually impossible to miss. ''Same as {{gli|hanger}} (US, colloquial), {{gli|sitter}} (UK).''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb): To intentionally play a {{gli|safety}}.</dd>

{{Term| dump }}
<dd class="glossary">To intentionally lose a game, e.g. to disguise one's actual playing ability.<ref name="tcom">''[[The Color of Money (film)|The Color of Money]]'' (film), [[Richard Price (writer)|Richard Price]] (screenplay, based on [[The Color of Money (novel)|the novel]] by [[Walter Tevis]]), [[Martin Scorsese]] (director), [[1986 in film|1986]]; uses a lot of pool terminology in-context.</ref> An extreme form of {{gli|sandbag|sandbagging}}. ''See also {{gli|hustle}}.'' ''See also [[Match fixing]] for the synonym "tank", used in sports more generally.''</dd>

{{Term| dump shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A type of {{gli|containing safety}} shot in snooker where the {{gli|cue ball}} is played slowly up the table in order to "dump" it on the (usually) {{gli|top cushion}} and leave the {{gli|object ball}} safe.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43809842 World Championship: What makes the perfect snooker player?] ''[[BBC Sport]]'', 19 April 2018.</ref></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==E==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| eight-ball |content=eight-ball {{anchor|eightball|eight ball}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of several games that arose around the beginning of the 20th century from [[pyramid pool]]. They have in common the use of a {{gli|rack}} of fifteen {{gli|object ball|object balls}} and a single {{gli|cue ball}}, a hard {{gli|break}} from behind the {{gli|head string}} or {{gli|baulk line}}, and a goal of {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} ({{gli|pot|potting}}) all of one's own {{gli|suit}} of balls then finally the black {{gli|8 ball}}. There are two main formalized versions of the game:
* [[eight-ball]], an originally American and now internationally standardized professional version, also subject to competitive team play in numerous leagues. It is the most-played form of competition pool in the world, though not for professionals, among whom [[nine-ball]] dominates. Uses a set of {{gli|stripes|striped}} and {{gli|solids|solid}} numbered balls. Ball-and-pocket are {{gli|call pocket|called}} for each shot, with {{gli|foul|fouls}} ({{gli|fault|faults}}) resulting in {{gli|ball-in-hand|cue ball in-hand}} for the opponent, anywhere on the table.
* [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] a.k.a. British-style eight-ball pool, an originally British variant, also favoured in many Commonwealth countries, and parts of Continental Europe, with amateur and professional leagues. The two names reflect slightly variant rulesets, which differ primarily in handling of {{gli|fault|faults}} ({{gli|foul|fouls}}). Shots are not {{gli|call shot|called}}. Uses a set of {{gli|yellows|yellow}} and {{gli|reds|red}} balls. {{gli|Pub pool}} usually consists of minor local variations on one of these two standardised rule sets.

Most forms of {{gli|bar pool}} are variants of eight-ball, although rules may vary from venue to venue even within the same city. These variants arose primarily to drag out the game on coin-operated tables ("{{gli|bar box|bar boxes}}"). In North America, many casual recreational players are unaware any other form of pool exists beyond bar pool.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; A spelled-out name for the {{gli|8 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| end rail }}
<dd class="glossary">Either of the two shorter {{gli|rail|rails}} of a billiards table. ''Compare {{gli|short rail}}; contrast {{gli|side rail|side}}/{{gli|long rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| english }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' Also known as {{gli|side spin}}, {{Not a typo|english}} (which is usually not capitalized)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lassiter |first1=Luther |author-link=Luther Lassiter |first2=George |last2=Sullivan |title=Billiards for Everyone |date=1965 |publisher=[[Grosset & Dunlap]] |location=New York |page=35}}</ref> is {{gli|spin}} placed on the {{gli|cue ball}} when hit with the [[Cue stick|cue]] {{gli|cue tip|tip}} to the left or right of the ball's center. English has a marked effect on {{gli|cue ball}} rebound angle off {{gli|cushion|cushions}} (though not off {{gli|object ball|object balls}}), and is thus crucial for gaining {{gli|shape}}; it can also be used to "{{gli|throw}}" an object ball slightly off its otherwise expected trajectory, to {{gli|cheat the pocket}}, and for other effects. "English" is sometimes used more inclusively, to colloquially also refer to {{gli|follow}} and {{gli|draw}}. In combination one could say bottom-right English, or like the face of a clock (4 o'clock English).<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> The British and Irish do not use this term, instead preferring "{{gli|side}}". ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| english-induced throw |content=english-induced throw {{anchor|english induced throw}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|spin-induced throw}}.''<ref name="DGAthrow1" /><ref name="DGAthrow2" /> ''See {{gli|throw}} for details.''</dd>

{{Term| equator }}
<dd class="glossary">The horizontal plane directly in the center of the {{gli|cue ball}}, which when hit exactly by the {{gli|cue tip}} should impart no {{gli|follow}} or {{gli|draw}}.</dd>

{{Term| escape }}
<dd class="glossary">A successful attempt to get out of a {{gli|snooker}}.</dd>

{{Term| extension }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[File:Snooker cue and extensions.png|thumb|right|A snooker cue with two attachable extensions]]
Any mechanical aid that serves to extend the length of the player's [[Cue stick|cue]], normally added to the end of the {{gli|butt}} either by clipping around the end or screwing into the base. Though extensions are used for pool, it is more common in snooker because of the significantly larger table size.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a tournament where players get limited time to make their shots (common in televised matches), an extension is extra time granted before making a shot; players have a limited number of extensions in each {{gli|frame}}.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==F==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| face |content=face {{anchor|faces|cushion face|rail face|face of the cushion|face of the rail}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''cushion face'''.''<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" />
The protrusion of the playing edge of the {{gli|cushion}} from the {{gli|rail}} over the {{gli|bed}} of the table.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> The furthest-protruding point of the face is known as the {{gli|nose}} of the cushion. The {{gli|playing area}} of the table is the space between the faces (technically, the noses) of the cushions.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /></dd>

{{Term| facing |content=facing {{anchor|facings}} }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Pocket facings comparison.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|A comparison of the pocket facings of (left to right): an American [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] table (side pocket); a British-style [[snooker]] table (corner pocket); and a [[Russian pyramid]] table (side pocket)]]
The facings of a {{gli|pocket}} are the portions of the rail {{gli|cushion}}s that line the {{gli|jaws}} of the pocket. Facings vary widely by game. [[Pool (cue sports)|Pool]] facings are flat and angled rather wide, on pockets notably larger than the balls, to act much like the [[Backboard (basketball)|backboard in basketball]], in that a shot can be directed into the facing to cause it to angle off the facing into the pocket. They are reinforced with plastic shims between the cushion rubber and the {{gli|cloth}}, to reduce wear and tear. Snooker facings are curved and not angled, providing a smooth transition between the rails and the pockets, which are not much wider than the balls, thus preventing any backboard effect (snooker shots must be almost perfectly straight in). The facings in [[Russian billiards]] are even more challenging, being straight and angled inward rather than outward, which results in the {{gli|knuckles}} of the pocket, barely wide enough to accept a ball, rejecting any but the most accurate shots.</dd>

{{Term| fall }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Verb, passive, intransitive: For a ball to be pocketed. "The 8 ball fell early, so the game was over quickly."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: The curved edge cut into the table {{gli|bed}} at which the hole of the {{gli|pocket}} actually begins inside the pocket {{gli|jaws}}.{{sfnp|Stooke|2010|p=4}} The fall may be a sheer drop, as on tournament-standard [[snooker]] tables, or have a beveled, down-sloping rim, as on [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] tables. A ball is, of course, much more likely to {{gli|hang}} when there is no bevel. How far into the pocket the fall begins is one factor that determines "{{gli|pocket speed}}" or difficulty.</dd>

{{Term| fast }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describes a [[billiard table]] with tightly woven and broken-in (but clean) {{gli|cloth}} ([[baize]]), upon which the balls move<!--"Move" is used here on purpose, as it applies to sliding as well as rolling action.--> quicker and farther.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p53" /> ''See {{gli|table speed}} for more information.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Producing lively action; said of {{gli|cushion|cushions}} or of the balls, in addition to the above, cloth-related definition.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p96">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=96}}.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unusually accepting of balls; said of [[Pocket (billiards)|pockets]]; ''see {{gli|pocket speed}} (sense 1) for more information''.
"{{gli|slow|Slow}}" is the direct opposite of "fast" in all of these usages.</dd>

{{Term| fat }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|undercut}}.''</dd>

{{Term| fault }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|foul}}'' (chiefly British, and declining in usage; even the WPA and WEFP [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]] rules use "foul").</dd>

{{Term| feather |content=feather {{anchor|feathers|feathered|feathering|feather shot|feather-shot|feathershot}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''feather shot'''.''
A very thin {{gli|cut shot}} in which the cue ball just brushes the edge of an object ball. "Feather" by itself can be both noun and verb (e.g. "feathering the ball").{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=238}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|snick}}.''</dd>

{{Term| felt }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cloth}}'' (deprecated; it is factually incorrect, as [[felt]] is a completely different kind of cloth from [[baize]]).</dd>

{{Term| ferrule }}
<dd class="glossary">A sleeve, permanently fitted onto the [[lathe]]d-down tip end of the [[Cue stick|cue]], made from [[fiberglass]], [[phenolic resin]], [[brass]], [[ivory]], [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]] or [[antler]], [[melamine]], [[plastic]], or other rigid material, upon which the {{gli|cue tip}} is mounted and which protects the {{gli|shaft}} wood from splitting due to impact with the {{gli|cue ball}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| firewood }}
<dd class="glossary">Common slang in the U.S. for a cheap, poorly made cue. ''Compare {{gli|wood}}.''</dd>

{{Term| fish }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;An easy {{gli|mark}};</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A person who loses money gambling and keeps coming back for more;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes, a poor player;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;As a verb, either to hit the balls hard with no intention in mind other than to get lucky and perhaps scatter the balls a bit more ("hit-and-hope"), or to shoot hard at the {{gli|money ball}} with the same intention ("smash-and-pray"). ''Compare {{gli|slop}} and {{gli|fluke}}; contrast {{gli|mark}} (sense 3) and {{gli|call}}.''</dd>

{{Term| flagrant foul }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|foul}} where the rules are blatantly, intentionally violated; in contexts where this qualifies as [[unsportsmanlike conduct]], a stiffer penalty may apply (e.g. loss of {{gli|frame}}) than normal for a foul.</dd>

{{Term| flat-back pack }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a situation during a {{gli|frame}} in which the first line of the remaining {{gli|red ball|reds}} grouped together, where the original {{gli|pack}} was, are in a straight horizontal line. This has implications when opening the pack, as a {{gli|full-ball}} contact off the top cushion will usually cause the cue-ball to stick to the red and fail to develop a potting opportunity.</dd>

{{Term| fluke }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot that has an ostensibly positive outcome for the player, although it was not what the player intended. Examples of flukes include an unexpected {{gli|pot}} off several {{gli|cushion|cushions}} or other balls having missed the pocket aimed for, or a lucky {{gli|safety}} position after having missed a shot. Many players are apologetic after a fluke. In many games, flukes result in a loss of turn, although some rule sets (most notably those of [[snooker]], [[nine-ball]] and related games, and the [[eight-ball]] rules of the [[American Poolplayers Association]] and its affiliates) count flukes as valid, point-making shots. ''Compare {{gli|fish}} and {{gli|slop}}; contrast {{gli|mark}} (sense 3) and {{gli|call}}.''</dd>

{{Term| follow }}
<dd class="glossary">The forward rotation of the {{gli|cue ball}} that results from a {{gli|follow shot}}. Also known as '''{{gli|top spin}}''' or '''top''', follow is applied to the {{gli|cue ball}} by hitting it above its {{gli|equator}}, causing it to spin more rapidly in the direction of travel than it would simply by rolling on the cloth from a center-ball hit. Follow speeds the cue ball up, and widens both the {{gli|carom|carom angle}} after contact with an {{gli|object ball}}, and {{gli|angle of reflection}} off a {{gli|cushion}}. ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| follow shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is struck above its equator with sufficient {{gli|top spin}} to cause the cue ball to travel forward after it contacts an {{gli|object ball}}. When a cue ball with follow on it contacts an object ball squarely (a center-to-center hit), the cue ball travels directly forward through the space previously occupied by the object ball (and can sometimes even be used to pocket a second ball). By contrast, on a cut shot, a cue ball with follow on it will first travel on the {{gli|tangent line}} after striking the object ball, and then arc forward, widening the {{gli|carom}} angle.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| follow-through }}
<dd class="glossary">On a shot, the extension of the [[cue stick]] through the {{gli|cue ball}} position during the end of a player's stroke in the direction originally aimed.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| foot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The half of the [[Billiard table|table]] in which the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are {{gli|rack|racked}} (in games in which racked balls are used). This usage is conceptually opposite that in British English, where this end of the table is called the {{gli|top}}. ''Contrast {{gli|head}}.''</dd>

{{Term| foot cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The {{gli|cushion}} on the {{gli|foot rail}}. ''Compare {{gli|top cushion}}; contrast {{gli|head cushion}}.''</dd>

{{Term| foot rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The {{gli|short rail}} at the {{gli|foot}} of the [[Billiard table|table]]. Frequently used imprecisely, to mean {{gli|foot cushion}}. ''Compare {{gli|top rail}}; contrast {{gli|head rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| foot spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The point on the table surface over which the apex ball of a rack is centered (in most games). It is the point half the distance between the {{gli|long rail|long rails}}' second diamonds from the end of the racking end of the table. The foot spot is the intersection of the {{gli|foot string}} and the {{gli|long string}}, and is typically marked with a cloth or paper decal on pool tables.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Contrast {{gli|head spot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| foot string }}
<dd class="glossary">An imaginary line running horizontally across a billiards table from the second diamond (from the foot end of the table) on one long rail to the corresponding second diamond on the other long rail. The foot string intersects the {{gli|long string}} at the {{gli|foot spot}}. It is rarely drawn on the table.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| forced shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cheat the pocket|cheating the pocket}}.'' Principally used in [[snooker]].</dd>

{{Term| force follow }}
<dd class="glossary">A powerful {{gli|follow shot}} with a high degree of {{gli|top spin}} on it; usually when the {{gli|object ball}} being hit is relatively close to the {{gli|cue ball}} and is being hit very full;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> also known as "prograde top spin" or "prograde follow" (when referring to the action on the shot rather than the shot ''per se''), and as a "jenny" in Australia.</dd>

{{Term| forward spin }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|follow}} ({{gli|top spin}}).''</dd>

{{Term| foul }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Sometimes interchangeable with {{gli|scratch}}, though the latter is often used only to refer to the foul of pocketing the cue ball.}}
A violation of a particular game's rules for which a set penalty is imposed. In many pool games the penalty for a foul is ball-in-hand anywhere on the table for the opponent. In some games such as straight pool, a foul results in a loss of one or more points. In one-pocket, in which a set number of balls must be made in a specific pocket, upon a foul the player must return a ball to the table. In some games, three successive fouls in a row is a loss of game. In straight pool, a third successive foul results in a loss of 16 points (15 plus one for the foul).<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />

Possible foul situations (non-exhaustive):
{{unbulleted list|style=margin-left:0.5em
|{{libull|1=The player shoots the cue ball first into a ball that is not an object ball;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player shoots and after contacting an object ball, no ball is pocketed and neither the cue ball nor a numbered ball contacts a cushion (excepting {{gli|push out}} rules);<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player pockets the cue ball ''(see {{gli|scratch}})'';<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player does not have at least one foot on the floor at the moment of shooting;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player shoots the cue ball before all other balls have come to a complete stop;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player hits the cue ball more than once during a shot (a {{gli|double hit}});<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the cue;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player touches any ball other than the cue ball;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player causes a ball to leave the table's playing surface without it returning (e.g., jumping a ball off the table);<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player marks the table in any manner to aid in aiming;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player who has ball-in-hand, touches an object ball with the cue ball while attempting to place the cue ball on the table;<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
|{{libull|1=The player shoots in such a manner that his cue tip stays in contact with the cue ball for more than the momentary time commensurate with a stroked shot (a {{gli|push shot}}).<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />}}
}}</dd>

{{Term| frame |content={{vanchor|frame|frames}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A term for each {{gli|rack}} from the {{gli|break off}} until a {{gli|clearance}}, losing foul or {{gli|concession}} has been made. A {{gli|match}} is made up of several frames. ''See also {{gli|game}} (sense 1), which has a slightly broader meaning.''</dd>

{{Term| frame ball |content=frame ball {{anchor|frame balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], the ball that, if potted, will leave the trailing player {{gli|snookers required|requiring snookers}}.</dd>

{{Term| free ball |content=free ball {{anchor|free balls|free shot|free shots|free-ball|freeball|free-shot|freeshot}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Snooker Freeball.png|thumb|right|Freeball situation: red is snookered, blue can be called.]]
''Also '''free shot'''.''
A situation where a player has {{gli|foul|fouled}}, leaving the opponent {{gli|snooker|snookered}}. In [[Eight-ball pool (British variation)|UK eight-ball]] this would normally give the opponent the option of one of two plays: (1) {{gli|ball-in-hand}} with {{gli|two shots}}; (2) being allowed to contact, or even {{gli|pot}}, a ball other than one from their set from the snookered position (although the black may not be potted), with the loss of the first shot. In addition, some variations of the game allow the player to pot one of the opposition's balls, on the first visit only, without the loss of a "free shot".

In [[snooker]], it allows a player to call any ball as the ball they would have wanted to play, potting it for the same number of points, or the opponent can be put back in without the same privilege, having to play the ball snookered on. The definition of ''snooker'' on this occasion means the opponent cannot strike both extreme edges of the {{gli|object ball}} (or a cluster of touching balls).<!-- Not sure this agrees with what is said at [[#two shots]] and [[#two-shot carry]]. --></dd>

{{Term| free stroking }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Potting well and quickly but without much thought for position play.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing loose and carefree.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|dead stroke}}.''</dd>

{{Term| freeze up }}
<dd class="glossary">To dedicate a set amount of money that a gambling match will be played to; no one may quit until one player or the other has won the "frozen up" funds.</dd>

{{Term| frozen }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' A resting ball that is in actual contact with a {{gli|cushion}} or with one or more other balls is said to be "frozen" (or, colloquially, "froze") to that cushion or the touching ball(s).{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=239}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''(For '''frozen combination/combo''', '''frozen kiss''', etc., that is almost impossible to miss, see the more common variants under {{gli|dead}}).'' The chiefly British "{{gli|tight}}" is equivalent to "frozen", but only applied to frozen/tight to a cushion, not to another ball. For situations in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is frozen to an {{gli|object ball}}, different rule sets have different approaches. In some, the cue ball must be addressed with the [[Cue stick|cue]] at an angle at least 45 degrees divergent from an imaginary line running through the center of the balls, to minimize chances of a {{gli|push shot}}. In [[snooker]] (and some British [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] rules), this is called a {{gli|touching ball}}, and the cue ball must be shot away from the object ball without the latter moving.</dd>

{{Term| full |content=full {{anchor|full-ball|full ball|fullball|fuller|fullest}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''full-ball'''.''
A type of {{gli|contact}} between two balls from which no or little angle is created between their paths; the contact required to {{gli|pot}} a straight shot. It is commonly used in reference to how much of an {{gli|object ball}} a player can see with the {{gli|cue ball}}: "Can you hit that full?".</dd>

{{Term| fundamentals }}
<dd class="glossary">The basic actions necessary to shoot well: {{gli|stance}}, grip, {{gli|stroke}}, {{gli|bridge}}, and {{gli|follow-through}}.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==G==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| game }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Play, from the opening {{gli|break|break shot}} until one player has won (or the game has been halted for some reason by a referee). Games are the units that make up {{gli|match|matches}}, {{gli|race|races}} (in some senses of that term) and {{gli|round|rounds}}. ''Essentially the same as {{gli|frame}}, except with regards to straight pool, which is a multi-{{gli|rack}} game.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;An identifiable, codifiable set of rules. [[Pool (cue sports)|Pool]] is not a game, but a class of games. [[Nine-ball]] is a game.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''There are also slang usages, such as "to have game" (to be a good player, as in "he['s] got game") and "to be game" (to be willing to play or to gamble, as in "yeah, I'm game, so let's see what you've got"). But these usages are not particular to cue sports.''</dd>

{{Term| game ball }}
<dd class="glossary">The ball required to win the {{gli|rack}}. ''See also {{gli|money ball}}.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| games on the wire }}
<dd class="glossary">To give a {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} to an opponent where they have to win a specified number fewer games than the other player in order to triumph in the {{gli|match}}.<ref name="Leider 2010 p281,292">{{harvp|Leider|2010|pp=281, 292}}.</ref> The name refers to posting games on the scorekeeping mechanism known as a {{gli|wire}} or {{gli|scoring string}}, though the phrase may still be employed when no actual use of the particular device is available or intended.</dd>

{{Term| gapper }}
<dd class="glossary">An agreement between two players in a tournament, one of whom will advance to a guaranteed money prize if the match is won, to give a certain percentage of that money to the loser of the match. Also known as a {{gli|saver}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| gather shot }}
<dd class="glossary">In the carom games, any shot where the result is all the balls near each other; ideally, in position for the start of a {{gli|nurse}} on the next stroke.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| gearing outside english |content=gearing outside {{not a typo|english}} {{anchor|GOE}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''outside gearing {{not a typo|english}}''', etc.'': Precise application of {{not a typo|{{gli|outside english}}}} to counter the effects of {{gli|throw}} ({{gli|deflection}} of the {{gli|object ball}} from its expected {{gli|tangent line}} path), by applying counter-{{gli|side spin|sidespin}} in the direction opposite to that which would increase the friction- and rolling-curve deflection of the object ball from the desired path. Gearing spin can also be used as a hedge to minimize the effects of imminently predicted {{gli|cling}} (also known as {{gli|skid}} or, in British and especially [[snooker]] terminology, {{gli|kick}}). "Gearing" outside {{not a typo|english}} is not a type or style of outside spin, but an subjectively judged ''amount'' of it – enough to cause the cue ball rotation to affect the object ball's rotation in a desired way through momentarily prolonged contact, like two gears interacting. This is relative to specific playing conditions, including the shot angle and force, whether other compensation mechanisms are being used such slit over-cutting to thwart throw, and the cleanliness condition of the balls. The term ''gearing outside {{not a typo|english}}'' is technical jargon rather than player slang; it was introduced by billiards-focused physicist and mechanical engineer David G. Alciatore in the 2000s.<ref name="DGAcling1">{{cite web |last=Alciatore |first=David G. |title=Pool Ball 'Cling,' 'Skid,' or 'Kick' |date=2020 |work=Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources |via=Billiards.ColoState.edu |publisher=[[Colorado State University]] |location=Fort Collins |url= https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/throw/cling/ |access-date=March 7, 2021}} See also the attached media in this source (mostly served via YouTube). Deeper in the site are also technical proofs which may be of interest to readers with a physics and engineering background. <!--This borders on a self-published source, but Alciatore is a renowned expert, and the university, where he's a professor emeritus, sponsors his physics and mechanical engineering investigations of billiards behavior, which have resulted in several books, including ''The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards''; he is also a ''Billiards Digest'' columnist, a Billiard Education Foundation board member, and a Professional Billiard Instructors Association advanced instructor. So, his stuff definitely passes WP:BLOGS.--></ref><ref name="DGAthrow1" /><ref name="DGAthrow2" /> ''See {{gli|throw}} for additional information.''</dd>

{{Term| general average }}
<dd class="glossary">''Abbreviation: '''GA'''.'' In carom billiards, the number that indicates the overall relation between the points and innings (points ÷ innings = GA) a player has made throughout the whole tournament. E.g., 125 points in 56 innings is a GA of 2.232. Higher numbers indicate better players. ''See also {{gli|special average}}.''</dd>

{{Term| gentlemen's call |content=gentlemen's call {{anchor|gentleman's call}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''gentleman's call'''.''
An informal approach to the "call-everything" variation of {{gli|call-shot}}, common in {{gli|bar pool}}. Obvious shots, such as a straight-on or near-straight shot for which the shooter is clearly aiming and which could not be mistaken for another shot, need not be called. {{gli|bank shot|Bank shots}}, {{gli|kick|kicks}}, {{gli|carom|caroms}} and {{gli|combination shot|combinations}} are usually less obvious and generally must be called, though this may depend upon the mutual skill level and shot selection perception of the players. An opponent has the right to ask what the shooter's intention is, if this is unclear.</dd>

{{Term| ghost ball }}
<dd class="glossary">A common aiming method in which a phantom ball is imagined {{gli|frozen}} to the object ball at the point where an imaginary line drawn between their centers is aimed at the desired target; the center of cue ball may then be shot at the center of the "ghost" ball (i.e., to precisely take the place of where that ball is imagined to be) and, ideally, impact the object ball at the proper {{gli|contact point}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> The ghost-ball method of aiming results in misses where adjustment is not made for {{gli|collision-induced throw}}.</dd>

{{Term| go off }}
<dd class="glossary">Describes the propensity of a player losing small sums of money at gambling to suddenly sharply increase the stakes; often continuing to lose until broke. ''Compare {{gli|chasing one's money|Chasing one's money}}.'' {{gli|Sandbagging}} and pretending to "go off" (only to handily win the raised-stakes bet) is a classic [[hustling]] technique; ''see also {{gli|on the lemonade}}''.</dd>

{{Term|golden break }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[nine-ball]] a {{gli|break}} shot that pots the {{gli|9 ball|9 ball}} without {{gli|foul|fouling}}, in which case the player wins in one shot. Some tournaments also apply similar rules to the {{gli|money ball}} in other games. ''See also {{gli|on the snap}}.''</dd>

{{Term|golden duck}}
<dd class="glossary">When potting both the {{gli|cue ball}} and {{gli|money ball}} on the break results in an automatic loss of frame. A non-standard rule, it is nonetheless used in some professional events.</dd>

{{Term| goose neck |content=goose neck {{anchor|gooseneck|goose-neck|goose neck rest|gooseneck rest|goose-neck rest|goose-neck bridge|gooseneck bridge|goose neck bridge|goose neck, the|the goose neck}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''goose-neck rest'''.''
''Same as {{gli|swan}}.''</dd>

{{Term| grapefruit }}
<dd class="glossary">Colloquial term for an unusually large, heavy {{gli|cue ball}} made of the same [[phenolic resin]] or other modern, resilient plastic as the {{gli|object ball|object balls}}. "Grapefruit" cue balls are frequently found on older coin-operated {{gli|bar table|bar tables}} that do not have magnetic {{gli|ball return|ball-return}} mechanisms. As with excessively dense, ceramic "{{gli|rock}}" cue balls, the ball return works because the cue ball is considerably heavier than, and thereby distinguishable from, the object balls. Unlike "rocks", grapefruit balls are not prone to excessive equipment wear and tear. But because of their unusually large size, they have a very strong effect on the {{gli|tangent line}} and thus on the accuracy of {{gli|cut_shot|cut shots}}. Their weight also has a notable effect on play, as they are somewhat more difficult to {{gli|draw}} ({{gli|screw}}), {{gli|stop shot|stop}} and {{gli|stun}} compared to standard and {{gli|magnetic cue ball|magnetic cue balls}}, but not to the extent of the much less resilient rock balls. Like rocks, grapefruits do generate a large amount of {{gli|smash-through}}.</dd>

{{Term| green }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nearly table-length distance between the cue ball and target object ball, or between an object ball and target pocket, i.e. a potentially difficult shot due to distance ("you sure left me a lot of green on that one")</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The {{gli|cloth}} covering the table ("oh no, you just ripped the green")</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;The {{gli|green ball}} ("that was a great shot on the green")</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Money ("I won a lot of green last night from that wannabe hustler")</dd>

{{Term| green ball |content=green ball {{anchor|green balls|green-ball|greenball|the green|green, the|green|greens}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the green'''.''
In [[snooker]], the {{gli|colour ball}} that is worth three points, being the second-least valuable colour behind the {{gli|yellow ball|yellow}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p116">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=116}}.</ref> It is one of the {{gli|baulk colour|baulk colours}}, and is placed on the {{gli|green spot}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p116" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "3" on its surface.</dd>

{{Term| green spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The {{gli|spot}} (usually not specially marked because it is obvious) on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|green ball}} is placed. Regardless of table size, it is the intersection of {{gli|the D|the "D"}} and the {{gli|baulk line|balk line}} on the {{gli|break|breaker's}} left side.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p116" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> The left-to-right order of the green, {{gli|brown ball|brown}} and {{gli|yellow ball|yellow balls}} is the subject of the [[mnemonic]] phrase "'''G'''od '''b'''less '''y'''ou".<ref name="Shamos 1999 p115" /></dd>

{{Term| green pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], the {{gli|corner pocket}} that is closest to the {{gli|green spot}}.</dd>

{{Term| grip }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The way in which a player holds the {{gli|butt}} end of the cue stick.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The wrap of the cuestick where the hand is placed, also known as the "grip area."<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| group }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|suit}}'', predominantly in British terminology, i.e., in [[eight-ball]] either of the set of seven balls ({{gli|red ball|reds}} or {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}) that must be cleared before {{gli|pot|potting}} {{gli|black ball|the black}}. Generally used in the generic, especially in rulesets or articles, rather than colloquially by players.<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>

{{Term| gully table }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A table with a {{gli|ball return}} system, as opposed to a {{gli|drop pockets|drop pocket}} table.{{sfnp|BCA Rules Committee|1992|p=39}}</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''gutter table'''.'' ''Same as {{gli|bar table}}.''<!-- really? --></dd>
{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==H==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| half-ball hit }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Billiards half-ball striking diagram.png|thumb|right|upright=1.6|Half-ball striking]]
A shot aimed so that the center of the cue ball is in line with the edge of the object ball, eclipsing half of the ball. "Hit it just a little thinner than half-ball." Assuming a {{gli|cling}} does not occur, the shot will impart post-contact momentum on the object ball in a direction 30° (which is <math>\arcsin(1-x)</math>, where <math>x</math> is the fraction of object ball eclipsed: {{frac|1|2}} in this case) off the direction of the cue-ball's pre-contact momentum. Also notable because the carom angle the cue ball takes is more consistent than at other {{gli|contact point}}s.</dd>
 
{{Term| half-butt }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]] and [[English billiards]], a {{gli|rest}} that is approximately 3 metres long and used with a {{gli|cue}} of about the same length, used for shots that cannot be reached with normal rests and cues.<ref>{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |title=The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker |edition=Revised |date=1987 |publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Group |location=Twickenham |isbn=9780600556046 |page=38}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| half-century }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]] and other British usages, a {{gli|break}} of between 50 and 99 points (100 points or more being called a century), which requires {{gli|pot|potting}} at least 12 consecutive balls (e.g. the last three reds with at least two blacks and a pink, followed by all the colours).</dd>

{{Term| hail Mary }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American; same as {{gli|hit and hope}}.'' A term borrowed from [[Hail Mary play|a similar idea in American football]].</dd>

{{Term| hand chalk |content=hand chalk {{anchor|hand-chalk}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A misnomer for hand {{gli|talc}}.</dd>

{{Term| handicapping |content=handicapping {{anchor|handicap|handicaps|handicapped}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Modification of the rules and/or scoring of a game to enable players of variable abilities to compete on a more even playing field.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Examples of handicapping include {{gli|spot (verb)|spotting balls}} and giving {{gli|games on the wire}} to an opponent. In league play, common forms of handicapping include awarding compensating {{gli|point|points}} to a lesser-skilled team, or using numerical player ranking systems to adjust final scores between opponents of different skill levels. A player's '''handicap''' is such a numerical rank. ''See [[Handicapping]] main article for more general information on sports handicapping.''</dd>

{{Term| hang |content=hang {{anchor|hung|hanging|hanged|hangs}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{anchor|Hanging in the pocket|reason=Old section name, surely linked to somewere.}}
Said of a ball, to come to rest partially over the edge of a {{gli|pocket}}'s {{gli|fall}} but still resting on the table {{gli|bed}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p121">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=121}}.</ref> Because of ball curvature, if the very bottom of the ball is not over the sharp rim or beveled slope (depending on table type) of the pocket's fall, the ball will not drop into the pocket. As much as approximately 49% of a ball's diameter can be hanging over the sharp drop of a standard snooker table fall, but considerably less on a typical pool table, with beveled falls.<!--This is basic physics and geometry logic, requiring no citation.--> A ball '''hanging''' in the pocket – a "{{gli|hanger}}" – is nearly unmissable<ref name="Shamos 1999 p121" /> (though {{gli|foul|fouling}} by {{gli|scratch|scratching}} the {{gli|cue ball}} into the pocket right after the {{gli|object ball}} is a common mistake). Can be used in a transitive sense in reference to player action: "You hung that one right on the edge".</dd>

{{Term| hanger }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;An easily shot {{gli|object ball}} that is "{{gli|hang|hanging}}" in the {{gli|pocket}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p121" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;By extension, any extremely easy shot, even in [[carom billiards]] which has no pockets.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p121" /></dd>

{{Term| have the nuts }}
<dd class="glossary">Be in a game where either because of disparity in skill level, or because of a {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} given, it would be very difficult to lose.</dd>

{{Term| having the cue ball on a string }}
<dd class="glossary">Used when describing perfect cue ball {{gli|position play}}.<ref>[[ESPN]] broadcast of 2007 WPBA Great Lakes Classic, second semi-final. [[Helena Thornfeldt]] vs. [[Kim Ga-young (pool player)|Ga-Young Kim]] (May 13, 2007). In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool pro [[Dawn Hopkins]].</ref><ref>[[ESPN2]] broadcast of 2007 International Challenge of Champions, first semi-final (September 12, 2007). [[Thorsten Hohmann]] v. [[Niels Feijen]]. In-context commentary on rack 7 of second set by pool pro [[Allen Hopkins (pool player)|Allen Hopkins]]. "He's hitting everything like he's got the cue ball on a string."</ref></dd>

{{Term| hazard }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Literally, a {{gli|pocket}}, but generally used in the phrases {{gli|losing hazard}} – {{gli|pot|potting}} ({{gli|pocket|pocketing}}) the {{gli|cue ball}} off another ball – and {{gli|winning hazard}} – using the cue ball to pot another ball – the two types of legal shots that pocket balls in games in which the term is used at all, which is very few today. The term principally survives in [[English billiards]], in which both types of shots are {{gli|point}}-scoring. Formerly, a large number of different games made use of the two types of hazards as point scorers or losers in various ways (thus their suggestive names). The term ultimately derives from holes or pockets in the table to be avoided, in very early forms of billiards.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|pp=121, 148, 275}}</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[golf billiards]], an area of the table (sometimes marked) that a player will be penalized for entering if their ball does not leave. Derives from the use of the term in the outdoor game of [[golf]].{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=120}}</dd>

{{Term| head }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The half of the [[Billiard table|table]] from which the {{gli|break|break shot}} is taken. This usage is conceptually opposite that in British English, where this end of the table is called the {{gli|bottom}}. ''Contrast {{gli|foot}}.'' ''See also {{gli|kitchen}}.''</dd>

{{Term| head cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The {{gli|cushion}} on the {{gli|head rail}}. ''Compare {{gli|bottom cushion}}; contrast {{gli|foot cushion}}.''</dd>

{{Term| head rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American:'' The {{gli|short rail}} at the {{gli|head}} of the [[Billiard table|table]]. Traditionally this is the rail on which the table manufacturer's logo appears. ''Compare {{gli|bottom rail}}, {{gli|baulk rail}}; contrast {{gli|foot rail}}, {{gli|top rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| head spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The intersection of the {{gli|head string}} and {{gli|long string}}, which is usually not marked on a table with a spot decal or other mark, unlike the {{gli|foot spot}}, though some [[pool hall]]s mark both spots so that racking can be done at either end of the table, and wear on {{gli|cloth|the cloth}} from racking and breaking is more evenly distributed.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Compare {{gli|baulk spot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| head string }}
<dd class="glossary">A line, sometimes imaginary (especially in American [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]]), sometimes drawn on the cloth, that runs horizontally across the table from the second {{gli|diamond}} (from the {{gli|head rail}}) on one {{gli|long rail}} to the corresponding second diamond on the other long rail.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In most pool games, the opening break shot must be performed with the center (base) of the cue ball behind the head string (i.e. between the head string and head rail). The head string intersects the {{gli|long string}} at the {{gli|head spot}}, and delimits the {{gli|kitchen}} (and, in European [[nine-ball]], the outer boundary of the {{gli|break box}}). The head string's position is always determined by the diamonds, in contrast to the similar but different {{gli|baulk line}}, the position of which is determined by measurement from the {{gli|bottom cushion}} ({{gli|head cushion}}).</dd>

{{Term| heads up |content={{vanchor|heads up|heads-up|headsup}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|straight up}}.''</dd>

{{Term| heart }}
<dd class="glossary">The strength of a player's will to win; the ability to overcome pressure; "he showed a lot of heart in making that comeback."</dd>

{{Term| high }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''highs''', '''high balls''', '''high ones'''.'' In [[eight-ball]] and related games, to be shooting the striped {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls (9 through 15); "you're high balls" or "I've got the highs" ("you're high" is rare, because of the "intoxication" ambiguity). ''Compare {{gli|stripes}}, {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}, {{gli|big|big ones}}, {{gli|overs}}; contrast {{gli|low}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;With {{gli|follow}}, as in "I shot that high left", meaning "I shot that with follow and with left {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}". Derives from the fact that one must aim above the {{gli|cue ball}}'s equator, i.e. "high" on the ball, to impart follow. "With" is optional (e.g. "I shot that with high left" or "I shot that high left"). ''Contrast {{gli|low}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], same as "{{gli|above}}", as in "she'll want to finish high on the black to allow position on the red".</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;With {{gli|run}} (UK: {{gli|break}}), a lengthy series of successful shots; ''see {{gli|high run}}, {{gli|high break}}''.</dd>

{{Term| high break |content=high break {{anchor|high breaks|highest break}} }}
<dd class="glossary">UK: Essentially the same as {{gli|high run}}, but applied to [[snooker]] and by extension to pool, especially [[blackball (pool)|blackball pool]]: A {{gli|break}} (series of successful {{gli|pot|pots}}) running into large numbers for that player's skill level.</dd>

{{Term| high run |content=high run {{anchor|high-run|highrun|hi run|hi-run|hirun|high run}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also (rarely) '''high-run''', '''hi-run''', '''highrun''', etc.}}
A series of successful shots (a {{gli|run}}) that is lengthy for the player's skill level. The exact implication is dependent upon context, e.g. "my high run at [[three-cushion]] is 15", "Jones had the highest run of the tournament", "that was a pretty high run you just did", etc. Used congratulatorily, it may be phrased "good run", "great run", "nice run", etc. ''See also {{gli|high break}}.''</dd>

{{Term| hill }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|on the hill}}, {{gli|hill-hill}}.''</dd>

{{Term| hill-hill |content=hill-hill {{anchor|hill/hill|hill, hill|hill–hill}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The point in {{gli|match}} play where both players (or teams) need only one more {{gli|game}} ({{gli|frame}}) victory to win the match or {{gli|race}}.<ref name="Paski">[[ESPN Classic]] broadcast of 1995 Gordon's 9-Ball Championship (August 14, 2007), second semi-final. ([[Loree Jon Jones]] vs. [[Gerda Hofstatter]]). Direct definition of "on the hill" for viewers and two in-context uses of "hill-hill" in commentary by pool pro [[Vicki Paski]].</ref><ref name="USOpen06">[[SportsNet New York]] broadcast of 2006 [[US Open Nine-ball Championship]] (aired October 19, 2007). [[Marcus Chamat]] vs. [[Ronato Alcano]]. In-context commentary by pool pros [[Danny DiLiberto]] and Jerry Forsyth.</ref> ''See also {{gli|on the hill}}, {{gli|rubber match}}.''</dd>

{{Term| hit and hope}}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the player is relying on luck for a favorable outcome, because no better shot seems to exist. ''Compare {{gli|hail Mary}}, and {{gli|smash and pray}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ho |content=ho {{anchor|ho ball|ho balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''ho ball(s)'''.''
An exhortatory cry to a ball or balls to slow down or come to a stop, often made when overshooting position with the cue ball.<ref>[[ESPN Classic]] broadcast of 2002 BCA Open 9-ball Championship, final (May 16, 2002). [[Charles Williams (pool player)|Charlie Williams]] v. [[Tony Robles]]. In-context commentary on rack 8 by pool pro [[Mike Sigel]]. Rebroadcast and viewed March 27, 2009.</ref></dd>

{{Term| hold the spot |content=hold the spot {{anchor|hold the spot, to}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], to leave the {{gli|cue ball}} ball on the {{gli|spot}} of a {{gli|colour ball}} after {{gli|pot|potting}} it. This is usually performed where {{gli|re-spot|re-spotting}} of the colour ball would cause {{gli|position|positional}} problems for the player, such as blocking available pots on one or more {{gli|red ball|red balls}}.</dd>

{{Term| hook |content=hook {{anchor|hooks|hooked|hooking|to hook|hook, to|be hooked|to be hooked|hooked, to be}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|snooker}} (verb)''<ref name="USOpen06-3">[[SportsNet New York]] broadcast of 2006 [[US Open Nine-ball Championship]] (aired December 7, 2007). [[Rodolfo Luat]] vs. [[Rob Saez]]. In-context commentary by pro player and pool writer Jerry Forsyth.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|hook rest}}.''</dd>

{{Term| hook rest |content=hook rest {{anchor|hook rest|hook-rest|hook bridge|hook-bridge|hook, the|the hook}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the hook'''.''
In [[snooker]], a type of {{gli|mechanical bridge}} that has only since the 2010s been endorsed by the [[WPBSA]] to allow its use in major tournament play. It is a normal rest with the head in line with the {{gli|shaft}}, but the last foot or so of the shaft is curved. This allows players to position the curved end around an obstructing ball that would have otherwise left them {{gli|hampered}} on the {{gli|cue ball}} and in need of a {{gli|spider}} or {{gli|swan}} with {{gli|extension|extensions}}, which would have less control.</dd>

{{Term| horn |content=horn {{anchor|horns}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|knuckle}}.'' By analogy to [[Horn (anatomy)|animal horns]], not the [[French horn|musical instruments]].</dd>

{{Term| hot seat }}
<dd class="glossary">Position at the end of the winner bracket in a double-elimination tournament, waiting to face the winner of the loser's bracket in the finals.</dd>

{{Term| house}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The venue in which the game is being played, e.g. a [[snooker hall]], {{gli|bar pool|pool bar}}, etc.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The {{gli|kitchen}} or {{gli|baulk}} area of a [[Russian billiards]] table; from {{langx|ru|дома|translit=doma|lit=house}}.</dd>

{{Term| house cue }}
<dd class="glossary">Usually a one-piece cue freely available for use by patrons in bars/pubs and pool halls.</dd>

{{Term| house man }}
<dd class="glossary">A pool room employee who plays with a good degree of skill.</dd>

{{Term| house rack }}
<dd class="glossary">A pejorative term for an improper rack in which the balls are not properly in contact with their neighbors, often resulting in a poor spread on the break.</dd>

{{Term| house rules }}
<dd class="glossary">The rules played in a particular venue not necessarily in comportment with official rules, or with common local {{gli|bar pool}} custom.</dd>

{{Term| hug the rail }}
<dd class="glossary">Describes a ball rolling along a rail in contact or near contact with it, or making multiple successive contacts with the rail.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" />{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=240}} ''See {{gli|velcro}}.''</dd>

{{Term| hustle }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Hustling}}
To play for money and lull a victim into thinking they can win, prompting them to accept higher and higher stakes, until beating them and walking off with more money than they would have been willing to bet had they been beaten soundly in the beginning. The terms '''hustler''', for one who hustles, and '''hustling''', describing the act, are just as common if not more so than this verb form. ''See also {{gli|sandbag}}, {{gli|on the lemonade}}, {{gli|lemonade stroke}}, {{gli|shark}}, {{gli|dump}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
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==I==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| illegal }}
<dd class="glossary">As in many other sports, "illegal" means causing or likely to cause a {{gli|foul}} (the opposite being {{gli|legal}}). ''(See {{gli|legal}} for specific examples of usage.)''</dd>

{{Term| in-hand }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Shortening of {{gli|ball-in-hand}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In snooker, the ability to place the {{gli|cue ball}} anywhere inside the boundaries of {{gli|the D|the D}}. This occurs at the start of a {{gli|frame}}, and after the cue ball has been {{gli|pot|potted}} or forced off the table.</dd>

{{Term| inning }}
<dd class="glossary">A player's (or {{gli|doubles}} team's) turn at the table, usually ending with a failure to score a {{gli|point}} or to {{gli|pocket}} a ball, depending on the game, a {{gli|foul}}, a {{gli|safety}} or with a win.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In some games, such as [[five-pins]] and [[killer (pool)|killer]], a player's inning is always limited to one shot, regardless of the intent and result of the shot. Usually synonymous with {{gli|visit}}, except in {{gli|scotch doubles}} format. The term is sometimes used to mean both players'/teams' visits combined, e.g. when referring to the inning in which a memorable shot occurred.</dd>

{{Term| in-off }}
<dd class="glossary">(Chiefly British.) In [[snooker]], [[English billiards]], and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball/eight-ball pool]], an instance where the {{gli|cue ball}} has been {{gli|pot|potted}} ({{gli|pocket|pocketed}}) after contacting an {{gli|object ball}}. It is a {{gli|fault}} ({{gli|foul}}) in most games.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In English billiards it is a common method of scoring. There is no equivalent (current) American term for this specific means of pocketing the white ball. ''Compare {{gli|losing hazard}}, {{gli|scratch}}.''</dd>

{{Term| in-or-over shot }}
<dd class="glossary">(Chiefly British.) In a {{gli|snookers required}} situation in [[snooker]], a shot played by the player defending the lead, where they play the {{gli|object ball}} in such a way as to try to slowly {{gli|pot}} ({{gli|pocket}}) it, so that if it misses, at least it is over the pocket and difficult to obtain the required snooker from.</dd>

{{Term| inside english }}
<dd class="glossary">(Chiefly U.S.) {{gli|side spin|Side spin}} ({{gli|english|{{sic|hide=y|eng|lish}}}}) placed on the same side of the {{gli|cue ball}} as the direction in which the {{gli|object ball}} is being {{gli|cut}} (left-hand {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} when cutting a ball to the left, and vice versa).<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> In addition to affecting cue ball position, inside {{sic|hide=y|eng|lish}} can increase {{gli|throw}}.</dd>

{{Term| in sight }}
<dd class="glossary">(Chiefly British) Said of an {{gli|object ball}} that can easily be reached by the {{gli|cue ball}}, or of a pocket that can easily be reached by a selected object ball, usually directly (i.e. without intervening {{gli|kick}}, {{gli|bank shot|bank}}, {{gli|carom}}, {{gli|kiss}} or {{gli|combination}} shots). ''Compare {{gli|see}}.''</dd>

{{Term| in stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">Cueing and timing the balls well; in good form, where {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} ({{gli|pot|potting}}), {{gli|safety}} and clarity of thinking seem to come easily.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p241">{{harvp|Knuchell|1974|p=241}}.</ref> A player who had not been doing well but then suddenly picks up (as happens during the course of many matches) may be said to '''catch a stroke'''.{{clarify|date=October 2010|reason=Move this to its own entry.}} ''See also {{gli|stroke}}.''</dd>

{{Term| insurance ball }}
<dd class="glossary">A ball that is easily made from many positions on the table but which is left untouched while the rack is played, so that in the event the player gets out of position, the shooter has an insurance shot. Typically an insurance ball will be in or near the {{gli|jaw|jaws}} of a pocket.</dd>

{{Term| intentional foul |content=intentional foul {{anchor|intentional fault}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''intentional fault'''; same as {{gli|deliberate foul}}.''</dd>

{{Term| in the balls }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a phrase used to describe a situation where the player has an easy {{gli|pot}} and in general the balls are in a position to go on to make a sizeable {{gli|break}}. ''Compare {{gli|set up}} (sense 4).''<!--In response to someone asking about it: Use of this phrase in US English would result in peals of laughter, much like the movie title "Free Willy" does in UK English.--></dd>

{{Term| in the chair}}
<dd class="glossary">in a two-person game, the non-shooting player is referred to as being "in the chair". This terminology likely originates from the fact that many high level billiards events require the non-shooting player to sit in a designated chair while their opponent is at the table.<ref>{{cite web |editor-last=Stock |editor-first=Bill |title=Official Rules of CueSports International: Used by the BCAPL and the USAPL |date=2014 |work=PlayCSIPool.com |publisher=[[CueSports International]] |url= https://www.playcsipool.com/uploads/7/3/5/9/7359673/official_rules_of_csi__170714_.pdf}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| in the money }}
<dd class="glossary">In a tournament, to {{gli|place}} high enough to receive a payout. E.g., in a tournament that pays from 1st down to 5th places, to be at least 5th place is to be in the money.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| in turn }}
<dd class="glossary">When a particular ball is given as a {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} in nine-ball, designating that ball ''in turn'' means that it must be made in rotation, when it is the lowest numerical ball remaining on the table, and cannot be made to garner a win earlier in the game by way of a combination, carom or any other shot. For example, if a player is {{gli|spot (verb)|spotted}} the 8 ball, they only win by making that ball after balls 1 through 7 have been cleared from the table. The phrase is not common in the U.S.</dd>

{{Term| Irish linen |content=Irish linen {{anchor|irish linen|Irish Linen}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Linen made from flax, and produced in Ireland, which is often used to wrap the gripping area of the {{gli|butt}} of a cue.
{{further|Irish linen}}</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
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==J==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| jack up }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;To elevate the back of the cue on a shot.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In gambling, to "jack up a bet" means to increase the stakes.</dd>

{{Term| jail }}
<dd class="glossary">When a player is on the receiving end of a devastating {{gli|safety}} where it is very difficult, or near impossible, to make a legal hit on an object ball.<ref>[[ESPN2]] broadcast of 2007 World Summit of Pool, final (September 17, 2007). [[Alex Pagulayan]] v. [[Shane Van Boening]]. In-context commentary on rack 11 by pool pro [[Charles Williams (pool player)|Charlie Williams]]. [Following a safety] "He put Shane in jail here; this is a tough shot."</ref></dd>

{{Term| jam up }}
<dd class="glossary">Adjectival expression for a player's deadly game; "watch out, she plays jam up."<ref name="USOpen06" /><ref>[[ESPN]] broadcast of 2008 BCA GenerationPool.com Women' 9-Ball Championship, final (aired July 19, 2008). [[Kim Ga-young (pool player)|Ga-Young Kim]] vs. [[Xiaoting Pan]]. In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool pro [[Ewa Mataya Laurance]]: "The field has gotten so much stronger; there are no easy matches anymore—you know—your first match you have to play jam up."</ref></dd>

{{Term| jawed ball }}
<dd class="glossary">A ball that fails to drop into a pocket after bouncing back and forth between the {{gli|jaws}} of a pocket.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| jaws |content=jaws {{anchor|jaw}} }}
<dd class="glossary">The inside walls of a {{gli|pocket}},<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> from the {{gli|facing|facings}} to the drop hole.</dd>

{{Term| jenny |content=jenny }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly Australian:'' ''Same as a {{gli|force follow}} shot.''</dd>

{{Term| jigger }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cross}}.''</dd>

{{Term| joint }}
<dd class="glossary">The interlocking connection between the butt and shaft ends of a two-piece cue stick.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Usually connects via means of a steel or wooden {{gli|pin}}, and may be protected by a {{gli|collar}} of metal or some other material, or may connect wood-on-wood.<ref name="Kilby 2009" /></dd>

{{Term| joint protectors }}
<dd class="glossary">Plugs that screw into the joint when a two-piece cue is broken down to keep foreign objects and moisture from contacting the joint mechanism.</dd>

{{Term| jump |content=jump {{anchor|jumps|jump shot|jump shots|jumpshot|jumpshots|jump-shot|jump-shots}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''jump shot'''.''
Any shot where the {{gli|cue ball}} is intentionally jumped into the air to clear an obstacle<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> (usually an {{gli|object ball}}, even in games with non-ball objects, e.g. [[bottle pool]]). Jump shots must be performed by hitting the {{gli|cue ball}} into the table's surface so that it rebounds off the {{gli|cloth}}; scooping under the cue ball to fling it into the air is deemed a foul by all authoritative rules sources. A legal jump shot works by compressing the cue ball slightly against the {{gli|slate}} under the cloth, causing it to spring upward when the downward pressure of the [[Cue stick|cue]] is released. Some [[billiard hall]]s and even entire leagues prohibit all jump (and usually also {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}}) shots, out of fears of damage to the equipment, especially the cloth. Specialized {{gli|jump cue|jump cues}} exist to better facilitate jump shots; they are usually shorter and lighter, and with harder tips, than normal cues. Jump shots that go through or into objects rather than over them are common in [[trick shot]] ([[artistic pool]] and [[artistic billiards]]) competition.</dd>

{{Term| jump cue |content=jump cue {{anchor|jump-cue|jumpcue|jump stick|jump-stick|jumpstick|jumper|jumper cue}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''jump stick'''.''<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" />
A {{gli|cue}} dedicated to {{gli|jump shot|jumping}} balls; usually shorter and lighter than a playing cue and having a wider, harder {{gli|cue tip|tip}}.</dd>

{{Term| jump draw }}
<dd class="glossary">A rare and very difficult [[Trick shot|trick]] {{gli|jump shot}} that turns into a {{gli|draw shot}} upon landing. Requires precise application of {{gli|spin}} in addition to the precise application of ball pressure to effectuate the jump. Jump draws are fairly often seen in professional trick shot competition.</dd>

{{Term| jump massé |content= jump {{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A rare and extremely difficult [[Trick shot|trick]] {{gli|jump shot}} that turns into a {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}} upon landing. Requires very precise application of {{gli|spin}} in addition to the precise application of ball pressure to effectuate the jump.<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
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==K==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| key ball }}
<dd class="glossary">The {{gli|object ball}} involved in a {{gli|key shot}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| key shot }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot or ball that allows a player to obtain {{gli|shape}} on another ball hard to play position to.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot or ball that is the "key" to {{gli|run out|running out}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 14th {{gli|object ball}} in a rack of [[straight pool]] that, when proper position is achieved on, allows easy position play, in turn, on the last (15th) object ball for an [[Straight pool#Racking|intergame break shot]].</dd>

{{Term| kick }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|kick shot}}.'' Also used as a verb, "to kick [at]" (US).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|cling}} (US) and {{gli|skid}}.'' Chiefly British: Exaggerated {{gli|deflection}} of ball trajectories on impact, generally due to {{gli|cue chalk}} stuck on one of the balls. Kick is the bane of [[snooker]] players, even at top professional levels, and is why they so frequently ask a referee to clean a ball. Because of the comparatively light weight of snooker balls, and much smaller margins of error due to {{gli|tight pocket}} sizes on [[Snooker table|a very large table]], the {{gli|throw}} effect of a kick can cause a seemingly easy snooker shot to miss widely. Even if the kick was mostly vertical, due to {{gli|screw}} ({{gli|bottom spin}}) or {{gli|follow}} ({{gli|top spin}}) rather than {{gli|side spin}}, and the shot was {{gli|pot}}ted, a kick often results in balls visibly jumping upon impact, resulting in a great loss of cue ball momentum, which can wreck the shot's {{gli|position play}} and leave the player with poor options. On even medium-distance shots, however, an outright miss is more likely.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crucial 'Kick' – Snooker Player's Worst Nightmare |date=October 11, 2019 |work=Snooker Planet |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ikBqJG1wQ&t=8s |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211113/G9ikBqJG1wQ |archive-date=November 13, 2021 |url-status=live |format=MP4/HTML5 video |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Excerpts from professional snooker matches with detailed kick-related observations by professional commentators, with slow-motion replays.</ref> Noun, verb, and rare adjective usage as per "cling". ''(See {{gli|cling}} for less snooker-specific notes.)''</dd>

{{Term| kick shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is driven to one or more {{gli|rail}} or {{gli|cushion|cushions}} before reaching its intended target—usually an {{gli|object ball}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Often shortened to "kick" in North American usage, though this word by itself has a very different meaning in British usage ''(see entry above, sense 2)''.</dd>

{{Term| kill shot |content=kill shot {{anchor|kill|kills|kill-shot|killshot|to kill|kill, to|killed}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''kill'''.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />
A shot intended to slow down or "kill" the {{gli|cue ball}}'s speed as much as possible after contact with an {{gli|object ball}}; usually a shot with {{gli|draw}}, often combined with {{gli|inside english|inside {{Not a typo|english}}}}. Also known as a {{gli|dead ball shot}}.</dd>

{{Term| kiss |content=kiss {{anchor|kisses|kissing|kissed|to kiss|kiss, to}}}}
<dd class="glossary">An instance of contact between balls, usually used in the context of describing an {{gli|object ball}} contacting another object ball (e.g. "the 2 ball kissed off the 12 ball"), or in [[snooker]] the cue ball making contact with some object ball after the initial contact with a {{gli|ball on}}. If the player's ''intention'' was to cause two object balls to kiss (e.g. to pocket a shot ball by ricocheting it off a stationary one), it is often called a {{gli|kiss shot}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Compare {{gli|double kiss}}; contrast {{gli|carom}}.''</dd>

{{Term| kiss shot |content=kiss shot {{anchor|kiss-shot|kiss shots|kiss-shots}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the object is to {{gli|pocket}} ({{gli|pot}}) an {{gli|object ball}} by striking it with the {{gli|cue ball}} and then having the object ball ricochet off another object ball into a {{gli|pocket}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| kitchen }}
<dd class="glossary">The area on the table behind the {{gli|head string}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> The origin of the term has been the subject of some speculation but the best explanation known is that in the 1800s, many homes did not have room for both a billiard table and a dining room table. The solution was a billiards table that had a cover converting it into a dining table. Kept in the dining room, play on such a table was often restricted by the size of the room, so it would be placed so that the head rail would face the connected kitchen door, thus affording a player room for the backswing without hitting a wall. A player was therefore either half or sometimes fully (literally) "in the kitchen" when breaking the balls.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''See also {{gli|baulk}}.''</dd>

{{Term| knuckle |content=knuckle {{anchor|knuckles}}}}
<dd class="glossary">One of two jutting points or curves of the {{gli|nose|noses}} of the {{gli|cushion|cushions}} on either side of each {{gli|pocket}} where cushion and pocket meet, forming the {{gli|jaw}} of the pocket. The knuckles are the intersection of the outer edge of the cushions, parallel to the {{gli|rail}}, and the pocket {{gli|facing}}. The knuckles are protrusive and comparatively sharp on a [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] table, the facings of which can be used like a [[Backboard (basketball)|basketball backboard]] to rebound a ball into a pocket. On [[billiard table]]s for [[snooker]], [[English billiards]] and various other games, the knuckles are rounded, and thwart the backboard effect. The curvature of snooker and English billiards knuckles are determined by {{gli|pocket template|pocket templates}} produced by the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]].<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> [[Russian pyramid]] tables also have pointed knuckles, but the facings are angled inward, so the knuckles cannot be used as a backboard. The knuckle is also known as a {{gli|point}}, {{gli|horn}} or {{gli|titty}}, depending on area and the company one keeps. ''See illustration at the {{gli|facing}} entry.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==L==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| ladies' aid |content=ladies' aid {{anchor|ladies aid|lady's aid|lady aid}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''lady's aid'''.''
A denigrating term for the {{gli|mechanical bridge}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p139">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=139}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| lag |content=lag {{anchor|the lag|lagging|lag for the break|lagging for the break}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the lag''' (noun), '''lagging''', '''lag for the break''', and '''lagging for the break'''.''
To determine the order of play, players (representing only themselves, or sometimes teams) each near simultaneously shoot a ball from the {{gli|kitchen}} (or in British games, from the {{gli|baulk line}}) to the {{gli|end rail}} and back toward the {{gli|bottom rail}}. Whichever shooter's ball comes to rest closest to the bottom rail gets to choose who {{gli|break|breaks}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p139" /> It is permissible but not required for the lagged ball to touch or rebound off the bottom rail, but not to touch the side rails. Lagging is usually a two-party activity, though there are games such as [[cutthroat (pool)|cutthroat]] in which three players might lag. In the case of a tie, the tying shooters re-lag. The lag is most often used in tournament play or other competitions.
In hard-break games like [[nine-ball]] and [[eight-ball]] the winner of the lag would normally take the break, while in soft-break games like [[straight pool]] would likely require the loser of the lag to break, since breaking would be a disadvantage. ''See also {{gli|string-off}}.''</dd>

{{Term| last-pocket |content=last-pocket {{anchor|last pocket|lastpocket}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''last pocket'''.''
A common rule in informal {{gli|bar pool}}, especially bar/pub [[eight-ball]], in which the {{gli|money ball}} must be {{gli|pocket|pocketed}} ({{gli|pot|potted}}) in the same pocket as the shooter's last {{gli|object ball}} (each player may be said to eventually "own" a pocket, for the duration of the game, in which their 8 ball shot must be played if they have already run out their {{gli|suit}}). The variant is not extremely common in the United States or the UK, but is near-universal in much of Latin America (where two {{gli|cue ball}} {{gli|scratch|scratches}} are permitted when attempting the 8 ball shot and count as simple fouls, with only a third scratch constituting a loss of game). Last pocket is also common in North Africa. Last-pocket rules require careful {{gli|position play}}, and frequently result in {{gli|bank shot|bank}} and {{gli|kick|kick shots}} with the 8 ball.</dd>

{{Term| league }}
<dd class="glossary">An organization that promotes competitive, usually team, amateur cue sports, most commonly [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], especially [[eight-ball]] and [[nine-ball]], although there are also well-established [[snooker league]]s. Some leagues, many of which are decades old, are entirely local and either informal or [[Incorporation (business)|incorporated]], and may use their own local rules or may have adopted more widely published rulesets, such as those of the [[World Pool-Billiard Association|WPA]]. Other leagues are organized on a multi-regional or even international level, and may be non-profit or for-profit enterprises, usually with their own fine-tuned rule books. Despite differences, the largest leagues are increasingly converging toward the WPA rules, with the exception of the [[American Poolplayers Association|APA/CPA]], which retains rules much closer to [[United States|US]]-style {{gli|bar pool}}. At least four major pool leagues hold international championships in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] annually (APA/CPA, [[Billiard Congress of America|BCAPL]], [[Valley National 8-Ball League Association|VNEA]] and [[American CueSports Alliance|ACS/CCS]]). Some leagues also offer {{gli|one-on-one}} tournaments, {{gli|scotch doubles}} events, [[artistic pool]] competition, and other non-team activities. ''(See [[:Category:Cue sports leagues]] for a listing of articles on various leagues.)''<!--Maybe shorten this and move long ver. to a stub article, using [[Template:Main]] here to link from a shorter version here to the new article.--></dd>

{{Term| leave }}
<dd class="glossary">The cue ball's position after a shot. "Good" or "bad" in reference to a leave describe respectively and advantageous or disadvantageous position for the next shot, or to leave an incoming opponent {{gli|safe}}.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p241" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|position play}}; compare {{gli|position}}, {{gli|shape}}.''</dd>

{{Term| legal }}
<dd class="glossary">As in many other sports, "legal" means not causing or likely to cause a {{gli|foul}} (the opposite being {{gli|illegal}}). A legal ''hit'' is one in which the requirements for a non-foul hit are met (e.g., in [[nine-ball]], the lowest-numbered ball on the table was hit by the {{gli|cue ball}} first, and at least one {{gli|object ball}} was {{gli|pocket|pocketed}}, or any ball reached a {{gli|cushion}}, after the hit on the first object ball.). A legal ''shot'' is one in which no foul of any kind was involved (e.g. there was not a {{gli|double hit}} by the cue, the player's {{gli|bridge}} hand did not move a ball, etc.). A legal ''stroke'' is one in which the [[Cue stick|cue]] {{gli|stroke}} obeyed the rules (e.g. the shooter did not perform an illegal {{gli|jump shot}} by scooping under the cue ball with the cue {{gli|cue tip|tip}}). A legal ''ball'' is a {{gli|ball-on}}, an object ball at which it is permissible for the player to shoot. And so on. The term can be used in many ways consistent with these examples ("legal pocket" in [[one-pocket]], "legal equipment" under tournament specifications, etc.).</dd>

{{Term| left }}
<dd class="glossary">''Short for left {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} ({{gli|side}})'', i.e. spin imparted to the {{gli|cue ball}} by {{gli|stroke|stroking}} it to the lefthand side of its vertical axis. ''Contrast {{gli|right}}.''</dd>

{{Term| lemon}}
<dd class="glossary">A player is said to be a "lemon", "lemon man", or "playing on the lemon" when they intentionally play below their true ability in order to attract more gambling action and win more money. Players who fall for the ruse would be less likely to gamble with the lemon if they showed their full ability at all times.</dd>

{{Term| lemonade stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">An intentionally amateurish stroke to disguise one's ability to play. ''Compare {{gli|on the lemonade}}.''</dd>

{{Term| let out }}
<dd class="glossary">To allow an opponent to stop playing a set for money in exchange for something. If a player is winning a set by a wide margin, with $100 on the line, the player could say, "I'll let you out now for $75." This is usually meant to save pride.</dd>

{{Term| little |content=little {{anchor|littles|little ones|little balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''littles''', '''little ones''', '''little balls'''.}}
In [[eight-ball]], to be shooting the solid {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls (1 through 7); "you're little, remember", "you're the little balls" or "I've got the littles". ''Compare {{gli|small}}, {{gli|solids}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|low}}, {{gli|spot|spots}}, {{gli|dots}}, {{gli|unders}}; contrast {{gli|big}}.''</dd>

{{Term| lock }}
<dd class="glossary">A game that basically cannot be lost based on disparity of skill levels; "this game is a lock for him."</dd>

{{Term| lock artist }}
<dd class="glossary">Someone talented at making {{gli|lock}} games.</dd>

{{Term| lock up }}
<dd class="glossary">The act of playing a devastating {{gli|safety}} that leaves the opponent in a situation where it is very difficult, or near impossible, to make a legal hit on an object ball.<ref name="USOpen06-3" /> ''See also {{gli|jail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| long bank }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|cross-corner}} bank shot from one end of the table to the other (i.e. across the {{gli|center string}}). Long banks are considerably more difficult, because of the smaller margin for error due to distance and angle widening, than {{gli|cross-side}} banks and short cross-corner banks from the same end of the table.</dd>

{{Term| long double }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' {{gli|bank|bank shot}} played up and down the longer length of the table off a {{gli|short rail}} and into a {{gli|corner pocket}}, as opposed to the more common bank across the short length into a {{gli|center pocket}} or corner.</dd>

{{Term| long pot |content={{vanchor|long pot|long-pot|long-potting|long-potted}} }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a {{gli|pot}} into any of the {{gli|corner pocket|corner pockets}} where the {{gli|cue ball}} had started in the opposite lengthwise half of the table. In other words, a pot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} or {{gli|object ball}} crosses an imaginary line joining the {{gli|center pocket|middle pockets}}.</dd>

{{Term| long rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|side rail}}.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| long string }}
<dd class="glossary">An imaginary line dividing the table into two equal halves lengthwise. It intersects the {{gli|head string}}, {{gli|center string}} and {{gli|foot string}} at the {{gli|head spot}}, {{gli|center spot}} and {{gli|foot spot}}, respectively.{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=242}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| look back }}
<dd class="glossary">To enter the [[double elimination tournament|loser bracket]] in a [[double elimination]] tournament, or otherwise slip in standing in other tournament formats (i.e., to lose a {{gli|game}}/{{gli|frame}}/{{gli|round}}/{{gli|match}}, but still remain in the competition).</dd>

{{Term| loop bridge |content=loop bridge {{anchor|looped bridge|loop-bridge}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|closed bridge}}.''</dd>

{{Term| losing hazard |content=losing hazard {{anchor|loser|losing-hazard}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''loser''', largely obsolete.'' A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is {{gli|pot|potted}} after {{gli|carom|caroming}} off another ball.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" />{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=148}} In [[snooker]] and most [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] games doing this would be a {{gli|fault}} ({{gli|foul}}), but the move will score {{gli|point|points}} in many games in which {{gli|hazard|hazards}} (as such) apply, such as [[English billiards]], or in the final or game point in [[Cowboy pool]]. The term derives from this hazard costing the player points in early forms of billiards.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p275" /> ''Compare {{gli|in-off}}, {{gli|scratch}}. Contrast {{gli|winning hazard}}.''</dd>

{{Term| low }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''lows''', '''low balls''', '''low ones'''.'' In [[eight-ball]], to be shooting the solid {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls (1 through 7); "you're low, remember", "you're low balls" or "I've got the lows." ''Compare {{gli|solids}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|little}}, {{gli|spot|spots}}, {{gli|dots}}, {{gli|unders}}; contrast {{gli|high}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;With {{gli|draw}}, as in "I shot that low left", meaning "I shot that with draw and with left {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}". Derives from the fact that one must aim below the {{gli|cue ball}}'s equator, i.e. "low" on the ball, to impart draw. ''Contrast {{gli|high}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==M==
{{Glossary}}
{{Term| mace }}
<dd class="glossary">The forerunner of the cue was the mace, an implement similar to a light-weight [[Golf club (equipment)|golf club]], with a foot that was generally used to shove rather than strike the cue ball.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |title=The History of Snooker and Billiards |date=1986 |publisher=[[Transworld (company)|Partridge Press]] |location=Haywards Heath, England |isbn=9781852250133 |pages=8–11}} Revised version of ''The Story of Billiards and Snooker'', 1979.</ref> When the ball was {{gli|Frozen|frozen}} against a {{gli|Cushion|rail cushion}}, use of the mace was difficult (the foot would not fit under the edge of the cushion to strike the ball squarely), and by 1670 experienced players often used the tail or butt end of the mace instead.</dd>

{{Term| machine gun shot }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In {{gli|snooker}}, a {{gli|trick shot}} that involves lining up a number of balls, for example along the {{gli|baulk line}}, then, after striking the {{gli|cue ball}} toward a {{gli|corner pocket}}, hitting the other balls directly with the {{gli|cue stick}} into that pocket before the cue ball reaches it.<ref>{{cite book |last=Reardon |first=Ray |author-link=Ray Reardon |title=Ray Reardon's 50 Best Trick Shots |chapter=54: Machine-gun shot |date=1980 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |isbn=9780715379936}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In {{gli|pool}}, a {{gli|trick shot}} where a number of object balls are placed in a row to form a line, sometimes near a {{gli|cushion}}, or in a line and the cue ball is shot into the balls so as to reverberate between them while traveling and hit each one of the object balls in series, issuing a [[machine gun]]-like sound.<ref>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Byrne (author) |title=Byrne's Treasury of Trick Shots in Pool and Billiards |date=2012 |orig-date=1982 |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing]] |isbn=9781616085384 |page=13}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| magnetic cue ball }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|cue ball}} that, due to embedded iron content, is responsive enough to a strong [[magnet]] that a modern coin-operated {{gli|bar table}} with a magnetic {{gli|ball return|ball-return mechanism}} can distinguish and separate the cue ball from the {{gli|object ball|object balls}}. Magnetic cue balls are usually the same standard size as the object balls in the set, and near regulation weight, typically 0.5 to 1 ounce (14–28&nbsp;g) heavier than the object balls. As such they do not suffer the playability problems of either excessively dense, ceramic "{{gli|rock}}" or notable oversized "{{gli|grapefruit}}" cue balls, and demonstrate only minimal {{gli|smash-through}}. Magnetic balls are standard equipment in some leagues, including the [[Valley National Eight-ball Association|VNEA]]. Magnetics come in three construction types of iron embedded in the same [[phenolic resin]] or other modern, resilient plastic that the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are made of: a solid metal core (prone to being off-center and not rolling true); small metal bars distributed around the interior of the ball (the most common, and less prone but not immune to balance defects); and tiny metal filings throughout the material (the most consistent, only made by one manufacturer, and expensive).</dd>

{{Term| mark }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The target of a scam or hustle;<ref>Lexico Publishing Group, LLC (2006). [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mark Mark – Dictionary.com]. Retrieved February 19, 2007.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A foolish person in a pool room;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;To indicate where something is to be done. To "mark the pocket" means to indicate which pocket you intend to sink an {{gli|object ball}}. ''Contrast {{gli|fish}}.''</dd>

{{Term| massé | content={{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Spinks massé 1893.png|thumb|right|An extreme {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}} shot by [[William A. Spinks]] during an 1893 [[exhibition game]] against [[Jacob Schaefer Sr.]] Starting from bottom left, his {{gli|cue ball}} swerves into and {{gli|carom|caroms}} off one {{gli|object ball}}, then due to its extreme {{gli|spin}} rebounds into the {{gli|cushion}} ''four'' times before finally rolling away for a perfect, scoring hit on the other object ball. And Spinks lost this game.]]<!--Replace with a better-quality.-->
{{ghat|Main article: {{section link|Cue sports techniques|Massé shot}}}}
''Also '''{{lang|fr|massé}} shot'''.'' A steep curve or complete reversal of cue ball direction without the necessity of any rail or object ball being struck, due to extreme {{gli|spin}} imparted to the cue ball by a steeply elevated cue.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Its invention is credited to [[François Mingaud]]. ''Compare {{gli|semi-massé|semi-{{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}}.''</dd>

{{Term| master break}}
<dd class="glossary">Breaking and going on to win the game in one visit.</dd>

{{Term| match }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The overall competition between two players, two pairs of players or two teams of players, usually consisting of a predetermined number of {{gli|frame|frames}}<ref name="WEPFRules" /> or {{gli|game|games}} (sometimes organized into {{gli|round|rounds}}). There are also specialized match formats where the game number is not predetermined; ''see {{gli|race}} and {{gli|ahead race or session|ahead race}} for examples''.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;To agree to rise to a higher wager, as in "$100? Yeah, I'll match that" (i.e., basically equivalent to "call a raise" in [[poker]]).</dd>

{{Term| match ball }}
<dd class="glossary">The ball required to guarantee victory in a match. Sometimes used figuratively to mean the last difficult ball required (chiefly British and usually used in multi-frame matches, particularly snooker).</dd>

{{Term| match play |content=match play {{anchor|matchplay|match-play}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''matchplay''', '''match-play'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chiefly British: Competitive play in {{gli|match|matches}} with standings consequences, such as local [[snooker league]] competition or the [[World Snooker Championship]], as opposed to practice, playing with friends at the pub, or [[hustling]] pool for money.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chiefly American: ''Same as {{gli|one-on-one}} as applied to {{gli|league}} play.'' (Definition appears to have been introduced by [[USA Pool League]] misapplying the term "match" to what is otherwise termed a "{{gli|race}}".)<ref name="BCAPL-USAPL 2009" /></dd>

{{Term| maximum break }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Maximum break}}
''Also simply '''maximum'''.''
In [[snooker]], the highest {{gli|break}} attainable with the balls that are {{gli|rack|racked}}; usually 147 points starting by {{gli|pot|potting}} fifteen {{gli|red ball|red}}s, in combination with {{gli|black ball|black}}s, and clearing the {{gli|colour ball|colour}}s. Also called a '''147''' (''one-four-seven''). In [[six-red snooker]], the maximum break is only 75 points, due to fewer red balls and thus fewer black-scoring opportunities. ''See also {{gli|total clearance}}.''</dd>

{{Term| mechanical bridge }}
<dd class="glossary">A special stick with a grooved, slotted or otherwise supportive end attachment that helps guide the cue stick – a stand-in for the {{gli|bridge}} hand. It is usually used only when the shot cannot be comfortably reached with a hand bridge. In American English, often shortened to '''bridge''' or called a '''bridge stick''';<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> the term '''{{gli|rake}}''' is also common.

An entire class of different mechanical bridges exist for [[snooker]], called '''{{gli|rest|rests}}''' ''(see that entry for details)'', also commonly used in [[blackball (pool)|blackball]] and [[English billiards]].

Mechanical bridges have many derogatory nicknames, such as "{{gli|ladies' aid}}", "crutch", "granny stick", and "sissy stick", because of the perception by many amateur players that they are evidence of weak playing skills or technique (the opposite is actually true).<ref name="Fels" /><!-- Please do not clutter this definition with any more of the very numerous derogatory expressions that amateur players use for the mechanical bridge; four examples are enough until such time as a consensus is developed on the talk page that all of them should have their own sourced, individual entries. -->

Small mechanical bridges, that stand on the table surface instead of being mounted on sticks, exist for [[Disability|disabled]] players who do not have or cannot use both hands or arms.</dd>

{{Term| merry widow }}
<dd class="glossary">Jargon term for a type of {{gli|cue stick}} that has a plain forearm, without the tapered "points" that are a common feature of standard cue sticks.</dd>

{{Term| middle pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|centre pocket}}.''</dd>

{{Term| middle spot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|center spot}}; uncommon.''</dd>

{{Term| miscue }}
<dd class="glossary">A stroke in which the cue's tip glances or slips off the cue ball not effectively transferring the intended force.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Usually the result is a bungled shot. Common causes include a lack of {{gli|chalk}} on the {{gli|cue tip}}, a poorly groomed cue tip and not stroking straight through the cue ball, e.g. because of {{gli|steering}}. Sometimes played intentionally to avoid a {{gli|double hit}} when the {{gli|cue ball}} is very close to an {{gli|object ball}} or {{gli|cushion}}. Also the distinctive metallic sound made when a miscue occurs.</dd>

{{Term| miss }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a {{gli|referee}} calls a miss when a player {{gli|foul|fouls}} by failing to hit the {{gli|ball on}} and the referee decides that the player has not made a good enough attempt to hit the ball. The miss rule gives the opponent the option to have the referee replace the balls to their original positions and make the player take the shot again. A miss usually occurs when a player makes an unsuccessful attempt at escaping from a snooker. It is a controversial rule aimed at formally discouraging {{gli|deliberate foul|deliberate fouls}}. In professional snooker, a referee will almost always call a miss on any foul where the player misses the ball on, regardless of how close the player comes to hitting it. If a player is called for a miss three times in a single visit while not snookered, they forfeit the frame; to avoid this, players almost always play an easy hit on their third attempt, even if it is likely to leave a chance for the opponent.</dd>

{{Term| missable }}
<dd class="glossary">Describing a difficult {{gli|pot}}: "the awkward cueing makes this shot missable."</dd>

{{Term| modern era}}
<dd class="glossary">In professional [[snooker]], the modern era is the period from 1969 to the present day. The [[BBC]] launched its ''[[Pot Black]]'' series in 1969 and the [[World Snooker Championship]] reverted to a knockout tournament format in the same year. The modern era has seen increasing professionalisation of the sport, more television and media coverage, greater numbers of tournaments, and higher prize money.</dd>

{{Term| money added |content=money added {{anchor|money-added|moneyadded|added money}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Said of a tournament in which the {{gli|pot}} of money to pay out to the winner(s) contains sponsor monies in addition to competitor entry fees. Often used as an adjective: "a money-added event". ''See also {{gli|added}}.''</dd>

{{Term| money ball |content=money ball {{anchor|money-ball|moneyball|money balls|money-balls|moneyballs}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Name for the ball that when legally pocketed, wins the game, or any ball that when made results in a payday such as a "{{gli|way}}" in the game of [[Chicago (pool)|Chicago]]. If a money ball is illegally pocketed, it usually results in a loss of game, or a {{gli|foul}}.</dd>

{{Term| money game |content=money game {{anchor|money-game|moneygame|money games|money-games|moneygames|money}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A game (often actually a {{gli|race}}) the outcome of which is the subject of [[gambling]] by the players and/or by {{gli|stakehorse|stakehorses}}. Participants may use the phrase "this is a money game" to indicate to others that they take the contest more seriously than a casual game and, e.g., are unwilling to make sportsmanlike compromises or do not appreciate distractions. A clear illustration of the latter is in the "two brothers and a stranger" [[hustling]] scene in the film ''[[The Color of Money (film)|The Color of Money]]''.</dd>

{{Term| money, in the |content=money, in the {{anchor|in the money}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|in the money}}.''</dd>

{{Term| money table |content=money table {{anchor|money tables|money-table|money tables|moneytable|moneytables}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The table reserved for {{gli|money games}} or, by extension, the best table in the house. This table is typically of better quality and regularly maintained, and may have {{gli|pocket|pockets}} that are unusually {{gli|tight}}. Money tables in popular venues may be outright reserved for major {{gli|action}}.</dd>

{{Term| mushroom |content=mushroom {{anchor|mushrooms|mushroomed|mushroom tip|mushroomed tip}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''mushroomed tip'''.''
Leather of the [[Cue stick|cue]] {{gli|cue tip|tip}} overhanging the {{gli|ferrule}} because of compression from innumerable repeated impacts against the {{gli|cue ball}} without proper maintenance of the tip. It must be trimmed off, or it will cause {{gli|miscue|miscues}} and inaccuracies, as it is not backed by the solid ferrule and thus will compress much more than the tip should on impact.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=159}} ''See also {{gli|burnish}}.''</dd>

{{Term| mushroom trimmer |content=mushroom trimmer {{anchor|mushroom shaver|mushroom cutter}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''mushroom shaver''', '''mushroom cutter'''.''
A sharp-bladed {{gli|tip tool}} used to trim the {{gli|mushroom|mushroomed}} portion off a {{gli|cue tip}} and restore it to its proper shape.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==N==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| nap }}
<dd class="glossary">A directional pile created by the short fuzzy ends of fibers on the surface of {{gli|cloth}} projecting upward from the lie and which create a favorable and unfavorable direction for rolling balls.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> The convention in most billiards games in which directional nap cloth is used is to brush the cloth along the table in the same direction of the nap, usually from the end that a player {{gli|break|breaks}}. In [[snooker]] and [[Eight-ball#UK|UK eight-ball]] especially, this creates the effect of {{gli|creep}} in the direction of the nap, the most-affected shot being a slow roll into a {{gli|center pocket}} against the nap. It is commonly referred to in the fuller term "nap of the cloth." When nap is used in relation to woven cloths that have no directional pile, such as those typically used in the U.S. for pool tables, the term simply refers to the fuzziness of the cloth.<ref>Lexico Publishing Group, LLC (2006). [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nap Nap – Dictionary.com]</ref></dd>

{{Term| natural }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: In [[pool (cue sports)|pool]], a natural is an easy shot requiring no {{gli|side spin}} ({{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Adjective: In pool, a shot is said to be natural if it does not require adjustments, such as a {{gli|cut}} angle, side spin, or unusual force. A natural {{gli|bank shot}}, for example, is one in which simply shooting straight into the {{gli|object ball}} at medium speed and with no spin will send the object ball directly into the target [[Pocket (billiards)|pocket]] on the other side of the table.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[three cushion billiards]], the easiest type of shot, in which the second object ball is advantageously placed in a corner.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|big ball}}.''</dd>

{{Term| nine-ball |content=nine-ball {{anchor|nine ball|nineball}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{inline hatnote|Main article: [[Nine-ball]].}}<br />
The dominant professional [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] game. It is a {{gli|rotation}} game, in which the lowest-numbered {{gli|object ball}} must be hit first (though balls may be pocketed in any order, such as with a {{gli|carom shot}} or {{gli|combination shot}}). The game ends when the {{gli|9 ball}} is legally pocketed, either as the last remaining object ball, or early as long as the lowest-numbered ball was struck first.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; The spelled-out name of the {{gli|9 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| nip draw }}
<dd class="glossary">A short, jabbed {{gli|draw}} {{gli|stroke}} usually employed so as to not commit a {{gli|foul}} (i.e. due to following through to a {{gli|double hit}}) when the cue ball is very near to the target {{gli|object ball}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| nit }}
<dd class="glossary">Someone who wants too high a handicap or refuses to wager any money on a relatively fair match; a general pool room pejorative moniker. Probably derived from "nitwit".</dd>

{{Term| nominate }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|call}}. (Formal.)''</dd>

{{Term| nose |content=nose {{anchor|noses|cushion nose|cushion noses|rail nose}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The furthest-protruding edge of the {{gli|face}} of the {{gli|cushion}} over the {{gli|bed}} of the table. The dimensions of the {{gli|playing area}} are thus defined by the measurements lengthwise and widthwise between the cushion noses (though specifications may simply refer to the cushion face for short in that context).<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> The height of the nose from the bed determines the cushion profile. The corners (sharp on pool tables, rounded on snooker tables) formed by the nose at the entrance to the {{gli|pocket|pockets}} are called the {{gli|knuckle|knuckles}}, {{gli|point|points}}, or {{gli|titty|titties}}. The difference between the noses and the knuckles of the cushions is that the former run the entire length of the cusion, while the latter are the points or curves formed where the cushion meets the pocket. The edge of cushion on the inside of the pocket {{gli|jaw}}s is the {{gli|facing}}.</dd>

{{Term| nurse |content=nurse {{anchor|nurses|nurse shot|nurse-shot|nurseshot|nursery|nursery shot|nursery-shot|nurse cannon|nursery cannon}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''nurse shot''', '''nursery shot''', '''nursery cannon'''.}}
In [[carom billiards]] games, when all the balls are kept near each other and a cushion so that with very soft shots the balls can be "nursed" down a rail, allowing multiple successful shots that effectively replicate the same ball setup so that the nurse shots can be continued almost indefinitely, unless a limit is imposed by the rules.

Excessive use of nurse shots in [[straight rail]] by players skilled enough to set them up and pull them off repeatedly at will is what led to the development of the [[balkline]] and [[one-cushion]] game variations, and repetitive shot limitation rules in [[English billiards]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Holt |first=Richard |title=Sport and the British: A Modern History |publisher=[[Clarendon Press]] |date=1990 |series=Oxford Studies in Social History |isbn=9780192852298 |page=191}}</ref></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==O==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| object ball |content={{vanchor|object ball|object balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Depending on context:}}</dd>
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any [[Billiard ball|ball]] that may be legally struck by the {{gli|cue ball}} (i.e., any {{gli|ball-on}});</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any ball other than the cue ball.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">Usage notes: When speaking very generally, any ball other than the cue ball is an object ball. In narrower contexts, this may not be the case. For example, when playing [[eight-ball]], one might not think of the 8 ball as an object ball unless shooting for the 8.</dd>

{{Term| offense }}
<dd class="glossary">The aspect of gameplay concerned with scoring rather than {{gli|safety}}.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=168}}</dd>

{{Term| on a string }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Used when describing perfect play; a metaphoric reference to [[puppetry]]:}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[pool (cue sports)|pool]]: ''See {{gli|having the cue ball on a string|Having the cue ball on a string}}''.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Carom billiards]]: Order may be inverted: "as if the balls had strings on them".<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| on the hill }}
<dd class="glossary">Describes a player who needs only one more game win to be victorious in the match.<ref name="Paski" /><ref name="USOpen06" /> ''See also {{gli|hill-hill|hill, hill}}.''</dd>

{{Term| on the lemonade |content=on the lemonade {{anchor|on the lemon|lemonade|laying down the lemon|laying on the lemon|lemon}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''on the lemon''', '''laying down the lemon'''.''
Disguising the level of one's ability to play; also known as {{gli|sandbag|sandbagging}} or {{gli|hustle|hustling}} (though the latter has a broader meaning).<ref>{{cite web |title=Billiard, Pool, and Snooker terms and definitions: On the lemonade |date=2007 |work=BilliardsForum.info |url= http://www.billiardsforum.info/billiard-terms-definition/on-the-lemonade.asp |access-date=March 16, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Beenie">{{cite magazine |last=Shaw |first=Thomas C. |title=The Legendary Weenie Beenie |date=May 1998 |magazine=Pool & Billiard Magazine |issn=1049-2852 |volume=16 |issue=5 |page=59 |quote=It was almost as if during his years of learning that he'd been laying down the lemon. They expected the speed of the old Beenie. 'But I had improved.'}}</ref> ''Compare {{gli|lemonade stroke}}.''</dd>

{{Term| on the snap |content=on the snap {{anchor|on the break|on the beakoff|on the break-off}}}}
<dd class="glossary">As a result of the opening {{gli|break}} shot (the "snap"), usually said of winning by {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} the {{gli|money ball}} ("won on the snap", "got it on the snap", etc.) Employed most commonly in the game of [[nine-ball]] where pocketing the {{gli|9 ball|9 ball}} at any time in the game on a legal stroke, including the break shot, is a win.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Mizerak |first1=Steve |author1-link=Steve Mizerak |last2=Mataya Laurance |first2=Ewa |author2-link=Ewa Laurance |last3=Forsyth |first3=Jerry |date=2003 |title=Quick-Start Guide to Pocket Billiards |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]] |location=New York |isbn=9780071415200 |page=87}}</ref> Sometimes used alone as an exclamation or exhortation, "On the snap!"<ref name="tcom" /> ''See also {{gli|golden break}}.''</dd>

{{Term| on the wire }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|games on the wire}}.''</dd>

{{Term| one-on-one |content=one-on-one {{anchor|one on one|1-on-1|1 on 1|ooo}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Competition between an individual player and an individual opponent, as opposed to team play, {{gli|scotch doubles}}, and other multi-player variants.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A team play format in which an individual player from the home team plays a {{gli|race}} against an individual player from the visiting team, and then is finished for that {{gli|match}}.<ref name="BCAPL-USAPL 2009">{{cite book |publisher=[[BCA Pool League|BCA Pool League/USA Pool League]] |chapter=USA Pool League Match Play Rules |title=Player Handbook: BCA Pool League / USAPL: USA Pool League Player Handbook |edition=2009–2010 |date=June 1, 2009 |location=Henderson, Nevada |url= http://playusapool.com/Portals/0/download/RulesMP.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110715093311/http://playusapool.com/Portals/0/download/RulesMP.pdf |archive-date=July 15, 2011 |pages=2–4}}</ref> ''(Same as {{gli|match play}}, definition 2.)'' Several large leagues use this format, including [[American Poolplayers Association|APA/CPA]] and [[USA Pool League|USAPL]]. (''Contrast {{gli|round robin}}.)''</dd>

{{Term| one-pocket |content=one-pocket {{anchor|one pocket|onepocket}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Main article: [[One-pocket]].}}
One of the most challenging [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] games, in which each player is designated a specific {{gli|corner pocket}} on the {{gli|foot rail}}, and can only score by {{gli|pocket}}ing the {{gli|object ball}}s into it. The game (played to a set number of points) typically involves a higher proportion of challenging shots than other games, especially {{gli|bank shot}}s and {{gli|kick}}s.</dd>

{{Term| one-stroke |content=one-stroke {{anchor|one stroke|one-strokes|one-stroked|one-stroking|1-stroke|1 stroke|1-strokes|1-stroked|1-stroking}}}}
<dd class="glossary">To shoot without taking enough warm-up strokes to properly aim and feel out the stroke and speed to be applied. One-stroking is a common symptom of nervousness and is a source of missed shots and failed position.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> ''See also {{gli|choke}}, {{gli|dog}}.''</dd>

{{Term| open }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In eight-ball, when all {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are {{gli|ball-on|balls-on}} for either player. ''See {{gli|open table}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A description of a {{gli|break shot}} in which the {{gli|rack}} ({{gli|pack}}) is spread apart well. ''See also the {{gli|open break}} requirement in some games' rules, including [[eight-ball]] and [[nine-ball]]''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[carom billiards]], descriptive of play in which the balls are not {{gli|gather shot|gathered}}. ''See {{gli|open play}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;A description of a layout of balls that, because it is so spread out, makes it easy for a good player to {{gli|run out}} and win, due to lack of problematic {{gli|cluster|clustered}} balls.</dd>

{{Term| open break }}
<dd class="glossary">A requirement under some pool rulesets that either an {{gli|object ball}} be pocketed, or at least four object balls be driven to contact the {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, on the opening {{gli|break shot}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Contrast {{gli|soft break}}.''</dd>

{{Term| open bridge }}
<dd class="glossary">A bridge formed by the hand where no finger loops over the shaft of the cue. Typically, the cue stick is channeled by a "v"-shaped groove formed by the thumb and the base of the index finger.</dd>

{{Term| open play }}
<dd class="glossary">A description of play in [[carom billiards]] games in which the balls remain widely separated rather than {{gli|gather shot|gathered}}, requiring much more skill to score {{gli|point|points}} and making {{gli|nurse|nurse shots}} effectively impossible, and making for a more interesting game for onlookers.<ref name="BDESaw" /> Most skilled players try to gather the balls as quickly as possible to increase their chances of continuing to score in a long {{gli|run}}.</dd>

{{Term| open table }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[eight-ball]] and related games, describes the situation in which neither player has yet claimed a {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls. Often shortened to simply '''open''': "Is it still an open table?" "Yes, it's open."</dd>

{{Term| orange ball}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[Snooker plus]], an additional {{gli|colour ball}} worth eight points.</dd>

{{Term| orange crush, the |content={{vanchor|orange crush, the|orange crush}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The 5 {{gli|out}} (meaning the player getting the handicap can win by making the 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 balls).</dd>

{{Term| out }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A specific ball number followed by "out" refers to a {{gli|handicap}} in [[nine-ball]] or other rotation games where the "spot" is all balls from that designated number to the money ball. To illustrate, the 6-out in a nine-ball game would allow the player getting {{gli|weight}} to win by {{gli|legal|legally}} pocketing the 6, 7, 8 or 9 balls.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|run out}}, especially as a noun'': "That was a nice out."</dd>

{{Term| outside english }}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|Side spin}} on a {{gli|cue ball}} on the opposite side of the direction of the {{gli|cut}} angle to be played (right-hand {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} when cutting an {{gli|object ball}} to the left, and vice versa). In addition to affecting cue ball position, outside {{Not a typo|english}} can be used to decrease {{gli|throw}}.</dd>

{{Term| overcut }}
<dd class="glossary">Hitting the {{gli|object ball}} with too large of a {{gli|cut}} angle; hitting the object ball too thin. It is a well-known maxim that overcutting is preferable to {{gli|undercut|undercutting}} in many situations, as it more often leaves the table in a disadvantageous position on the miss than does an undercut. ''See also {{gli|professional side of the pocket}}.''</dd>

{{Term| overs }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|stripes}}, in New Zealand.<ref name="Stickmen2">{{cite video |people=Rothwell, Hamish (diretor); [[Robbie Magasiva|Magasiva, Robbie]] (actor, speaking as the character Jack) |title=[[Stickmen (film)|Stickmen]] |date=2001 |medium=DVD |publisher=Monarch |location=New Zealand |time=1:09:27}}</ref> Compare {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}, {{gli|high}}, {{gli|big|big ones}}; contrast {{gli|unders}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==P==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| pack }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], the bunch of {{gli|reds}} that are typically left below the {{gli|pink ball|pink}} spot in the early stages of a {{gli|frame}}, not including those reds that have been released into {{gli|pot|pottable}} positions.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A cluster of balls.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p243">{{harvp|Knuchell|1974|p=243}}.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|package}}.''</dd>

{{Term| package }}
<dd class="glossary">Successive games won without the opponent getting to the table; a five-{{gli|pack}} would be a package of five games.</dd>

{{Term| pairs }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|doubles}}'' (chiefly British).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gareth Potts (7) |at="Further info" tab |date=2023 |work=UltimatePoolGroup.com |url= https://www.ultimatepoolgroup.com/players/gareth-potts-(7)-the-golden-boy-england |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231213194110/https://www.ultimatepoolgroup.com/players/gareth-potts-(7)-the-golden-boy-england |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |url-status=dead<!--TECHNICALL it's still live, but it changes on a regular basis, and there is no guarantee the cited text will remain in it, so use this snapshot.-->}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| paper cut }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|feather}} (US) or {{gli|snick}} (UK)'' (US, colloquial).</dd>

{{Term| parking the cue ball }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Having the cue ball stop at or near the center of the table on a forceful break shot (the breaking ideal in many games such as nine-ball);</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Having the cue ball stop precisely where intended.</dd>

{{Term| peas |content={{vanchor|peas|pea|pills|pills|tally ball|tally balls|shake ball|shake balls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''pills''', '''tally balls''' and '''shake balls'''.''
Small, round markers typically numbered 1 through 16, which are placed in a {{gli|bottle}} for various random assignment purposes, such as in a tournament roster, to assign order of play in a multiplayer game, or to assign particular balls to players in games such as [[kelly pool]].<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| penalty points }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In {{gli|snooker}}, {{gli|point|points}} awarded to an opponent following a {{gli|foul}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p177">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=177}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| pendulum cannon }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In {{gli|English billiards}}, a {{gli|cannon}} made when the {{gli|object ball}}s are about two or three inches apart; parallel to, and close to a {{gli|cushion}}. The object balls remain nearly stationary, and the player can then play a shot that reverses the striking order of the {{gli|cue ball}} against to object balls.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p177" /></dd>

{{Term| percentage }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|play the percentages}}.''<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> Used by itself often with "low" and "high": "that's a low-percentage shot for me", "I should really take the high-percentage one".</dd>

{{Term| pills }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|peas}}''.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| pin |content={{vanchor|pin|pins}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A bolt-threaded protrusion inside the {{gli|joint}} of the [[Cue stick|cue]], usually protruding from the {{gli|butt}} and screwing into the {{gli|shaft}} rather than vice versa. Most modern cues make use of metal pins and {{gli|collar|collars}}, but [[carom billiards]] cues usually have a wooden pin, and a collarless wood-on-wood joint.<ref name="Kilby 2009">{{cite web |last=Kilby |first=Ronald |title=So What's a Carom Cue? |date=May 23, 2009 |work=CaromCues.com |publisher=Kilby Cues |location=Medford, Oregon |url= http://www.caromcues.com/CaromvsPoolCues.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080624113211/http://www.caromcues.com/CaromvsPoolCues.htm |archive-date=June 24, 2008}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|skittle}}.''</dd>

{{Term| pink ball |content={{vanchor|pink ball|pink}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''the pink'''.''
In [[snooker]], the second-highest value {{gli|colour ball}}, being worth six points.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p179-180">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|pp=179–180}}.</ref> It is placed on the {{gli|pink spot}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p179-180" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "6" on its surface.</dd>

{{Term| pink spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The marked {{gli|spot}} on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|pink ball}} is placed. Regardless of table size, it is exactly midway between the {{gli|centre spot}} ({{gli|blue spot}}) and the {{gli|face}} ({{gli|nose}}) of the {{gli|top cushion}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p179-180" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> ''Also known as the {{gli|pyramid spot}} (sense 2).''<ref name="Shamos 1999 p179-180,194">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|pp=179–180, 194}}.</ref><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /></dd>

{{Term| piqué }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''piquet'''.''
Either a {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}} shot with no {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} ({{gli|sidespin}}), or a shot in which the cue stick is steeply angled, but not held quite as near-vertically as it is in full {{lang|fr|massé}}.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|p=171}}<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p243" /></dd>

{{Term| place }}
<dd class="glossary">To reach a certain position in a tournament. "I placed 17th." "She will probably place {{gli|in the money}} this time."</dd>

{{Term| plain ball }}
<dd class="glossary">In snooker, hitting the {{gli|cue ball}} in the center, without any {{gli|spin}}.</dd>

{{Term| plant }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British. Same as {{gli|combination shot}}.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| play the percentages }}
<dd class="glossary">Using knowledge of the game and one's own abilities and limitations to choose the manner of shooting and the particular shot from an array presented, that has a degree of likelihood of success. This often requires a player to forego a shot that if made would be very advantageous but does not have a high likelihood of success, in favor of a safety or less advantageous shot that is more realistically achievable.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| playing area |content=playing area {{anchor|playing surface|play area|play surface|area of play|game-play area|gameplay area}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''playing surface'''.''
The area of the table on which the balls roll, i.e. the table surface exclusive of the {{gli|rail|rails}} and the tops of the {{gli|cushion|cushions}}. The playing surface is defined by the measurements lengthwise and widthwise between the cushion noses (though specifications may simply refer to the cushion {{gli|face|faces}} for short in that context).<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> [[Artistic pool]] and other forms of [[trick shot]]s sometimes call for shots to go beyond the bounds of the playing surface, e.g. a {{gli|jump|jump shot}} off the table into a boot on the floor, in [[Mike Massey]]'s classic "boot shot". The playing surface is what is used, not the entire table, when describing the approximate size of [[billiard table]]s of all kinds (e.g. "an 8&nbsp;×&nbsp;4&nbsp;foot pool table").</dd>

{{Term| pocket |content={{vanchor|pocket|pockets}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun) An opening in a [[billiards table]], cut partly into the {{gli|bed}} and partly into the {{gli|rail|rails}} and their {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, into which balls are shot (pocketed or {{gli|pot|potted}}). Pockets may drop into a leather or cloth net, a solid cup, or a {{gli|ball-return}} mechanism. The {{gli|jaws}} of the pocket have a cushion {{gli|facing}}; the {{gli|knuckle}} or {{gli|point}} is where this facing meets (in a pointed or curved fashion) the cushion that bounds the playing surface of the table.

Billiards-style pockets also feature in some distantly related tabletop games like [[carrom]], [[novuss]], [[pichenotte]], [[pitchnut]], [[air hockey]], and the historical [[bagatelle]] family of games.<!--Some of these link to this entry.--> Historically related to the holes in [[golf]], the basic concept of a ball-capturing target or hazard is a feature of many other games, including [[pinball]], [[cornhole]], [[skeeball]], and (in an elevated fashion) [[basketball]].</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb) To send a ball into a pocket, usually intentionally.</dd>

{{Term| pocket facing|content=pocket facing {{anchor|pocket facings}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|facing}}.''</dd>

{{Term| pocket speed |content=pocket speed {{anchor|pocket-speed|pocketspeed}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''pocket-speed'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describes the propensity of {{gli|pocket|table pockets}} to more easily accept an imperfectly aimed ball shot at a relatively soft speed, that might not fall if shot with more velocity ("that ball normally wouldn't fall but he hit it at pocket speed"). The less sensitive to shot-speed that a pocket is, the "{{gli|fast|faster}}" it is said to be.<ref name="USOpen06" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describes the velocity of an {{gli|object ball}} shot with just enough speed to reach the intended [[Pocket (billiards)|pocket]] and drop. "Shoot this with pocket speed only, so you don't send the cue ball too far up-table."</dd>

{{Term| pocket template }}
<dd class="glossary">A rigid, flat piece of material such as [[plastic]] that outlines the exact angles and curvature of the {{gli|knuckle|knuckles}} of the {{gli|cushion|cushions}} at a {{gli|pocket}}, the width of their separation across the pocket opening (the {{gli|jaws}} of the pocket) and the depth into the jaws where the pocket drop is. The templates thereby determine the size and other playing aspects of the pocket. Such standardization is used especially in [[snooker]] and [[English billiards]], for which the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] presently issues pocket templates.<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /> These [[Proprietary information|proprietary]] templates are tightly controlled, and only provided to approved venues and manufacturers. Each table requires two pairs of templates, as the specifications for {{gli|corner pocket|corner}} and {{gli|centre pocket|centre}} ({{gli|side pocket|side}}) pockets are entirely different.<ref name="Stooke 201 p8">{{harvp|Stooke|2010|p=8}}.</ref>{{sfnp|WPBSA|2011|pp=9, 41}} For each pocket type, one template is used to determine pocket width and other horizontal aspects, while the other measures the {{gli|face}} of the cushions including any {{gli|undercut}}, the {{gli|fall}} of the pocket, and other vertical aspects.<ref name="Stooke 201 p8" /> ''See also {{gli|racking template}}, {{gli|training template}}.''</dd>

{{Term| point |content={{vanchor|point|points}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A unit of scoring, in games such as [[snooker]] and [[straight pool]] with numerical scoring.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A unit of scoring, in team {{gli|match|matches}} in {{gli|league|leagues}} that use numerical scoring instead of simple {{gli|game}}/{{gli|frame}} win vs. loss ratios.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another term for {{gli|knuckle}} / {{gli|tittie}}.</dd>

{{Term| pointing }}
<dd class="glossary">A term used to indicate balls that are {{gli|frozen}} to each other, or close enough, such that no matter from which angle they are hit, the combination will send the outer ball in the same predictable direction.
"Are the 2 and 7 pointing at the corner? Okay, I'll use that duck to get position way over there."</dd>

{{Term| points on the wire}}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|games on the wire}}.''</dd>

{{Term| pool glasses |content= pool glasses {{anchor|pool spectacles|pool specs}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''pool spectacles''', '''pool specs'''.''
''Same as {{gli|billiards glasses}}.''</dd>

{{Term| pool glove }}
<dd class="glossary">A tight, [[Spandex]] glove covering usually most or all of the thumb, index finger and middle finger, worn on the {{gli|bridge hand}} as a more convenient and less messy alternative to using {{gli|talc|hand talc}}, and for the same purpose: a smooth-gliding {{gli|stroke}}.</dd>

{{Term| pool shark }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|shark}} (in all senses).''</dd>

{{Term| position }}
<dd class="glossary">The placement of the balls, especially the cue ball, relative to the next planned shot. ''Also known as {{gli|shape}}.''<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|position play}}, {{gli|leave}}.''</dd>

{{Term| position play }}
<dd class="glossary">Skilled playing in which knowledge of ball speed, angles, post-impact trajectory, and other factors are used to gain {{gli|position}} (i.e. a good {{gli|leave}}) after the target ball is struck. The goals of position play are generally to ensure that the next shot is easy or at least makeable, and/or to play a {{gli|safety}} in the advent of a miss (intentional or otherwise).{{further|Cue sports techniques}}</dd>

{{Term| pot |content= {{vanchor|pot|pots|potting|potted}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb, chiefly British) To sink a ball into a [[Pocket (billiards)|pocket]].<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|pocket}} (verb).''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun, chiefly British) An instance of potting a ball ("it was a good pot considering the angle and distance of the shot").</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun) Pooled money being played for, in {{gli|money game|money games}} or tournaments, as in poker and other gambling activities. This very old term derives from players placing their {{gli|stake|stakes}} into a pot or other receptacle before play begins.</dd>

{{Term| pot and tuck }}
<dd class="glossary">A tactic employed in [[Blackball (pool)|UK eight-ball pool]] in which a player {{gli|call|calls}} and {{gli|pot|pots}} one of the balls in a favorably lying set, then plays safe, leaving as many of their well-placed balls on the table as possible, until the opponents commits a {{gli|foul}} or leaves a chance that the player feels warrants an attempt at {{gli|run out|running out}}.</dd>

{{Term| pot success}}
<dd class="glossary">A statistical value given to how often a player is completing {{gli|pot|pots}} in a match, usually expressed as a percentage.<ref>{{cite web |last=Owen |first=John |title=Teaser 3030: Pot Success |date=October 18, 2020 |work=[[The Times|The Sunday Times]] |url= https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/teaser-3030-7n8mh8xw0 |access-date=May 3, 2021}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| potter }}
<dd class="glossary">A British term for someone with little experience or understanding of the game, who may be skilled at {{gli|pot|potting}} individual balls but does not consider tactics such as {{gli|position}} or {{gli|safety}}; "he's a potter, not a player." ''Compare U.S. {{gli|banger}}.''</dd>

{{Term| potting angle }}
<dd class="glossary">The desired angle that must be created between the path of the {{gli|cue ball}} and the path of the {{gli|object ball}} upon contact to {{gli|pot}} the object ball. It is usually measured to the center of the {{gli|pocket}}. ''See also {{gli|aiming line}}.''</dd>

{{Term| power draw }}
<dd class="glossary">Extreme application of {{gli|draw}}.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| professional foul }}
<dd class="glossary">A deliberate {{gli|foul}} that leaves the balls in a {{gli|safe}} position, reducing the risk of giving a {{gli|frame}}-winning chance to the opponent. The [[Rules of snooker#Foul and a miss|miss rule]] in [[snooker]] was implemented primarily to discourage the professional fouls.</dd>

{{Term| professional side of the pocket |content=professional side of the pocket {{anchor|pro side of the pocket|professional side|pro side}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''pro side of the pocket'''; sometimes "of the pocket" is left off the phrase.}}
The {{gli|long rail|long-rail}} side of a {{gli|corner pocket}}. To "aim for the profession side of the pocket" is to slightly {{gli|overcut}} a difficult corner-pocket {{gli|cut shot}}, to {{gli|cheat the pocket}}, rather than {{gli|undercut|undercutting}}, especially in [[nine-ball]]. Erring too much in this direction is "missing on the professional side of the pocket." It is so called because experienced players understand that on a thin cut, overcutting the object ball to a corner pocket will far more often leave the object ball in an unfavorable position, i.e. along the {{gli|short rail}} for the incoming opponent than will an undercut, which often leaves the object ball sitting in front of or nearby the pocket it had been intended for on a miss.<ref>[[ESPN]] broadcast of 2007 WPBA Great Lakes Classic, second semi-final. Helena Thornfeldt vs. [[Kim Ga-young (pool player)|Ga-Young Kim]]. In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool pro Dawn Hopkins.</ref><ref name="MosconiCup">[[FSN New York]] broadcast of 2006 [[Mosconi Cup]] (August 21, 2007). Team USA members ([[Johnny Archer]] and [[Corey Deuel]]) vs. Team Europe members ([[Thomas Engert]] and [[David Alcaide]]). In-context commentary on rack 7 by pool pros [[Jim Wych]] and Jerry Forsyth: "You try and overcut it a little bit if you miss it...if you hit it thick you'll sell out...this is called missing it on the pro side."</ref><ref name="Cuetec">[[ESPN]] broadcast of 2007 Cuetec Cues 9-Ball Championship (aired on December 23, 2007), second semifinal: ([[Kim Ga-young (pool player)|Ga-Young Kim]] vs. [[Kelly Fisher]]). In context commentary by pool pro [[Ewa Mataya Laurance]].</ref>

By contrast, in [[eight-ball]], except when both players are shooting at the {{gli|8 ball}}, the incoming player after a miss is shooting for different object balls, so this maxim does not apply, and the opposite may be good strategy as, if the object ball stays near the pocket through an undercut, it is advantageously positioned for a subsequent turn and may block the opponent's use of the pocket.<ref name="RGivens" /></dd>

{{Term| program |content=program {{anchor|programme|programs|programmes|programmed|the program|the programme|program, the|programme, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also (chiefly British) '''programme'''.''
''Short for {{gli|shot program}}.''<ref name="APTSA Rules" /></dd>

{{Term| purple ball}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker plus]], an additional {{gli|colour ball}} worth ten points.</dd>

{{Term| push }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp; ''Same as {{gli|push out}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp; ''Same as {{gli|push shot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| push out }}
{{redirect-distinguish|Push out|Pushout}}
<dd class="glossary">''As an adjective or compound noun: '''push-out'''.''
A rule in many games (most notably [[nine-ball]], after and only after the break shot), allowing a player to "push out" the cue ball to a new position without having to contact any ball, much less pocket one or drive it to a {{gli|cushion}}, but not counting any pocketed ball as valid (other foul rules apply, such as {{gli|double hit|double hits}}, {{gli|scratch|scratching}} the cue ball, etc.), with the caveat that the opponent may shoot from the new cue ball position or give the shot back to the pusher who must shoot from the new position. In nine-ball particularly, and derived games such as [[seven-ball]] and [[ten-ball]], pocketing the {{gli|money ball}} on a push-out results in that ball being {{gli|spot (verb)|respotted}} (which can be used to strategic advantage in certain circumstances, such as when the break leaves no shot on the {{gli|ball-on}}, and failure to hit it would give the incoming player an instant-win {{gli|combination|combination shot}} on the money ball).{{Clarify|date=January 2009}}<!--If in nine-ball I pocket the 5 ball on a push-out, does it also get respotted, in Intl. Std. Rules? Yes or no, the glossary entry should say so.--></dd>

{{Term| push shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Any {{gli|foul}} shot in which a player's {{gli|cue tip}} stays in contact with the {{gli|cue ball}} for more than the momentary time commensurate with a {{gli|stroke|stroked}} shot.{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=116}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In the game of [[snooker]], it is considered a push if the [[Cue stick|cue]] strikes the cue ball more than once in a given shot (a {{gli|double hit}}) or if the cue stick, cue ball, and {{gli|ball-on}} are all in contact together during a shot (if the cue ball and {{gli|object ball}} began {{gli|frozen}} together, the player must shoot away from that object ball without moving it and the {{gli|touching ball}} rule applies).</dd>

{{Term| put up money |content=put up money {{anchor|put up the money|put the money up|put it up}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;For a player to place money for a wager in an openly visible spot (typically on the hanging light above the [[Billiard table|table]], thus the origin of the phrase); this demonstrates that the money is actually present and obviates any need to demand its production from the loser's pocket. "You want to play for 500? Put it up!"</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;To stake a particular amount of money on a gambling player. "I'll put up another 2000, but you'd better win this time."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;On a coin-operated {{gli|bar table}}, to place one or more coins on the {{gli|rail}}, or on the {{gli|bed}} of the table under the {{gli|cushion}}, as a marker of one's place in line (UK: on queue) to play. "You didn't put your [[Quarter dollar|quarters]] up." And alternative is to put one's name on a list, e.g. on a chalkboard.</dd>

{{Term| pyramid }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The full fifteen ball set of [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] or [[snooker]] {{gli|object ball|object balls}} after being {{gli|rack|racked}}, before the {{gli|break}} shot ''(i.e., same as {{gli|rack}}, definition 2, and {{gli|triangle}}, defn. 2)''. Chiefly British today, but also an American usage ca. [[World War I]].<ref
name="NYT19160901">{{cite news |work=[[The New York Times]] |title=Russian Game Popular: New Billiard Version Is Gaining Favor Among Manhattan Cuemen |date=September 1, 1916 |page=11 |author=<!--Staff writers; no by-line.--> |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1916/09/01/archives/russian-game-popular-new-billiard-version-is-gaining-favor-among.html |url-access=subscription}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''pyramids'''.'' The game of [[Russian pyramid]] or any related game.</dd>

{{Term| pyramid spot }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]], ''same as {{gli|foot spot}}'': The {{gli|spot}} on which the {{gli|pyramid}} is {{gli|rack|racked}}, with the {{gli|apex}} ball on this spot. Chiefly British today, but also an American usage ca. World War I.<ref
name="NYT19160901" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]] (and by extension modern [[English billiards]]), ''same as {{gli|pink spot}}'': The spot on which the {{gli|pink ball|pink ball is placed}}, in front of the pyramid.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p179-180,194" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==Q==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| quadruple century |content=quadruple century {{anchor|quadruple-century|quadruple-century break|quadruple century break}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''quadruple-century break'''.''
''See {{gli|double century}}.''</dd>

{{Term| quintuple century |content=quintuple century {{anchor|quintuple-century|quintuple-century break|quintuple century break}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''quintuple-century break'''.''
''See {{gli|double century}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==R==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| race }}
<dd class="glossary">A predetermined, fixed number of {{gli|game|games}} or points a player must achieve to win a {{gli|match}} or game; "a race to seven" means whoever wins seven games first wins the {{gli|match}}.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|p=186}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /><ref name="USOpen06-3" /> ''See also {{gli|ahead race}} for a more specialized usage.''</dd>

{{Term| rack (noun) |content=rack (noun) {{anchor|rack|racks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A geometric form, usually aluminum, wooden or plastic, used to assist in setting up balls in games like [[eight-ball]], [[nine-ball]], and [[snooker]]. The rack allows for more consistently tight grouping of balls, which is necessary for a successful {{gli|break}} shot. In most games a triangle-shaped rack capable of holding fifteen balls can be employed, even if the game calls for racking less than a full ball set, such as in the game of nine-ball. ''For further information, see the [[Rack (billiards)]] main article.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Used to refer to a racked group of balls before they have been broken.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In some games, refers to a single {{gli|frame}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Colloquial shorthand for "a set of [[Billiard balls|balls]]".</dd>
<dd class="glossary">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;Short for {{gli|cue rack}}, {{gli|wall rack}} or {{gli|scoring rack}} when such abbreviation would not be ambiguous.</dd>

{{Term| rack (verb) |content=rack (verb) {{anchor|racking|racked}}}}
<dd class="glossary">The act of setting up the balls for a {{gli|break}} shot. In tournament play this will be done by the {{gli|referee}}, but in lower-level play, players either rack for themselves or for each other depending on convention.</dd>

{{Term| rack and run}}
<dd class="glossary">Chiefly American: In pool games, when a player racks the object balls, and the {{gli|break}}ing opponent does not pocket a ball on the break, and the person who {{gli|rack}}ed the game commences to run out all of the remaining object balls without the breaker getting another visit at the table. This is similar to a {{gli|break and run}}, with the key difference being that the person executing the "rack and run" did not break the balls in that game.</dd>

{{Term| racking template |content=racking template {{anchor|rack template}}}}
<dd class="glossary">An outgrowth of the {{gli|training template}} concept, a racking template is a {{gli|rack (verb)|racking}} tool used in place of a traditional rigid [[Rack (billiards)|ball rack]] for [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] or [[snooker]] balls, consisting of a very thin, e.g. {{convert|0.14|mm|in|abbr=on}},<ref name="MagicBallRack 2010">{{cite web |publisher=Magic Ball Rack |title=Magic Ball Rack |work=MagicBallRack.com |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url= http://www.magicballrack.com |location=<!--Unspecified and not available from whois records.--> |date=2010 |pages="FAQ", "Products", "Endorsed Pro" and other pages |access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref> sheet of material such as paper<ref name="troyroy78 2009">{{cite web |author=((troyroy78))<!--The (()) markup prevents a warning message about numerals in the name.--> |title=Magic Ball Rack Introduction (Perfect Rack {{sic|Every|time|hide=y}}) |url= http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=155450 |publisher=AZBilliards, Inc. |location=Avondale, Arizona |department="Forums" section |date=September 8, 2009 |access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref> or plastic<ref name="MagicBallRack 2010" /> with holes into which {{gli|object ball|object balls}} settle snugly against one another to form a tight rack ({{gli|pack}}). The template is placed, stencil-like, in racking position, with the lead ball's hole directly over the center of the {{gli|foot spot}}. The balls are then placed onto the template and arranged to settle into their holes, forming a tight rack. Unlike with a training template, the balls are not tapped to create divots, and instead the template is left in place until after the break shot at which time it can be removed (unless balls are still sitting on top of it). Manufacturers such as Magic Ball Rack insist that racking templates are designed "to affect the balls to a minimum".<ref name="MagicBallRack 2010" /> Although Magic Ball Rack implies development work since 2006,<ref name="MagicBallRack 2010" /> other evidence suggests invention, by Magic Ball Rack's founder, in mid-2009, with product announcement taking place in September of that year.<ref name="troyroy78 2009" />''See also {{gli|pocket template}}.''</dd>

{{Term| rail |content=rail {{anchor|cushion rail|cushion rails}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also (uncommonly) '''cushion rail'''.''<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" />
The sides of a table's frame upon which the elastic {{gli|cushion|cushions}} are mounted and in which the {{gli|diamond|diamonds}} ({{gli|sight|sights}}) are inlaid (on tables that possess them). The term is often used interchangeably with {{gli|cushion}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| rake }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|mechanical bridge}}''; so-called because of its typical shape.</dd>

{{Term| rat in }}
<dd class="glossary">To pocket a ball by luck; "he ratted in the 9 ball"; usually employed disapprovingly. ''See also {{gli|slop}}.''</dd>

{{Term| rearrange the furniture }}
<dd class="glossary">to disturb balls that favor your opponent sufficiently as such that the new rearrangement or layout of balls might end up favoring you or when your shot goes wild and rearranges the balls into an unpredicted pattern, necessitating both players having to replan their strategy.</dd>

{{Term| rebound angle }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|angle of reflection}}.''</dd>

{{Term| red ball |content=red ball {{anchor|red balls|red|reds|the reds|reds, the|redball|redballs|the red|red, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''red(s)''', '''the red(s)'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], any of the 15 balls worth one point each that can be potted in any order. During the course of a {{gli|break}} a player must first {{gli|pot}} a red followed by a {{gli|colour ball|colour}}, and then a red and colour, etc., until the reds run out and then the {{gli|re-spot|re-spotted}} six colours must be cleared in their order. Potting more than one red in a single shot is not a foul – the player simply gets a point for each red potted. Red balls are never numbered "1" on their surface, even in (primarily American) sets in which the {{gli|colour ball|colours}} are numbered with their values.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]], one of two {{gli|group|groups}} of seven {{gli|object ball|object balls}} that must be potted before the {{gli|black ball|black}}. Reds are spotted before yellows, if balls from both group must be spotted at the same time. ''Compare {{gli|stripes}}; contrast {{gli|yellow ball}}''.<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[carom billiards]], the {{gli|object ball}} that is neither player's {{gli|cue ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| recycle the cue ball }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], to make a series of {{gli|shot|shots}} to regain {{gli|position}} from being out of position.</dd>

{{Term| referee }}
<dd class="glossary">The person in charge of the game whose primary role is to ensure adherence by both players to the appropriate rules of the game being played. Other duties of the referee include {{gli|rack|racking}} each frame, re-spotting balls during the course of a game, maintaining the equipment associated with the table (e.g. keeping the balls clean), controlling the crowd and, if necessary, controlling the players. Formerly sometimes referred to as the {{gli|umpire}}.</dd>

{{Term| re-rack |content=re-rack {{anchor|rerack|re-rack|rerack|re-racked|reracked|re-racking|reracking}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''rerack'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], the abandonment of a {{gli|frame}} upon agreement between the players, so that the balls can be set up again and the frame restarted with no change to the score since the last completed frame. This is the result of situations, such as trading of {{gli|containing safety|containing safeties}}, where there is no foreseeable change to the pattern of shots being played, so the frame could go on indefinitely.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[pool (cue sports)|pool]], placing of the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} back in the rack, after a {{gli|foul}} {{gli|break}}.</dd>

{{Term| re-spot |content=re-spot {{anchor|respot|re-respot|respots|re-spotted|respotted|re-spotting|respotting}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''respot'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|re-spotted black}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|spot (verb)}}, sense 1 (pool) and sense 2 (snooker).''</dd>

{{Term| re-spotted black |content=re-spotted black {{anchor|respotted black|re-spot the black|respot the black|re-spotting the black|respotting the black}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], a situation where the scores are tied after all the balls have been {{gli|pot|potted}}, and the {{gli|black ball}} is {{gli|spot (verb)|re-spotted}} and the first player to pot it wins. The players toss for the first shot, which must be taken with the {{gli|cue ball}} in {{gli|the D|the D}}. A {{gli|safety}} battle typically ensues, until an error allows a player to pot the black, or a {{gli|fluke}} or a difficult pot is made.</dd>

{{Term| rest |content=rest {{anchor|rests|rest stick|rest sticks}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Rests for cue sports.png|thumb|right|Three types of rest: swan, spider, and cross rake]]
A chiefly British term for a set of {{gli|mechanical bridge|mechanical bridges}}. British-style rests differ from most American-style {{gli|rake}} bridges in shape, and take several forms: the {{gli|cross}}, the {{gli|spider}} and the {{gli|swan}} (or {{gli|goose neck}}), as well as the rarer and often unsanctioned {{gli|hook rest|hook}}. When used unqualified, the word usually refers to the cross. Rests are used in [[snooker]], [[English billiards]], and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]].<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>

{{Term| reverse english }}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|Side spin}} on the {{gli|cue ball}} that causes it to unnaturally roll off a {{gli|cushion}} (contacted at an angle) ''against'' rather than ''with'' the ball's momentum and direction of travel. If angling into a cushion that is on the right, then reverse {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} would be right {{Not a typo|english}}, and vice versa. The angle of deflection will be steeper (narrower) than if no {{Not a typo|english}} were applied. The opposite of {{gli|running english|running {{Not a typo|english}}}}, which has effects other than simply the opposites of those of reverse {{Not a typo|english}}.</dd>

{{Term| right }}
<dd class="glossary">''Short for right {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} ({{gli|side}})'', i.e. {{gli|side spin}} imparted to the {{gli|cue ball}} by {{gli|stroke|stroking}} it to the right-hand side of its vertical axis. ''Contrast {{gli|left}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ring game }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A style of game play in which as many players are allowed to join as the participants choose, and anyone can quit at any time.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=204}} The term, most often used in the context of gambling, is [[Cash game|borrowed from poker]]. The folk games [[three-ball]] and [[Killer (pool)|killer]] are usually played as open ring games, as is [[Kelly pool]].</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;By extension, a multi-player game that anyone may initially join, but which has a fixed roster of competitors once it begins, is sometimes also called a ring game. [[Cutthroat (pool)|Cutthroat]] is, by its nature, such a game. A famous regular ring game event of this sort is the six-player, US$3000-buy-in ring [[ten-ball]] competition at the annual [[Derby City Classic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Van Boening Wins 10-Ball Ring Game |date=January 5, 2008 |department="Independent Event" section |work=AZBilliards.com |publisher=AZBilliards, Inc. |location=Avondale, Arizona |access-date=May 24, 2008 |url= http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=4986 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080107153354/http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.cfm?storynum=4986 |archive-date=January 7, 2008}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A [[nine-ball]] ring game is played by more than two players and has special rules. Typically, the players choose a random method for setting the order of play, with the winner breaking. Safeties are not allowed and there are two or more {{gli|money ball|money balls}} – usually the five and nine.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008|reason=When sourced, this should be added to [[Nine-ball]] as a game variant, as requested at the article's talk page.}}</dd>

{{Term| road map |content=road map {{anchor|roadmap|road-map}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A pool table spread in which the balls are extremely easily positioned for a run out, and where little movement of the cue ball on each shot is necessary to obtain position on the next.<ref>[[MSG Plus]] broadcast of day 3 of the 2008 [[Mosconi Cup]]. [[Mika Immonen]] vs. [[Rodney Morris]]. In-context commentary by pro player and pool writer Jerry Forsyth on rack 4: "What a beautiful layout for Immonen. He could not have asked for a better pattern to play. The first five balls are all down at the same end of the table; he doesn't need to make the cue ball do a lot of work; this is a road map". Rebroadcast on April 5, 2009</ref></dd>

{{Term| road player }}
<dd class="glossary">A highly skilled [[Hustling|hustler]] making money gambling while traveling.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> Fast Eddie Felson in ''[[The Hustler (novel)|The Hustler]]'' was a road player. One of the most notorious real-life road players is [[Keith McCready]].</dd>

{{Term| road team }}
<dd class="glossary">A [[#road player|road player]] and [[#stakehorse|stakehorse]].</dd>

{{Term| rob |content=rob {{anchor|robbery|robbed|got robbed|been robbed|was robbed|were robbed|robbed, to be|rob, to|to rob}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Transitive, "to rob") Playing an opponent for money who has a very low chance of winning based on disparity of skill levels.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Intransitive, "to be robbed") Usually unwittingly playing an opponent for money who has a very high chance of winning based on disparity of skill levels.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Intransitive, "to be robbed") Used humorously in exclamations when a shot that looks like it would work did not, as in "Oh! You got robbed on that one!"</dd>

{{Term| rock }}
<dd class="glossary">Colloquial term for an unusually hard, heavy {{gli|cue ball}} made of [[ceramic]] instead of the [[phenolic resin]] or other modern, resilient plastics most [[billiard balls]] are made of. "Rock" cue balls are frequently found on older coin-operated {{gli|bar table|bar tables}} that do not have magnetic {{gli|ball return|ball-return}} mechanisms. As with oversized "{{gli|grapefruit}}" cue balls, the ball return works because the cue ball is considerably heavier than, and thereby distinguishable from, the {{gli|object ball|object balls}}. Because of their brittle material, rocks wear out faster that normal cue balls, are prone to chippings, and due to their density also shorten the lifespan of the object balls and the cloth. Their weight has a strong effect on play, as they are difficult to {{gli|draw}} ({{gli|screw}}), {{gli|stop shot|stop}} and {{gli|stun}}, and generate a large amount of {{gli|smash-through}}, compared to standard and {{gli|magnetic cue ball|magnetic cue balls}}, but do not reduce {{gli|cut|cut shot}} accuracy like grapefruit balls.</dd>

{{Term| rocking cannon }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' ''Same as {{gli|chuck nurse}}.''</dd>

{{Term| roll |content=roll {{anchor|good roll|bad roll|rolls|good rolls|bad rolls}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describes lucky or unlucky "rolls" of the cue ball; "I had good rolls all night; "that was a bad roll."<ref>[[ESPN Classic]] broadcast of 1995 Gordon's 9-Ball Championship (August 10, 2007), first semi-final. ([[Jeanette Lee (pool player)|Jeanette Lee]] (quoted) vs. [[Vivian Villarreal]]). In-context commentary by pool pro Vicki Paski on rack six: "there's good rolls and bad rolls..."</ref> However, when said without an adjective ascribing good or bad characteristics to it, "roll" usually refers to a positive outcome such as in "he sure got a roll".<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The roll: ''same as the {{gli|lag}}''.<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| roll-up }}
<dd class="glossary">A gentle tap of the {{gli|cue ball}} with the intention of getting it as tight as possible behind an {{gli|object ball}}, in the hope of a {{gli|snooker}}. It is most common in the game of [[snooker]], and is often results in a {{gli|foul}} in many pool games, where after the cue ball has contacted a legal object ball either any ball must contact a {{gli|cushion}} or any object ball must be {{gli|pocket|pocketed}}. A roll-up can be legal in such games when the object ball used for the tactic is very close to a cushion, so that either it or the cue ball lightly touch the cushion after ball-on-ball contact.</dd>

{{Term| roquet }}
<dd class="glossary">A term in [[croquet]] and other forms of [[ground billiards]] for a {{gli|carom}}, sense 3: hitting an {{gli|object ball}} with {{gli|cue ball|one's own ball}}; originally spelled the French way, {{lang|fr|roquêt}}, into the late 19th century. In croquet, unlike similar games, this triggers a special situation, the ''croquet stroke'': the shooter may take {{gli|ball in hand}}, placing their own ball against the opponent's ball that was struck, so that the balls are {{gli|frozen}}, then step on the player's own ball to keep it place or slow its movement, and strike it, sending most or all of the energy of the hit into the opponent ball, driving it far away, while leaving the player's own ball in place or rolling slowly to a desired location.<ref name="EWuE-Croquet">{{cite book |editor-first=Robert Kemp |editor-last=Philp |editor-link=Robert Kemp Philp |chapter=2324. Terms Used in the Game |title=Enquire Within upon Everything |date=1872 |edition=44th |publisher=Houlston & Sons |location=London |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/b21539431/page/332 |page=332 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| rotation }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Descriptive of any game in which the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} must be struck in numerical order. Billiard researcher Mike Shamos observes that it would be more intuitive to call such games "'series' or 'sequence'". The term actually derives from the set-up of the game [[Chicago (pool)|Chicago]], in which the balls are not racked, but placed numerically around the table along the {{gli|cushion|cushions}} (and must be shot in ascending order).{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|pp=51, 205}} Other common rotation games include [[rotation (pool)|15-ball rotation]], [[nine-ball]], and [[ten-ball]]</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The specific [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] game of [[Rotation (pool)|rotation]].</dd>

{{Term| round }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A multi-{{gli|game}} division of a {{gli|match}}, as used in some league and tournament formats. For example, in a match between two teams of five players each, a 25-game match might be divided into five rounds of five games each, in which the roster of one team moves one line down at the beginning of each round, such that by the end of the match every player on team A has played every player on team B in {{gli|round robin}} fashion.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A level of competition elimination in a tournament, such as the quarter-final round, semi-final round and final round.</dd>

{{Term| round robin }}
<dd class="glossary">A tournament format in which each contestant plays each of the other contestants at least once.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In typical {{gli|league}} team play, round robin format means that each member of the home team plays each member of the visiting team once. This format is used by [[BCA Pool League|BCAPL]], [[Valley National 8-Ball League Association|VNEA]] and many other leagues. ''Contrast {{gli|one-on-one}}.''</dd>

{{Term| round the angles }}
<dd class="glossary">Describing a shot that requires one or more balls to be played off several {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, such as an elaborate {{gli|escape}} or a {{gli|position|positional}} shot; "he'll have to send the cue ball round the angles to get good position."</dd>

{{Term| rubber match }}
<dd class="glossary">The deciding match between two tied opponents. ''Compare {{gli|hill-hill}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ruckus }}
<dd class="glossary">A British term (especially in [[snooker]]) for the {{gli|split|splitting}} of a group of balls when another ball is sent into them, typically with the intent of deliberately moving them with the {{gli|cue ball}} to {{gli|develop}} them.</dd>

{{Term| run }}
<dd class="glossary">The number of balls {{gli|pocket|pocketed}} in an {{gli|inning}} in [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] (e.g., a run of five balls), or points scored in a row in [[carom billiards]] (e.g., a run of five points).{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=244}}<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Compare British {{gli|break}} (sense 2), which is applied to pool as well as [[snooker]] in British English.''</dd>

{{Term| run out }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb) Make all of the required shots in a game without the opponent ever getting to the table or getting back to the table</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun) ''usually '''run-out''', sometimes '''runout'''<nowiki />'') An instance of running out in a game.</dd>

{{Term| run the table }}
<dd class="glossary">Similar to {{gli|run out}} (sense 1), but more specific to making all required shots from the start of a rack. ''See also {{gli|break and run}}, {{gli|break and dish}}.''</dd>

{{Term| running a coup }}
<dd class="glossary">In English billiards, running a coup is when a player, from {{gli|ball in hand}}, directly pockets the cue-ball when no ball(s) are out of {{gli|baulk}}. If the ball first makes contact with the flat of a cushion and then (indirectly) enters a pocket, this is not regarded as running a coup.{{sfnp|WPBSA|2019|p=48}}</dd>

{{Term| running english |content={{not a typo|running english}} {{anchor|running|running side spin|running sidespin|running side-spin|running spin|running side}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''running side spin''', '''running spin'''.'' {{gli|Side spin}} ("{{not a typo|{{gli|english}}}}") on the {{gli|cue ball}} that causes it to roll off a {{gli|cushion}} (contacted at an angle) {{em|with}} rather than {{em|against}} the ball's natural momentum and direction of travel.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> If angling into a cusion that is on the right, then running {{not a typo|{{gli|english}}}} would be left {{not a typo|english}}, and vice versa. The angle of deflection will be wider than if no {{not a typo|english}} were applied to the cue ball. But more importantly, because the ball is rolling instead of sliding against the cushion, the angle will be more consistent. For this reason, running {{not a typo|english}} is routinely used. Also called ''running {{gli|side}}'' in British terminology. ''Contrast {{not a typo|{{gli|reverse english}}}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==S==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| safe }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describing a ball that is in a position that makes it very difficult to {{gli|pot}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describing a situation a player has been left in by the opponent, intentionally or otherwise, that makes it difficult to pot any {{gli|ball-on|balls-on}}. ''See also {{gli|snooker}}''.</dd>

{{Term| safety }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;An intentional defensive shot, the most common goal of which is to leave the opponent either no plausible shot at all, or at least a difficult one.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot that is called aloud as part of a game's rules; once invoked, a safety usually allows the player to pocket their own object ball without having to shoot again, for strategic purposes. A well-played safety may result in a {{gli|snooker}}.</dd>

{{Term| safety break }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|break|break shot}} in which the object is to leave the incoming player with no shot or a very difficult shot, such as is normally employed in the opening break of [[straight pool]].<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> ''Cf. {{gli|open break}}.''</dd>

{{Term| sandbag }}
<dd class="glossary">To disguise the level of one's ability to play in various ways such as using a {{gli|lemonade stroke}}; intentionally missing shots; making an uneven game appear "close"; purposefully losing early, inconsequential games. Sandbagging is a form of {{gli|hustle|hustling}}, and in {{gli|handicapping|handicapped}} leagues, considered a form of cheating, as it is used to obtain a low handicap so that a skilled player can later use this rating to improper advantage in more important competitions. The term "sandbag" is often applied to other rated tournaments, including [[chess]] and [[Scrabble]]; the technique was used in the [[Badminton at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|2012 Olympics]] by badminton players, resulting in several disqualifications.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelso |first=Paul |title=Badminton pairs expelled from London 2012 Olympics after 'match-fixing' scandal |date=August 1, 2012 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/badminton/9443922/Badminton-pairs-expelled-from-London-2012-Olympics-after-match-fixing-scandal.html |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/badminton/9443922/Badminton-pairs-expelled-from-London-2012-Olympics-after-match-fixing-scandal.html |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-status=dead<!--Technically, a version of the page is still live, but paywalled, and GhostArchive's copy is not paywalled.-->}}</ref> ''See also {{gli|dump}} and {{gli|on the lemonade}}.''</dd>

{{Term| saver }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|gapper}}.''<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| scotch doubles |content=scotch doubles {{anchor|Scotch doubles|scotch-doubles|Scotch-doubles|scotch double|Scotch double}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A form of {{gli|doubles}} ({{gli|pairs}}) play in which the two team members take turns, playing alternating shots during an {{gli|inning}} (i.e., each team's inning consists of two players' alternating {{gli|visit|visits}}, each of one shot only, until that team's inning ends, and the next team begins their alternating-shot turn, or the {{gli|frame}} ends.) Effective scotch doubles play requires close rapport between team partners, especially as to advantageous cue ball position for the incoming player; whether the pair may directly communicate with each other during their inning varies by rule set. Like "{{not a typo|{{gli|english}}}}", "scotch" is usually not capitalized in this context. The term is also used in [[Ten-pin bowling|bowling]], and may have originated there.</dd>

{{Term| score |content=score {{anchor|scores|scoring}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Verb: To earn one or more {{gli|point|points}} with one or more shots in an {{gli|inning}}, e.g. "scored 2 that round".</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: The tally of a player's points, earned by shots and (in some games) awarded by opponent {{gli|foul|fouls}}, e.g. "had a score of 12 that game".</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: The compared total of both (or in games with three or more participants, all) player's/team's points, e.g. "won by a score of 12 to 6".</dd>

{{Term| scoreboard |content=scoreboard {{anchor|score-board|score board|scoreboards|score-boards|score boards}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:PHWC 2017 Finalists.jpg|thumb|2017 Paul Hunter Women's Classic Finalists Reanne Evans and Ng On-yee pose in front of the scoreboard.]]
''Also '''score-board''', '''score board'''.''
A usually wall-mounted device for keeping {{gli|score}} between two or more players in {{gli|point}}-based games or in {{gli|race|races}}. The most common type, mostly used for [[snooker]] and [[straight pool]], consists of two or more pointers sliding on board-mounted rails to indicate 1s and 10s marked on the board. Some [[carom billiards]] clubs provide digital scoreboards for each table. Other scoring methods include wall-mounted {{gli|scoring rack|scoring racks}}, in-rail {{gli|scoring wheels}}, and over-table {{gli|scoring string|scoring strings}}.</dd>

{{Term| scorekeeper |content=scorekeeper {{anchor|score-keeper|score keeper|scorekeepers|score-keepers|score keepers}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''score-keeper''', '''score keeper'''.'' Person who keeps score for others while they play. A designated scorekeeper is common in league play (often the team captain, or a player who is simply not playing at that moment) and in professional tournaments. A scorekeeper may also be used in high-stakes {{gli|money game|money games}}, as depicted in the film ''[[The Hustler]]''.</dd>

{{Term| scorer |content=scorer {{anchor|scorers}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|scorekeeper}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A scoring device, i.e. a {{gli|scoreboard}}, {{gli|scoring rack}}, {{gli|scoring string}}, and/or set of {{gli|scoring wheels}}.</dd>

{{Term| scoring rack |content=scoring rack {{anchor|score rack|scoring racks|score racks|scoring-rack|score-rack|scorerack}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''score rack'''.''
A wall-mounted, usually wooden rack with several numbered shelves to hold each player's pocketed balls, used for keeping {{gli|score}} between players of games in which points are awarded by the numerical values on the balls. Scoring racks remain common in places where [[Rotation (pool)|rotation]] and related games are popular, e.g. Mexico, but are rare where these games have mostly died out. Also known as a {{gli|counter rack}}. Sometimes ambiguously called a {{gli|wall rack}} or {{gli|ball rack}}.</dd>

{{Term| scoring string |content=scoring string {{anchor|score string|scoring strings|score strings|score-string|scoring-string|scorestring}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''score string''' or (ambiguously) '''string'''.''
''Same as {{gli|wire}}, sense 1.''</dd>

{{Term| scoring wheels |content=scoring wheels {{anchor|scoring wheel|score wheels|score wheel|scoring-wheels|score-wheels|scorewheels|scorewheel|score-wheels|scoring-wheels}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''score wheels'''.''
Rotating wheels numbered 0–9 mounted into a {{gli|rail}} of the [[Billiard table]], and used for keeping {{gli|score}} between two or more players in {{gli|point}}-based games or in {{gli|race|races}}. They are typically a pair of wheels, representing 10s and 1s, for at least two players. Such wheels are sometimes also used to create wall-mounted {{gli|scoreboard|scoreboards}}.</dd>

{{Term| scratch |content=scratch {{anchor|scratches|scratched|scratching}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|pocket|Pocketing}} of the {{gli|cue ball}}, in [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] games. In most games, a scratch is a type of {{gli|foul}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> "Scratch" is sometimes used less precisely to refer to all types of fouls. ''See also {{gli|in-off}} and, more generally, {{gli|foul}}.''</dd>

{{Term| screw }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|draw}}'' (chiefly British).</dd>

{{Term| scuffer }}
<dd class="glossary">An abrasive {{gli|tip tool}} used as a grinder to roughen the {{gli|cue tip}} to better hold {{gli|chalk}} after it has become hardened and smooth from repeated impacts with the {{gli|cue ball}}. {{gli|tapper|Tappers}} serve the same purpose, but are used differently. Similar to a {{gli|shaper}}, but shallower and less rough.</dd>

{{Term| see }}
<dd class="glossary">To be able to clearly see a path to a pocket or object ball without any other obstacle interfering, usually as a straight shot: "The 3 ball is hanging in the pocket, but I can't see it because the 9 ball is in my way."</dd>

{{Term| seeding }}
<dd class="glossary">The placement of player(s) automatically in a tournament where some have to qualify, or automatic placement in later rounds.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| sell out }}
<dd class="glossary">To bungle a shot in a manner that leaves the table in a fortuitous position for the opponent.<ref name="MosconiCup" /> ''Contrast {{gli|sell the farm}}''.</dd>

{{Term| sell the farm }}
<dd class="glossary">To bungle a shot in a manner that leaves the table in such a fortuitous position for the opponent that there is a strong likelihood of losing the game or match.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> ''Contrast {{gli|sell out}}''.</dd>

{{Term| semi-massé |content=semi-{{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}} {{anchor|semimassé|semi-massé shot|semimassé shot|semi-masse|semimasse|semi-masse shot|semimasse shot|semi-masse'}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Main article: {{section link|Cue sports techniques|Semi-massé}}}} ''Also '''semi-{{lang|fr|massé}} shot'''.'' A moderate curve imparted to the path of the {{gli|cue ball}} by an elevated hit with use of {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} ({{gli|side}}); or a shot using this technique. Also known as a {{gli|curve shot|curve}} (US) or {{gli|swerve shot|swerve}} (UK) shot. ''Compare {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}}.''</dd>

{{Term| session |content={{vanchor|session|sessions}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Principally US:'' One or more {{gli|set|sets}}, usually in the context of gambling. ''See also {{gli|ahead race}} (a.k.a. ahead session) for a more specialized usage.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Principally British:'' Any of a group of pre-determined {{gli|frame|frames}} played in a {{gli|match}} too long to be completed within a single day's play. A best of 19 frame match, for example, is generally played with two "sessions", the first composed of nine frames, the second of ten. This term is generally used only in the context of professional [[snooker]], as matches at the amateur level are rarely played over more than nine frames. Longer matches can be split into three or four sessions.</dd>

{{Term| session to spare }}
<dd class="glossary">''Principally British:'' In [[snooker]], if a player wins a {{gli|match}} without the need for the final session to be played, then they are said to have won the match "with a session to spare". For example, if a player wins a best-of-25-{{gli|frame|frames}} match split into three {{gli|session|sessions}} (two sessions of eight frames and one of nine) by a margin of say, 13 frames to 3, the match will be completed after the first two sessions, with no need to play the third.</dd>

{{Term| set }}
<dd class="glossary">A predetermined number of games, usually played for a specified sum of money. ''Contrast {{gli|race}} (a predetermined number of wins).'' Informally, '''sets''' may refer to gambling more generally, as in "I've been playing sets all day", even when the format is actually races or single games.</dd>

{{Term| set up |content=set up {{anchor|set-up|setup|set ups|set-ups|setups|sets up}}}}
<dd class="glossary"><!--WARNING! If order is changed, cross references here and elsewhere to specific definitions will need to be edited! I.e., DON'T CHANGE THE ORDER unless you have way too much time on your hands.-->{{ghat|Usually '''set-up''' in non-verb form, sometimes '''setup''' in noun form particularly.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a player or referee) to place the balls (and other items, if applicable, such as {{gli|skittle|skittles}}) properly for the beginning of a game: "In eight-ball, properly setting up requires that the rear corners of the rack not have two stripes or two solids but one of each." For most games this is in a {{gli|rack|racked}} pattern, but the term is applicable more broadly than "rack", e.g. in [[carom billiards]] and in games like [[bottle pool]]. ''Contrast {{gli|layout}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of the game equipment) arranged properly for the beginning of a game: "set up and waiting for the break", "an improper set-up"</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a player, passively and specifically) to have good {{gli|shape}} – to be in a favorable position for making a shot or other desired play ("is set-up on the 9", "could be set-up for the corner-pocket after this shot")</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a player, passively, generally, and chiefly US) to be in a favorable position for, and with a {{gli|layout}} conductive to, a long {{gli|run}} (UK: {{gli|break}}) or complete {{gli|run out|run-out}}: "a crucial miss that left their opponent really set-up"; ''compare (chiefly British) "{{gli|in the balls}}"''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a player, actively) to use {{gli|position play}} to move one or more specific balls to specific locations with a specific goal in mind, usually {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} ({{gli|pot|potting}}) a specific ball or getting an easy {{gli|out}}, but possibly a {{gli|safe|safety}}, {{gli|nurse}} or {{gli|trap shot}}; in short, to get {{gli|shape}}: "She set up on the 9-ball with a careful draw shot." The meaning can be inverted to indicate poor play on the part of the other player: "Oops, I just set you up for an easy win when I missed like that."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">6.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a table {{gli|layout}}) comparatively easy to completely {{gli|run out}}, e.g. because of a lack of {{gli|cluster|clusters}} or {{gli|blocking ball|blocking balls}}: "looks like a nice set-up for a quick out", "this table's totally set up for you"</dd>
<dd class="glossary">7.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of {{gli|cue ball}} position more specifically): having good {{gli|shape}} – comparatively easy to use to some advantage, such as continuing a {{gli|run}} (UK: {{gli|break}}) or playing {{gli|safe}}: "The cue ball's set up for an easy side pocket shot."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">8.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a shot or strategy) the result of {{gli|position play}} (careful or reckless): "Playing the 6 off the 8 was a great set-up to win", "That follow shot was a terrible set-up for the 6-ball."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">9.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Of a [[Hustling|hustler]]) to successfully convince a {{gli|fish}} that one is not a very skilled player and that gambling on a game will be a good idea: "That guy totally set me up and took me for $200." Such a hustle is a ''setup'' or ''set-up''.</dd>

{{Term| seven-ball |content=seven-ball {{anchor|seven ball|sevenball}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{hatnote inline|Main article: [[Seven-ball]].}}<br />
A variation of [[nine-ball]] but played with only seven balls, and the {{gli|7 ball}} as the {{gli|game ball}} or "{{gli|money ball}}". An additional difference from nine-ball-style rules is that the 7 must be pocketed in a specific side of the table (each player being assigned one at the beginning of the game). Some custom 7 balls are manufactured for this game, using a black- or white-striped maroon ball instead of a solid maroon one. The game had notable professional play on ESPN's televised tournament series ''Sudden Death Seven-ball'', 2000–2005.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; The spelled-out name of the {{gli|7 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| sewer }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|pocket}}; usually used in disgust when describing a {{gli|scratch}} (e.g., "the cue ball's gone down the sewer").</dd>

{{Term| shaft }}
<dd class="glossary">The upper portion of a {{gli|cue}} which slides on a player's {{gli|bridge hand}} and upon which the {{gli|cue tip|tip}} of the cue is mounted at its terminus.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> It also applies to the main, unsegmented body of a {{gli|mechanical bridge}}.</dd>

{{Term| shape }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|position}}.'' "She got good shape for the next shot". ''See also {{gli|position play}}, {{gli|leave}}.''</dd>

{{Term| shaper }}
<dd class="glossary">A highly abrasive {{gli|tip tool}} used to shape an unreasonably flat new {{gli|cue tip}}, or misshapen old one, into a more usable, consistently curved profile, most commonly the curvature of a nickel or dime (or equivalently sized non-US/Canadian coin) for larger and smaller pool tips, respectively. Similar to a {{gli|scuffer}}, but deeper and rougher.</dd>

{{Term| shark |content=shark {{anchor|sharks|pool shark|pool sharks|poolshark|poolsharks|sharp|sharps|pool sharp|pool sharps|poolsharp}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''pool shark''', '''poolshark''' (US); '''sharp''', '''pool sharp''' (British)}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Verb: To perform some act or make some utterance with the intent to distract, irritate or intimidate the opponent so that they do not perform well, miss a shot, etc.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> Most league and tournament rules forbid blatant sharking, as a form of unsportsmanlike conduct, but it is very common in {{gli|bar pool}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: Another term for [[Hustling|hustler]].<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noun: A very good player. This usage is common among non-players who often intend it as a compliment and are not aware of its derogatory senses (above).<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| sharp }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' ''Same as {{gli|shark}} (senses 1, 2).'' The term appears in lyrics from ''[[The Mikado]]'' (1884) in relation to billiards, and developed from ''sharper'' (in use by at least 1681, but now obsolete) meaning "[[Hustling|hustler]]" but not specific to billiards.{{sfnp|Shamos|1993|pp=207–208}} ''See also [[card sharp]] for more etymological details and sources.''</dd>

{{Term| short rack }}
<dd class="glossary">Any pool game that uses a rack composed of less than 15 balls.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| short rail }}
<dd class="glossary">When playing a shot, the two {{gli|rail|rails}} nearest to the pocket on a standard [[Billiard table|pool, billiards or snooker table]]. ''Compare {{gli|end rail}}; contrast {{gli|side rail}}/{{gli|long rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| shortstop |content=shortstop {{anchor|short stop|short-stop|short stops|short-stops|shortstops}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''short stop''', '''short-stop'''.''
A second-tier professional who is not (yet) ready for World Championship competition.<ref name="BDECrack" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Chicago Billiards Tourney |author=<!--staff writers, no by-line--> |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 16, 1898<!--The page at the URL says Jan. 16, but the article itself states Jan. 15.--> |page=4 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1898/01/16/archives/chicago-billiard-tourney.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 15, 2008}}</ref> It can also be applied by extension to a player who is one of the best in a region but not quite good enough to consistently beat serious {{gli|road player|road players}} and tournament pros. The term was [[Shortstop|borrowed from baseball]].</dd>

{{Term| shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Verb form: '''to shoot'''.''
The use of the [[Cue stick|cue]] to perform or attempt to perform a particular motion of balls on the table, such as to {{gli|pocket}} ({{gli|pot}}) an {{gli|object ball}}, to achieve a successful {{gli|carom}} ({{gli|cannon}}), or to play a {{gli|safety}}.</dd>

{{Term| shot for nothing |content=shot for nothing {{anchor|shot to nothing|shot-for-nothing|shot-to-nothing}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''shot to nothing'''.'' A predominantly British term for a shot in which a player attempts a difficult {{gli|pot}} but with {{gli|safety}} in mind, so that in the event of missing the pot it is likely that the opponent will not make a meaningful contribution, and will probably have to reply with a safety. The meaning refers to lack of risk, i.e. at no cost to the player ("for nothing" or coming "to nothing"). ''Compare {{gli|two-way shot}}.''</dd>

{{Term| shot program |content=shot program {{anchor|shot programs|shot programme|shot programmes|shot-program|shot-programme|shotprogram|shotprogamme}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also (chiefly British) '''shot programme'''.''
The enumerated [[trick shot]]s that must be performed in the fields of [[artistic billiards]] (70 pre-determined shots) and [[artistic pool]] (56 tricks in eight "{{gli|discipline|disciplines}}").<ref name="APTSA Rules">{{cite web |publisher=[[Artistic Pool & Trick Shot Association]] |title=APTSA Rules |date=2008 |work=TrickShotProductions.com |location=Watertown, Massachusetts |url= http://www.thecuestick.com/artistic_pool_trick_shots/aptsa_rules.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110709031807/http://www.thecuestick.com/artistic_pool_trick_shots/aptsa_rules.html |archive-date=July 9, 2011}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| side }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' ''Short for {{gli|side spin}}.'' In Canadian usage, the term is sometimes used as a verb, "to side".</dd>

{{Term| side pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">One of the two {{gli|pocket|pockets}} one either side of a pool table halfway up the {{gli|long rail|long rails}}. They are cut shallower than {{gli|corner pocket|corner pockets}} because they have a 180 degree aperture, instead of 90 degrees. In the UK the term {{gli|centre pocket}} or middle pocket are preferred.</dd>

{{Term| side rail }}
<dd class="glossary">Either of the two longer {{gli|rail|rails}} of a billiards table, bisected by a {{gli|center pocket}} and bounded at both ends by a {{gli|corner pocket}}. Also called a long rail.</dd>

{{Term| side spin |content=side spin {{anchor|side-spin|sidespin|side spun|side-spun|sidespun}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''sidespin''', '''side-spin''', '''side'''.'' {{gli|Spin}} placed on the {{gli|cue ball}} when hit with the [[Cue stick|cue]] {{gli|cue tip|tip}} to the left or right of the ball's center; usually called {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} in American usage. ''See {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}, in its narrower definition, for details on the effects of side spin. See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| sight |content=sight {{anchor|sights}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British; same as {{gli|diamond}}.''</dd>

{{Term| single-elimination |content=single-elimination {{anchor|singe elimination}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Single elimination tournament}}
''Also '''single elimination'''.'' A tournament format in which a player is out of the tournament after a single {{gli|match}} loss.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Contrast {{gli|double-elimination}}.''</dd>

{{Term| single table format}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''single table set-up'''.''
In the final stages of a tournament, primarily [[snooker]] events, where other tables are removed, to use one single table for the final, or later rounds of the tournament.
Some events, such as the [[Snooker Shoot Out]], are played throughout using a single table format.</dd>

{{Term| sink }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|pocket}} (sense 2).''</dd>

{{Term| sink-in shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Any shot that intentionally accounts for the elasticity of the cushions to allow a ball to bank past an otherwise blocking ball. The moving ball will ''sink in'' to the cushion very near the blocking ball giving it sufficient space to get past it or {{gli|kiss}} off the back side of it.</dd>

{{Term| sitter }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' ''Same as {{gli|duck}}'', and stemming from the same obvious etymology.</dd>

{{Term| six-ball |content=six-ball {{anchor|six ball|sixball}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{hatnote inline|Main article: {{section link|Nine-ball#Derived games}}.}}<br />
A variation of [[nine-ball]] but played with only six balls, and the {{gli|6 ball}} as the {{gli|game ball}} or "{{gli|money ball}}". Six-ball has no notable professional competition.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp; The spelled-out name of the {{gli|6 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| skid }}
<dd class="glossary">''British:'' ''Same as {{gli|cling}}, and {{gli|kick}}, sense 2.'' Noun, verb and rare adjective usage as per "cling".</dd>

{{Term| skittle |content={{vanchor|skittle|skittles}}}}
<dd class="glossary">An upright object resembling a miniature [[Ten-pin bowling|bowling pin]], [[cone (geometry)|cone]] or [[obelisk]]. Skittles, as employed in billiards games, have been so-called since at least 1634.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> One standardized size, for the game [[five-pins]], is 25&nbsp;mm (1 in.) tall, with 7&nbsp;mm (0.28 in.) round bases,<ref>[http://www.umb.org/Rules/Carom_Rules.pdf ''World Rules of 5-pin Billiard''] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070928031638/http://www.umb.org/Rules/Carom_Rules.pdf |date=September 28, 2007 }}, Chapter II ("Equipment"), Article 12 ("Balls, Pins, Chalk"), Section 2; [[Union Mondiale de Billard]], [[Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium]], 1997 (official online PDF scan, accessed 11 March 2007)</ref> though larger variants have long existed for other games such as [[Danish pin billiards]]. Depending upon the game there may be one skittle, or several, and they may be targets to hit (often via a {{gli|carom}}) or obstacles to avoid, usually the former. They are also sometimes called {{gli|pin|pins}}, though that term can be ambiguous. Because of the increasing international popularity of the game five-pins, which originated in Italy, they are sometimes also known by their Italian name, ''birillo'' (plural ''birilli''), even in English. Skittles are also used as obstacles in some [[artistic billiards]] shots. Flat, thin rectangular skittles, like large plastic [[dominoes]], approximately 6&nbsp;in. tall by 3&nbsp;in. wide, and placed upright like [[obelisk]]s on the table in specific spots, are used as targets or {{gli|hazard}}s (mostly the latter) in the now-rare and principally [[Australia]]n games devil's pool (ten white and two black pins)<ref name="Aus. Rule Book">{{cite book |publisher=Webb & Sons / NPC Amusements |title=Rule Book: Snooker, Devil's Pool, Billiards, American Pool, Eight Ball, Fifteen Ball, Continuous and Rotation Pool |date=2007 |orig-date=c. 1950s |author=<!--Unspecified in book.--> |location=Fortitude Valley, Queensland |pages=6–7}} This appears to be a reprint of an older work, of unknown provenance. It has also been reprinted, under a slightly different title, and again c. 2007, by Australian gaming equipment dealer PowerPlay.</ref> and victory billiards (one black pin, also featured in several scenes of the 1992 [[Science fiction|sci-fi]]/pool film ''[[Hard Knuckle]]'').<ref>{{cite video |people=[[Gary Day (actor)|Day, Gary]] (writer, supporting actor); [[Lex Marinos|Marinos, Lex]] (director); [[Steve Bisley|Bisley, Steve]] (lead role) |date=1992 |title=[[Hard Knuckle]] |medium=[[VHS]] ([[NTSC]]) |publisher=[[Hemdale Film Corporation|Hemdale]] |location=London |id={{UPC|732302715039}}; {{IMDb title|qid=Q15039439|title=&nbsp;|description=entry}} |time=<!--Various pool-game scenes.-->}}</ref> Skittles as used in billiards games date to [[ground billiards]] (13th century or earlier) played with a {{gli|mace}}, and hand-thrown games of [[bowls]] from at least the same era using the same equipment. Ball games using a recognizable form of skittle are known from as early as ca. 3300 [[Common Era|BCE]] in [[Ancient Egypt]].<ref>{{harvp|Stein|Rubino|2008|pp=3–44}}. Detailed chapter on origins of the game; many illustrations are provided.</ref></dd>

{{Term| skunk }}
<dd class="glossary">During a {{gli|set}} if the opponent does not win a single game, they are said to have been skunked. <!--AFAIK this term derives from cribbage, the card game, though I am not certain the definition here is broad enough; I have heard the term used in a pool context within a single game, very often in fact, and it meant to lose, and to have had at least one shot, but failed to sink any of one's own balls.--></dd>

{{Term| slate }}
<dd class="glossary">The heavy, finely milled rock ([[slate]]) that forms the {{gli|bed}} of the table, beneath the {{gli|cloth}}. Major slate suppliers for the billiards industry are Italy, Brazil and China. Some cheaper tables, and novelty tables designed for outdoor use, do not use genuine slate beds, but artificial materials such as plastic-coated [[particleboard]] (some brands include Slatron and Permaslate), or [[medium-density fiberboard]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Salvatore |first=Nicholas |title=What Is Slatron on Pool Tables? |date=February 2, 2010 |work=SportsRec |url= https://www.sportsrec.com/slatron-pool-tables-5943159.html |access-date=October 25, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Salvatore |first=Nicholas |title=Types of Synthetic Pool Table Slate |date=April 12, 2017 |website=Our Pastimes |url= https://ourpastimes.com/types-synthetic-pool-table-slate-5620124.html |access-date=October 25, 2023}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| slide |content=slide {{anchor|slides|sliding|slid|sliding ball}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also, '''sliding ball''' (when used in [[gerund]] form).''
Describes a {{gli|cue bal|cue ball}} sliding on the {{gli|cloth}} without any {{gli|top spin}} or {{gli|back spin}} on it.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /></dd>

{{Term| slip stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">A stroking technique in which a player releases their gripping hand briefly and re-grasps the cue farther back on the {{gli|butt}} just before hitting the cue ball.<ref>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Byrne (writer) |title=Advanced Techniques in Pool and Billiards |publisher=[[Harcourt Trade Publishers]] / Mariner Books |location=San Diego, California |date=1990 |isbn=9780156149716 |oclc=20759553 |page=37}}</ref> [[Cowboy Jimmy Moore]] was a well-known practitioner of the slip stroke.</dd>

{{Term| slop }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''slop shot'''.'' A luck shot. ''Compare {{gli|fish}} and {{gli|fluke}}; contrast {{gli|mark}} (sense 3) and {{gli|call}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''sloppy'''.'' Descriptive of any game where the rules have been varied to allow luck shots not normally allowed or where no {{gli|foul}} rules apply.</dd>

{{Term| slop pockets }}
<dd class="glossary">Pocket openings that are significantly wider than are typical and thus allow shots hit with a poor degree of accuracy to be made that would not be pocketed on a table with more exacting pocket dimensions.<ref name="Cuetec" /></dd>

{{Term| slow }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describes a [[billiard table]] with loosely woven, dirty, too-new or worn-out {{gli|cloth}} ([[baize]]), upon which the balls move<!--"Move" is used here on purpose, as it applies to sliding as well as rolling action.--> slower and shorter distances.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p53" /> ''See {{gli|table speed}} for more information.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Producing dull, sluggish action; said of {{gli|cushion|cushions}} or of the balls, in addition to the above, cloth-related definition.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p96" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unusually rejecting of balls; said of [[Pocket (billiards)|pockets]]; ''see {{gli|pocket speed}} (sense 1) for more information''.
"{{gli|fast|Fast}}" is the direct opposite of "slow" in all of these usages.</dd>

{{Term| small |content=small {{anchor|smalls|small ones|small balls|the smalls|smalls, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''smalls''', '''small ones''', '''small balls'''.''
In [[eight-ball]], to be shooting the solid {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of balls (1 through 7); "you're the small one" or "I've got the smalls". ''Compare {{gli|little}}, {{gli|solids}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|low}}, {{gli|spot|spots}}, {{gli|dots}}, {{gli|unders}}; contrast {{gli|big}}.''</dd>

{{Term| smash and pray}}
<dd class="glossary">A variant of {{gli|hit and hope}}, but played with unnecessary force, in hopes that the undesirable ball layout on the table is sufficiently re-arranged by careening balls that something good will result for the shooter (even if it is simply a bad {{gli|leave}} for the incoming player).</dd>

{{Term| smash-through }}
<dd class="glossary">The effect of shooting regulation-weight {{gli|object ball|object balls}} with an old-fashioned over-weight {{gli|bar table}} {{gli|cue ball}}, such that the cue ball moves forward to occupy (sometimes only temporarily), or go beyond, the original position of the object ball, even on a draw or stop shot, because the mass of the cue ball exceeds that of the object ball. Players who understand smash-through well can use it intentionally for position play, such as to nudge other object balls nearby the target ball. Smash-through also makes it dangerous in {{gli|bar pool}} (when equipped with such a cue ball) to pocket straight-on {{gli|duck|ducks}} with a {{gli|stop shot}} instead of by {{gli|cheat the pocket|cheating the pocket}} because of the likelihood of {{gli|scratch|scratching}} the cue ball.<ref name="RGivens" /></dd>

{{Term| snap }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|break}}, sense 1.''<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /><ref name="tcom" /> ''See also {{gli|on the snap}}.''</dd>

{{Term| sneaky Pete |content=sneaky Pete {{anchor|sneaky pete|sneaky petes|sneaky Petes|sneaky-pete|sneaky-Pete|sneakypete}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A two-piece [[Cue stick|cue]] constructed to resemble a {{gli|house cue}}, with a near-invisible wood-to-wood {{gli|joint}}.{{sfnp|Mataya Laurance|Shaw|1999|p=79}} The subterfuge often enables a [[Hustling|hustler]] to temporarily fool unsuspecting {{gli|fish}} into thinking that they are an unskilled {{gli|banger}} with no regard for finesse or equipment quality. Many {{gli|league}} players also use cheap but solid sneaky petes as their {{gli|break}} cues.</dd>

{{Term| snick }}
<dd class="glossary">A British term for a {{gli|pot}} that requires very fine contact between {{gli|cue ball}} and {{gli|object ball}}. ''See also {{gli|feather}}.''</dd>

{{Term| snooker }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[File:Snooker on a snooker table.jpg|thumb|alt=A snooker table with balls aligned in the shape of a snooker|Playing the {{gli|brown ball}}, the player is snookered behind the {{gli|black ball}}.]](noun) The game of [[snooker]].</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb) To leave the opponent (accidentally or by means of a {{gli|safety}}) so that a certain shot on a preferred {{gli|object ball}} cannot be played directly in a straight line by normal cueing. It most commonly means that the object ball cannot be hit easily, because it is hidden by another ball or, more rarely, the {{gli|knuckle}} of a {{gli|pocket}} (see {{gli|corner-hooked}}). It can also refer to the {{gli|potting angle}} or another significant {{gli|point of contact}} on the object ball, blocking an otherwise more straightforward shot, even if an edge can be seen. A common related adjective describing a player in this situation is '''snookered'''. Also known as "{{gli|hook|to hook}}", for which the corresponding adjective "hooked" is also common. ''See also {{gli|free ball}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun) An instance of this situation (e.g. "she's put him in a difficult snooker"). A player can choose a range of shots to get out of a snooker; usually a {{gli|kick shot}} will be implemented but {{gli|semi-massé|semi-{{lang|fr|massés|nocat=y}}}} are often preferred, and in games where it is not a {{gli|foul}}, {{gli|jump shot|jump shots}} may be employed that often yield good results for skilled players. "Snooker" is used loosely (when used at all; "hook" is favored) in the US, but has very specific definitions and subtypes (such as the {{gli|total snooker}}) in [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]].<ref name="WEPFRules" /> ''See also {{gli|safe}}.''</dd>

{{Term| snooker spectacles |content=snooker spectacles {{anchor|snooker specs|snooker glasses}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''snooker specs''', '''snooker glasses'''.''
''Same as {{gli|billiards glasses}}.''</dd>

{{Term| snookers required }}
<dd class="glossary">A stage in a {{gli|frame}} of [[snooker]] where the points difference between the players exceeds the maximum number of points remaining on the table. The trailing player may either {{gli|concession|concede}} the frame at this stage or attempt to overcome the points deficit by securing penalty points from {{gli|foul|fouls}}, typically by placing the leading player in {{gli|snooker|snookers}}. The number of snookers required is usually calculated as the number of four-point penalties that—in addition to the maximum points remaining on the table—would enable the trailing player to win the frame outright or tie the scores and force a {{gli|re-spotted black}}. E.g., a player who trails by 42 points with 35 points remaining is said to ''"require two snookers"'' because two four-point fouls, in addition to the remaining 35 points, would enable that player to win the frame by one point. If the {{gli|blue ball|blue}} or {{gli|pink ball|pink}} is the lowest-valued ball remaining on the table, the number of snookers required is calculated in terms of five- or six-point penalties respectively. A {{gli|free ball}} can also help a trailing player overcome a points deficit. When a player can at best tie with the points remaining on the table, the {{gli|referee}} will no longer apply the {{gli|miss|miss rule}} should either player fail to escape from a snooker. The miss rule still applies at the snookers required stage if a player misses a ball while not snookered.</dd>

{{Term| soft break }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|break shot}} in which the {{gli|rack}} ({{gli|pack}}) is disturbed as little as possible within the bounds of a {{gli|legal}} shot, in order to force the opponent to have to break it up further. A soft break is desirable in some games, such as [[straight pool]], in which breaking is a disadvantage; and forbidden by the {{gli|open break}} rules of other games such as [[nine-ball]] and [[eight-ball]].</dd>

{{Term| solids |content=solids {{anchor|solid|solid ones|solid balls|the solids|solids, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''solid''', '''solid ones''', '''solid balls'''.''
The non-striped ball {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 1 through 7 and have a solid colour scheme (i.e., not including the 8 ball). As in, "I'm solid", or "you've got the solids". ''Compare {{gli|low|lows}}, {{gli|small|smalls}}, {{gli|little|littles}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|the spots|spots}}, {{gli|dots}}, {{gli|unders}}; contrast {{gli|stripes}}.''</dd>

{{Term| special average }}
<dd class="glossary">''Abbreviation: '''SA'''.'' In carom billiards, the number that indicates the relation between the points and innings (points ÷ innings = SA) a player has made in a single match. E. g. 40 points in 10 innings is a SA of 4.000. Higher numbers indicate better players. ''See also {{gli|general average}}.''</dd>

{{Term| speed }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A player's skill level (subjectively) or numerical {{gli|handicap}} (objectively).<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /><ref name="Beenie" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rapidity with which a ball, especially the {{gli|cue ball}} is rolling on the table. ''See also {{gli|pocket speed}} (sense 2), {{gli|speed control}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|pocket speed}} (sense 1).''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|table speed}} ({{gli|cloth speed}}).''</dd>

{{Term| speed control }}
<dd class="glossary">The use of the correct amount of {{gli|cue ball}} speed in {{gli|position play}} to achieve proper {{gli|shape}} for a subsequent shot.{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|pp=98, 102, 245}}</dd>

{{Term| speed-induced throw |content=speed-induced throw {{anchor|speed induced throw}} }}
<dd class="glossary">{{gli|Throw}} (object-ball {{gli|deflection}} away from the {{gli|tangent line}} path of the {{gli|object ball}}), induced by ball-against-ball friction being increased by a slow-speed shot prolonging the short length of time the two balls are in contact. A faster, harder shot can be used to avoid this effect, as it reduces the contact time and also reduces the object-ball friction on the {{gli|cloth}} so that {{gli|side spin}} it has picked up from the impact has less wheel-like, path-curving effect. Speed-induced throw can also be countered to some extent with {{gli|top spin}} ({{gli|follow}}) or {{gli|bottom spin}} ({{gli|draw}}), which help resist the object ball's inclination to pick up side-spin that will alter its path ({{gli|cut-induced throw}}).<ref name="DGAthrow1" /><ref name="DGAthrow2" /> ''See {{gli|throw}} for more details.''</dd>

{{Term| spider |content=spider {{anchor|spiders|spider rest|spider-rest|the spider|spider, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Hilfsqueue the spider.png|thumb|right|Using a "spider" rest to raise the cue stick over an obstructing blue ball]]
''Also '''spider rest'''.'' A type of {{gli|rest}}, similar to a common American-style {{gli|rake}} {{gli|mechanical bridge|bridge}} but with longer legs supporting the head so that the {{gli|cue}} is higher and can reach over and around an obstructing ball to reach the {{gli|cue ball}}. ''See also {{gli|swan}}.''</dd>

{{Term| spin }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Snooker effect.svg|thumb|left|Basic {{gli|cue tip}} {{gli|contact point}}s on the {{gli|cue ball}} to impart various forms of '''spin'''; top spin is also known as {{gli|follow|follow}}, side spin as {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}, and bottom spin as {{gli|back spin}}, {{gli|draw}}, or {{gli|screw}}.]]
Rotational motion applied to a ball, especially to the {{gli|cue ball}} by the {{gli|cue tip|tip}} of the [[Cue stick|cue]], although if the cue ball is itself rotating it will impart (opposite) spin (in a lesser amount) to a contacted {{gli|object ball}}. Types of spin include {{gli|top spin}}, {{gli|bottom spin|bottom}} or {{gli|back spin}} (also known as {{gli|draw}} or {{gli|screw}}), and left and right {{gli|side spin}}, all with widely differing and vital effects. Collectively, they are often referred to in American English as "{{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}}", though the term is often reserved for {{gli|side spin}} only. The popular introduction of controlled spin in billiards is credited to [[François Mingaud]]. ''See also {{lang|fr|{{gli|massé}}}}.''{{clear|left}}</dd>

{{Term| spin-induced throw |content=spin-induced throw {{anchor|spin induced throw|SIT}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''Also {{not a typo|{{gli|english-induced throw}}}}:'' {{gli|Throw}} (object-ball {{gli|deflection}} away from the {{gli|tangent line}} path of the {{gli|object ball}}), induced by ball-against-ball friction being increased by {{gli|side spin}} ({{not a typo|{{gli|english}}}}) {{gli|cue ball}} that is in the same direction as the natural throw angle of the object ball, which also induced a small amount of rolling curve to the path of that object ball.<ref name="DGAthrow1" /><ref name="DGAthrow2" /> (Technically, an intermediary spinning object ball can also induce some throw on the final object ball, though an intentionally spun cue ball can have more much side spin and thus a more noticeable effect.) Application of precise opposite spin ({{gli|gearing outside english}}) can counter this effect along with that of {{gli|cut-induced throw}}. ''See {{gli|throw}} for more details.''</dd>

{{Term| split |content=split {{anchor|splits|splitting}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Also '''split shot''' and '''split hit'''.'' In pool, a type of shot in which two {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are initially contacted by the {{gli|cue ball}} simultaneously or so close to simultaneously as for the difference to be indistinguishable to the eye.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> In most sets of rules it is a {{gli|foul}} if the split is one in which one of the object balls is a (or the only) legal target ({{gli|ball-on}}) and the other is not; however, such a split is commonly considered a legal shot in informal {{gli|bar pool}} in many areas if it is {{gli|call|called}} as a split and does appear to strike the balls simultaneously.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[pool (cue sports)|pool]], the degree to which {{gli|rack|racked}} balls move apart upon impact by the {{gli|cue ball}} as a result of a {{gli|break shot}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], a shot sending the {{gli|cue ball}} into the {{gli|pack}} of {{gli|red ball|red balls}} and separating them (after {{gli|pot|potting}} the {{gli|ball-on}}). At least one split is usually necessary in each {{gli|frame}}, since the original triangle of reds does not allow any balls to be potted reliably.</dd>

{{Term| spot (noun) |content=spot (noun) {{anchor|spot|spots|the spot|spot, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;spot, a: In pool games such as [[nine-ball]], a specific {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} given (e.g., "what spot will you give me?").</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;spot, a: In [[snooker]], any of the six designated points on the table on which a {{gli|colour ball}} is replaced after it has left the playing surface (usually after it has been {{gli|pot|potted}}).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;spot, a: An (often unmarked) point on the table, at the intersection of two {{gli|string|strings}}. ''See {{gli|foot spot}}, {{gli|head spot}}, {{gli|center spot}} for examples.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;spots: Alternate name for a table's {{gli|diamond|diamonds}} ({{gli|sight|sights}}).<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p245">{{harvp|Knuchell|1974|p=245}}.</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;spot, the{{anchor|Spot ball|spot ball|Spotted ball|spotted ball}}: ''Also '''spot ball''', '''spotted ball''', '''the spot'''. In [[carom billiards]] and [[English billiards]], the second player's {{gli|cue ball}}, which for the shooting player is another {{gli|object ball}} along with {{gli|red ball|the red}}. ''Contrast the {{gli|white ball}}, the starting player's cue ball.<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">6.&nbsp;&nbsp;spots:{{anchor|Spot balls|spot balls|Spotted balls|spotted balls|Spots|spots|the Spots|the spots|The Spots}} ''Also '''spot balls''', '''spotted balls''', '''the spots'''.'' ''Chiefly British.'' In a numbered pool ball set, the {{gli|group}} of seven balls, other than {{gli|black ball|the black}}, that are a solid colour with the number on the ball inside a small white spot on the otherwise solid-coloured surface. ''Also referred to as {{gli|solids}}; chiefly American colloquialisms are {{gli|low|lows}}, {{gli|little|littles}} and {{gli|small|smalls}}, while alternative British terms include {{gli|dots}} and {{gli|unders}}. Contrast {{gli|stripes}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">7.&nbsp;&nbsp;spot, the: ''Short for {{gli|black spot}}.''<ref name="WPBSA 2011 p9" /></dd>

{{Term| spot (verb) |content=spot (verb) {{anchor|spotting|spotted|to spot|spot, to}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In pool, return an illegally pocketed object ball to the table by placement on the {{gli|foot spot}} or as near to it as possible without moving other balls (in ways that may differ from ruleset to ruleset).<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], to return a {{gli|colour ball}} to its designated spot on the table. Also called re-spot.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[nine-ball]], the giving of a {{gli|handicap}} to the opponent where they can also win by making a ball or balls other than the 9 ball (e.g. "she spotted me the seven ball").</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[eight-ball]], [[one-pocket]] and [[straight pool]], the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they have to make fewer balls than their opponent does.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;In some variants of pool, to place the cue ball on the {{gli|head spot}} or as near to it as possible inside {{gli|kitchen|the kitchen}}/{{gli|baulk}}, after the opponent has {{gli|scratch|scratched}}.</dd>

{{Term| spot boy }}
<dd class="glossary">In {{gli|English billiards}}, a person appointed to {{gli|spot (verb)|re-spot}} the {{gli|red ball}} after it has been {{gli|pot}}ted.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levi |first=Riso |title=Billiards: What Newman Really Thinks |newspaper=[[The Star (Christchurch)|The Star]] |location=Christchurch, New Zealand |issue=18060 |date=January 21, 1927 |page=4 |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19270121.2.28 |via=Papers Past |access-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| spot shot }}
<dd class="glossary">The situation arising in many pool games where a ball is spotted to the table's {{gli|foot spot}} or some other specific location and the {{gli|cue ball}} must be shot from the {{gli|kitchen}} or {{gli|the D|the "D"}}. There are {{gli|diamond system}} aiming techniques for pocketing such shots without {{gli|scratch|scratching}} the cue ball into a [[Pocket (billiards)|pocket]].<ref name="Shamos 1999 p238">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=238}}.</ref></dd>

{{Term| spot stroke |content=spot stroke {{anchor|spot-stroke|spotstroke|spot hazard|spot-hazard}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''spot-stroke''', '''spot hazard'''.'' A form of {{gli|nurse|nurse shot}} in [[English billiards]], in which the {{gli|red ball}}&nbsp;– which must be {{gli|spot (verb)|spotted}} to a specific location after each time it is {{gli|pot|potted}}, prior to the next shot being taken&nbsp;– is potted in such a way as to leave the {{gli|cue ball}} in {{gli|position}} to repeat the same shot, permitting a skilled player to rack up many {{gli|point|points}} in a single {{gli|break}} of these shots in one {{gli|visit}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p238" /></dd>

{{Term| squeeze shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Any shot in which the cue ball or an object ball has to squeeze by (just miss with almost no margin for error) another ball or balls in order to reach its intended target.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p245" />{{Clarify|date=September 2008|reason=Shamos 1999 provides other definitions, and "squeeze cannon" should be addressed too.}}</dd>

{{Term| squirt }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as cue-ball {{gli|deflection}}.''<ref name="Brandt 2006 p86,91-116" /> ''Squirt'' has also been applied metaphorically in [[sports journalism]] and the [[Video game journalism|gaming press]] to describe the escape of a ball or puck from player control.<ref>{{cite news |last=Newell |first=Sean |title=Danny Amendola Makes Ridiculous Catch to Put Bills Out of Their Misery |date=September 20, 2015 |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] Sports |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |url= https://sports.vice.com/ca/highlight/danny-amendola-makes-ridiculous-catch-to-put-bills-out-of-their-misery |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160917141547/https://sports.vice.com/ca/highlight/danny-amendola-makes-ridiculous-catch-to-put-bills-out-of-their-misery |archive-date=September 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gardner |first=Matt |title=NHL 11 Review: Icing on the Cake |date=September 22, 2010 |work=Dealspwn.com |url= http://www.dealspwn.com/nhl-11-review-35348 |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160806053944/http://www.dealspwn.com/nhl-11-review-35348 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, it remains primarily a cue-sports technical term, and does not appear to be frequently used as jargon in football, hockey, or other sports.</dd>

{{Term| stake }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;(noun) A player's wager in a {{gli|money game}}. ''Contrast {{gli|pot}}, definition 3.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;(verb) To provide part or all of a player's stake for a [[gambling]] session in which one is not a player,<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> i.e. to be a {{gli|stakehorse}} for the player. ''Same as {{gli|back}}.''</dd>

{{Term| stakehorse }}
<dd class="glossary">One who {{gli|stake|stakes}} (monetarily backs) a [[gambling]] player; a.k.a. {{gli|backer}}.<ref name="Shamos 1993 np" /> "Stakehorse" can also be used as a verb.<ref name="tcom" /></dd>

{{Term| stall |content=stall {{anchor|stalls|stalled|stalling|on the stall|stall, on thes|staller}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;To intentionally hide one's "{{gli|speed}}" (skill); "he's on the stall."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Geffner |first=Mike |title=Hard Times for 'The Kid' |date=February 1999 |magazine=Billiards Digest |issn=0164-761X |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=46–50}}</ref></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;To intentionally play slowly so as to irritate one's opponent. This form of {{gli|shark|sharking}} has been eliminated from many tournaments with a shot clock, and from many leagues with time-limit rules.</dd>

{{Term| stance }}
<dd class="glossary">A shooter's body position and posture during a shot.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p246">{{harvp|Knuchell|1974|p=246}}.</ref><ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''See also {{gli|cue action}}.''</dd>

{{Term| stay shot }}
<dd class="glossary">In the UK, a long-distance shot played to {{gli|pot}} a ball close to a {{gli|pocket}} with heavy {{gli|top spin}}, so that when the {{gli|cue ball}} hits the {{gli|cushion}} it bounces off but then stops due to the counteraction of the spin. It is not common in competitive play, being more of an exhibition shot.</dd>

{{Term| steering }}
<dd class="glossary">The lamentable practice of not following through with the {{gli|cue}} straight, but veering off in the direction of the shot's travel or the side {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} is applied, away from the proper aiming line; a common source of missed shots.</dd>

{{Term| stick }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cue}}.''</dd>

{{Term| stop shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Any shot where the {{gli|cue ball}} stops immediately after hitting an {{gli|object ball}}.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> Generally requires a {{gli|full}} hit.{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|pp=137, 246}}</dd>

{{Term| straight eight |content=straight eight {{anchor|straight-eight|straight 8 straight-8|straight eight-ball|straight 8-ball|straight eightball|straight 8ball}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''straight eight-ball'''.''
''Same as {{gli|bar pool}}.'' Not to be confused with the games of [[straight pool]] or [[straight rail]].</dd>

{{Term| straight up }}
<dd class="glossary">To play even; without a {{gli|handicap}}. Also called heads up.</dd>

{{Term| strike rate }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], the average number of frames per {{gli|century}} for a given player.</dd>

{{Term| string }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A (usually unmarked) line running across the table between one {{gli|diamond}} and its corresponding diamond on the opposite {{gli|rail}}. ''See also {{gli|head string}}, {{gli|foot string}}, {{gli|long string}} for examples.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|scoring string}}, a.k.a. {{gli|wire}} sense 2.'' Can be used as a verb, as in "string that point for me, will you?"</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A successive series of wins, e.g. of {{gli|game|games}} or {{gli|frame|frames}} in a {{gli|match}} or {{gli|race}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">4.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{anchor|stringing|Stringing}}''Chiefly British; same as {{gli|lag}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">5.&nbsp;&nbsp;A metaphor for precise control, as in {{gli|having the cue ball on a string|Having the cue ball on a string}}.</dd>

{{Term| string-off |content=string-off {{anchor|string off|stringing off|stringoff|strung off|strung-off|strungoff|stringing-off|strings off}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''string off'''.'' ''Obsolete:''
''Same as {{gli|string}}, sense 4, and {{gli|lag}}.''<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| stripes |content=stripes {{anchor|stripe|striped ones|striped balls|the stripes|stripes, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''striped ones''', '''striped balls'''.''
The ball {{gli|suit}} ({{gli|group}}) of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 9 through 15 and have a wide coloured bar around the middle. ''Compare {{gli|big|bigs}}, {{gli|high|highs}}, {{gli|yellow ball|yellows}}, {{gli|overs}}; contrast {{gli|solids}}.''</dd>

{{Term| stroke }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The motion of the cue stick and the player's arm on a shot;<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p246" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The strength, fluidity and finesse of a player's shooting technique; "she has a good stroke."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''See {{gli|in stroke|In stroke}}'': A combination of finesse, good judgement, accuracy and confidence.</dd>

{{Term| stroke, catch a }}
<dd class="glossary">To suddenly be {{gli|in stroke}} after poor prior play; "she caught a stroke."</dd>

{{Term| stroke, to be in }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|in stroke|In stroke}}''.</dd>

{{Term| stun run-through }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot played with {{gli|stun shot|stun}}, but not quite enough to completely stop the {{gli|cue ball}}, allowing for a little {{gli|follow}}. It is played so that a {{gli|follow shot}} can be controlled more reliably, with a firmer strike than for a slow roll. It is widely considered{{Weasel inline|date=April 2019}} as one of the most difficult shots in the game to master, but an excellent weapon in a player's armory once it has been.</dd>

{{Term| stun shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot where the {{gli|cue ball}} has no {{gli|top spin}} or {{gli|back spin}} on it when it impacts an object ball, and "stuns" out along the {{gli|tangent line}}. Commonly shortened to just "stun."</dd>

{{Term| sucker shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot that only a novice or fool would take. Usually because it is a guaranteed {{gli|scratch}} or other {{gli|foul}}, or because it has a low percentage of being pocketed and is likely to leave the opponent in good position.</dd>

{{Term| suit }}
<dd class="glossary">A (principally American) term in [[eight-ball]] for either of the set of seven balls ({{gli|stripes}} or {{gli|solids}}) that must be cleared before {{gli|sink|sinking}} the 8 ball. Borrowed from [[card game]]s. Generally used in the generic, especially in rulesets or articles, rather than colloquially by players. ''See also {{gli|group}} for the British equivalent.''</dd>

{{Term| surgeon }}
<dd class="glossary">A player skilled at very thin {{gli|cut shot|cut shots}}, and shots in which a ball must pass cleanly through a very narrow space (such as the {{gli|cue ball}} between two of the opponent's {{gli|object ball|object balls}} with barely enough room) to avoid a foul and/or to pocket a ball.<ref>[[FSN New York]] broadcast of 2006 [[World Cup of Pool]], third quarter-final. Team USA ([[Earl Strickland]] and [[Rodney Morris]]) vs. Team Hong Kong ([[Lee Chenman]] and [[Kong Man-ho]]). In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool pro [[Kim Davenport]].</ref> Such shots may be referred to as "surgery", "surgical shots", "surgical cuts", etc. (chiefly US, colloquial). ''See also {{gli|feather}} (US) or {{gli|snick}} (UK).''</dd>

{{Term| swan |content=swan {{anchor|swans|swan rest|swan-rest|swan|the swan|swan, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Hilfsqueue the swan.png|thumb|right|Using a "swan" rest to raise the cue stick over obstructing balls]]
''Also '''swan rest'''.'' A type of {{gli|rest}}, similar to a {{gli|spider}} in that the head is raised by longer supporting legs, but instead of a selection of grooves on the top for the {{gli|cue}} to rest in there is only one, on the end of an overhanging neck, so that a player can get to the {{gli|cue ball}} more easily if the path is blocked by two or more obstructing balls. Also known as the {{gli|goose neck}}.<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>

{{Term| sweaters }}
<dd class="glossary">Those who are {{gli|stakehorse|stakehorsing}} a match or have side bets on it and are "sweating the {{gli|action}}",<ref name="USOpen06" /> i.e. nervous about its outcome.</dd>

{{Term| swerve }}
<dd class="glossary">An unintentional and often barely perceptible curve imparted to the path of the {{gli|cue ball}} from the use of {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} without a level {{gli|cue}}. Not to be confused with a {{gli|swerve shot}}.</dd>

{{Term| swerve shot }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|semi-massé|semi-{{lang|fr|massé|nocat=y}}}}.'' ''Compare {{gli|curve shot}}.''</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==T==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| table cloth }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cloth}}.''</dd>

{{Term| table roll }}
<dd class="glossary">A flaw in the table, such as lack of leveling, loose {{gli|cloth}} at the {{gli|fall}} of a {{gli|pocket}}, a divot in the {{gli|bed}}, etc., that causes a ball, especially a slow-moving one, to not roll or settle as expected.</dd>

{{Term| table run |content=table run {{anchor|table-run|tablerun}} }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|run the table}}.''</dd>

{{Term| table scratch |content=table scratch {{anchor|table scratches|table-scratch|tablescratch|table-scratches|table-scratched}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Failure to hit any legal {{gli|object ball}} at all with the {{gli|cue ball}}. In most sets of rules, this is a {{gli|foul}} like any other. However, in some variants of {{gli|bar pool}} a table scratch while shooting for the {{gli|8 ball|8 ball}} is a loss of game where other more minor fouls might not be, as is {{gli|scratch|scratching}} on the 8 ball (neither result in a loss of game in professional and most amateur league rules).</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;By way of drift from the above definition, the term is also applied by many league players to the foul in more standardized rules of failing to drive a (any) ball to a {{gli|cushion}}, or to {{gli|pocket}} a legal object ball, after the cue ball's initial contact with an object ball.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Uncommonly, and by way of entirely different derivation ("scratch off the table"), it can also mean knocking the cue ball (or more loosely, any ball) completely off the table.</dd>

{{Term| table speed |content=table speed {{anchor|table speeds|table-speed|tablespeed}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Subjective assessment of the rapidity with which balls move on the [[billiard table]]'s {{gli|cloth}} ([[baize]]). Balls roll faster and farther on "{{gli|fast}}" tables with tightly woven, broken-in, clean cloth as they experience less friction than with "{{gli|slow}}" cloth that is dirty or is fuzzy because of a loose weave and cheap material or because it is wearing out. The terms may be used comparatively, as in "this is a really fast table", or "I don't like cloth this slow". Fast cloth can make {{gli|draw}} ({{gli|screw}}) shots somewhat less effective, as there is less purchase for the {{gli|cue ball}}'s {{gli|back spin}}. On the other hand, {{gli|slide}} and {{gli|stop shot|stop shots}} are easier on fast cloth because it is so comparatively smooth.<ref name="Shamos 1993 p53" /> Sometimes called {{gli|cloth speed}}.</dd>

{{Term| talc |content=talc {{anchor|hand talc|talcum|talcum powder|hand-talc}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''hand talc'''.''
White [[talcum powder]] placed on a player's {{gli|bridge hand}} to reduce moisture so that a [[Cue stick|cue]]'s {{gli|shaft}} can slide more easily. Many establishments do not provide it as too many recreational players will use far more than is necessary and transfer it all over the table's surface, the floor, furniture, etc. Venues that do provide it usually do so in the form of compressed cones about 6 inches tall. Some serious players bring their own, in a bottle or a porous bag that can be patted on the bridge hand. Many players prefer a {{gli|pool glove}}. Talc is frequently mistakenly referred to as "{{gli|hand chalk}}", despite not being made of [[chalk]].</dd>

{{Term| tangent line }}
<dd class="glossary">The imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the impact line between the cue ball and an object ball. The cue ball will travel along this line after impact with an object ball if it has no vertical spin on it (is sliding) at the moment of impact on a non-center-to-center collision. ''See also {{gli|stun shot}} and {{gli|ghost ball}}.''</dd>

{{Term| tank }}
<dd class="glossary">To purposefully lose games in order to gain a better draft selection or to be more competitive in the future. This is usually performed when a team is out of or unlikely to take part in a league's postseason.</dd>

{{Term| taper }}
<dd class="glossary">The profile of the shaft of the cue as it increases in diameter from the tip to the joint. A "fast" or "slow" taper refers to how quickly the diameter increases. A "pro" taper describes a shaft that tapers rapidly from the joint size to the tip size so as to provide a long, untapered stroking area.</dd>

{{Term| tapper }}
<dd class="glossary">A {{gli|tip tool}} with fine, sharp points used to roughen the {{gli|cue tip}} to better hold {{gli|chalk}} after it has become hardened and smooth from repeated impacts with the {{gli|cue ball}}. Tappers are firmly tapped on or pressed against the tip. {{gli|scuffer|Scuffers}} serve the same purpose, but are used differently.</dd>

{{Term| template }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''See {{gli|pocket template}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''See {{gli|racking template}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''See {{gli|training template}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ten-ball |content=ten-ball {{anchor|ten ball|tenball}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{Hatnote inline|Main article: [[Ten-ball]]}}<br />
An outgrowth of [[nine-ball]] to make a more challenging game, it is a {{gli|rotation}} game played with ten {{gli|object balls}} and with the {{gli|10 ball}} as the {{gli|game ball}} or "{{gli|money ball}}". It is played by most of the same rules as nine-ball (especially that the lowest-numbered object ball remaining on the table must always be struck first by the {{gli|cue ball}}), but differs (in the [[World Pool-Billiard Association|WPA]] standardized rules) in that {{gli|call shot|shots must be called}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The spelled-out name of the {{gli|10 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| thin }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|overcut}}.''</dd>

{{Term| three-ball |content=three-ball {{anchor|three ball|threeball}} }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{Hatnote inline|Main article: [[Three-ball]]}}<br />
An amateur multi-player (and often gambling) game, played with three {{gli|object ball}}s, {{gli|rack}}ed either in a triangle or a straight line toward the {{gli|end rail}} from the {{gli|foot spot}}. The game is played by each player trying to {{gli|pocket}} all three balls (the same player remaining at the table until this is done) in as few shots as possible and without incurring any {{gli|foul}}s. Luck plays a more significant role in this game than usual, due to the possibility of pocketing two or even all three balls on the {{gli|break shot}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The spelled-out name of the {{gli|3 ball}}.</dd>

{{Term| three-foul rule |content=three-foul rule {{anchor|3-foul rule|three foul rule|3 foul rule|three fouls|3 fouls|third foul|3rd foul}} }}
<dd class="glossary">The three-foul rule describes a situation in which a player is assessed a defined penalty after committing a third successive foul. The exact penalty, its prerequisites and whether it is in place at all, vary depending on the games. In [[nine-ball]] and [[straight pool]], a player must be the told they are on two fouls in order to transgress the rule, and if violated, results in a loss of game for in former, and a special point penalty of a loss of fifteen points (plus one for the foul itself) in the latter together with the ability to require the violator to rerack and rebreak. In [[Eight-ball pool (British variation)|WEPF eight-ball]], it is a loss of game if a player commits a third foul while shooting at {{gli|black ball|the black}}. In [[snooker]], three successive fouls from a non-{{gli|snooker}}ed position result in forfeiting the {{gli|frame}}. Repeat fouls from a snookered position are quite common&nbsp;– [[Dave Harold]] holds the record in a competitive match, missing the same shot 14 successive times.</dd>

{{Term| throw }}
<dd class="glossary">The normal phenomenon, present to some degree on all {{gli|cut shot}}s, whereby the object ball is pushed in a direction slight off the pure "{{gli|ghost ball}}" contact angle between the two balls. Throw is caused by the friction imparted from the first, moving ball sliding or rotating against the second, stationary ball.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> ''Same as object-ball {{gli|deflection}}.'' While throw is most easily observed between the {{gli|cue ball}} and an object ball, it also happens between two or more object balls, which is one of the factors that makes {{gli|combination shot}}s challenging.

The amount of this deflection of an object ball from its expected path is increased by several things, including by dirty or pitted balls that briefly grip each other more, by a thick cut-shot angle that provides for extended friction between the balls ('''cut-induced throw'''), by slow ball-contact speed ('''speed-induced throw''') for the same reason, by {{gli|stun shot}}s for the same reason, and by the object ball being impacted by a ball that is rapidly {{gli|side spin|side-spinning}} ('''spin-''' or '''{{gli|english}}-induced throw'''), which causes the object ball to roll in a curve more toward that throw direction. Throw is reduced by higher-speed impact, by {{gli|draw}} or {{gli|follow}} (bottom or top spin), and by side-spin counter to the direction of the natural throw. Skilled players thus often shoot cut shots with a small amount of {{gli|outside english}} – '''gearing outside English''' – to neutralize the cut-induced throw that widens the shot away from the {{gli|tangent line}}, though other techniques may be required instead or in combination with that, depending on the desired cue-ball position at the end of the shot.<ref name="DGAthrow1">{{cite web |last=Alciatore |first=David G. |title=Outside and Gearing English or Sidespin |date=2020 |work=Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources |via=Billiards.ColoState.edu |publisher=[[Colorado State University]] |location=Fort Collins |url= https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/sidespin/outside-gearing/ |access-date=March 7, 2021}} See also the attached media in this source (mostly served via YouTube).</ref><ref name="DGAthrow2">{{cite magazine |last=Alciatore |first=David G. |title=Throw – Part IV: Inside/Outside English |department="Illustrated Principles" column |magazine=Billiards Digest |date=January 2007 |publisher=Luby Publishing |location=Chicago |url= https://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2007/jan07.pdf |via=Billiards.ColoState.edu |access-date=March 7, 2021}}</ref></dd>

{{Term| tickie }}
<dd class="glossary">A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is driven first to one or more {{gli|rail|rails}}, then hits an {{gli|object ball}} and {{gli|kiss|kisses}} back to the last rail contacted. It is a common shot in carom games, but can be applied to such an instance in any relevant cue sport. In pool, it is most often used as a form of short-distance {{gli|clearance shot}}.</dd>

{{Term| tied up }}
<dd class="glossary">Describing a ball that is {{gli|safe}} because it is in close proximity to one or more other balls, and would need to be {{gli|develop|developed}} before it becomes {{gli|pot|pottable}}.</dd>

{{Term| tight }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Describing a situation where a {{gli|pot}} is made more difficult, either by a {{gli|pocket}} being partially blocked by another ball so that not all of it is available, or the {{gli|cue ball}} path to the {{gli|object ball|object ball's}} {{gli|potting angle}} involves going past another ball very closely.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;{{anchor|tight pocket|tight pockets}}Describing pockets that are themselves narrower than average, making for a more challenging table.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly British:'' A resting ball that is in actual contact with a {{gli|cushion}} is said to be "tight" to that cushion. The chiefly American term "{{gli|frozen}}" means the same thing, except that it can also apply to a ball in contact with one or more other balls rather than with a cushion.</dd>

{{Term| time shot }}
<dd class="glossary">Any shot in which the cue ball moves another ball to a different position and then rebounds off one or more rails to contact the object ball again (normally in an attempt to {{gli|pocket}} it or score a {{gli|billiard}}).<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /></dd>

{{Term| timing }}
<dd class="glossary">The ease with which a player generates {{gli|cue power}}, due to well-timed acceleration of the {{gli|cue}} at the appropriate point in a shot.</dd>

{{Term| tip }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|cue tip}}.''</dd>

{{Term| tip clamp }}
<dd class="glossary">A small clamping {{gli|tip tool}} used to firmly hold and apply pressure to a replacement {{gli|cue tip}} until the glue holding the tip to the {{gli|ferrule}} has fully dried.</dd>

{{Term| tip tool |content=tip tool {{anchor|tip tools|tip-tool|tip-tools|tiptool|tiptools}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''tiptool''', '''tip-tool'''.''
Any of a class of maintenance tools for {{gli|cue tip|cue tips}}, including {{gli|shaper|shapers}}, {{gli|scuffer|scuffers}}, {{gli|mushroom trimmer|mushroom trimmers}}, {{gli|tapper|tappers}}, {{gli|burnisher|burnishers}} and {{gli|tip clamp|tip clamps}}. Road, league and tournament players often carry an array of tip tools in their cases. The term is not applied to {{gli|chalk|cue chalk}}.</dd>

{{Term| titty |content=titty {{anchor|tittie|titties}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''tittie'''; plural '''titties'''.''
''Same as {{gli|knuckle}}.'' By analogy to the [[human breast]].</dd>

{{Term| titty-hooked |content=titty-hooked {{anchor|titty hooked|tittyhooked|tittie-hooked|tittie hooked|tittiehooked|titty-hook|titty hook|tittyhook|tittie-hook}}{{anchor|tittie hook|tittiehook}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''tittie-hooked'''.''
''Same as {{gli|corner-hooked}}.''</dd>

{{Term| ton }}
<dd class="glossary">''In snooker, same as {{gli|century}}.''</dd>

{{Term| top }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly British:'' The half of the [[Billiard table|table]] in which the {{gli|object ball|object balls}} are {{gli|rack|racked}} (in games that use racked balls). This usage is conceptually opposite that in North America, where this end of the table is called the {{gli|foot}}. In [[snooker]], this is where the {{gli|red ball|red}}s are racked, nearest the {{gli|black ball|black}} {{gli|spot}}; this is the area in which most of the game is usually played. ''Contrast {{gli|bottom}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Chiefly American:'' Exactly the opposite of the British usage above – the {{gli|head}} end of the table. No longer in common usage.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Short for {{gli|top spin}}, i.e. same as {{gli|follow}}''.</dd>

{{Term| top cushion }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' The {{gli|cushion}} on the {{gli|top rail}}. ''Compare {{gli|foot cushion}} (U.S.); contrast {{gli|bottom cushion}}.''</dd>

{{Term| top-of-the-table play}}
<dd class="glossary">This technique involves all three balls being grouped in close proximity at the top end of the table and scoring with a succession of short-range pots and cannons. A typical starting point is with the red placed on its spot, object white on or near the centreline somewhere between the spot and the top cushion, and the cueball posed nearby to pot the red or make a gentle cannon. If the pot, then it should be played so as to leave the cueball in a good position for the next shot. If the cannon, then the purpose is to disturb the object white as little as possible and finish clear to pot the red that has been left near the corner pocket. Then in potting the red the cueball must again be left in a good position for the next shot, and so on. This form of play makes it possible to compile really big breaks in relatively short time.</dd>

{{Term| top rail }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly British:'' The {{gli|rail}} at the {{gli|top|Top}} of the [[Billiard table|table]]. ''Compare {{gli|foot rail}} (U.S.); contrast {{gli|bottom rail|Bottom rail}}.''</dd>

{{Term| top spin |content=top spin {{anchor|topspin|top-spin|top spun|topspun|top-spun}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''topspin''', '''top-spin''', '''top'''.}}
''Same as {{gli|follow}}. Contrast {{gli|bottom spin}}, {{gli|back spin}}. See illustration at {{gli|spin}}.''</dd>

{{Term| total clearance }}
<dd class="glossary">A term used in [[snooker]] for the {{gli|pot|potting}} of all the balls that are {{gli|rack|racked}} at the beginning of the {{gli|frame}} in a single {{gli|break}} ({{gli|run}}). The minimum total clearance affords 72 points (barring multiple {{gli|red ball|reds}} being potted on a single {{gli|stroke}}), in the pattern of red then {{gli|yellow ball|yellow}} repeatedly until all reds are potted, then all of the {{gli|colour ball|colour balls}}. The {{gli|maximum break}} is 147 (barring a foul by the opponent immediately before the break began).</dd>

{{Term| total snooker }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]],<ref name="WEPFRules" /> a situation where the player cannot {{gli|see}} any of the balls she/he wants to hit due to obstruction by other balls or the {{gli|knuckle}} of a {{gli|pocket}}. The player must {{gli|call}} "total snooker" to the {{gli|referee}}, which allows a dispensation to the player from having to hit a {{gli|cushion}} after contacting the {{gli|object ball}}, which is otherwise a {{gli|foul}}.</dd>

{{Term| touching ball }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Snooker Touching Ball Red.png|thumb|right|Touching ball with red ball]]
In [[snooker]], the situation in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is resting in contact with an {{gli|object ball}}. If the object ball is a ball that may legally be hit, then it is allowable to simply hit away from it and it counts as having hit it in the shot. If that ball moves, then a {{gli|push shot}} must have occurred, in which case it is a {{gli|foul}}. This rule is sometimes applied to British [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] as well as snooker. In American-style pool, and in [[carom billiards]], a less stringent definition of a push shot applies; ''see {{gli|frozen}}.''</dd>

{{Term| tournament card }}
<dd class="glossary">Jargon for a [[tournament]] chart, showing which players are playing against whom and what the results are. Often shortened to '''card'''.</dd>

{{Term| treble }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|triple}}.''</dd>

{{Term| treble century }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|triple century}}.''</dd>

{{Term| training template }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Training template.png|thumb|upright|Training template]]
A thin sheet of rigid material in the size and shape of a [[Rack (billiards)|physical ball rack]] (e.g. a {{gli|diamond}} for [[nine-ball]]), with holes drilled though it, which is used to make permanent {{gli|divot|divots}} in the [[Baize|cloth]] of the [[Billiard table|table]], one at a time for each [[Billiard ball|ball]] in the {{gli|rack|racking}} pattern, by placing the template on the table, and then a ball in one of the holes in the template by tapping it sharply from above to create the cloth indentation. The holes are spaced slightly closer than the regulation ball width of 2<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub>&nbsp;inch (57.15&nbsp;mm) apart, so that when the balls settle partially into their divots, the outer sides of these indentations create ball-on-ball pressure, pushing the balls together tightly. The purpose of the template is to do away with using a physical rack, with racking instead being performed simply by placing the balls into position, and the divots aligning them into the tightest possible formation automatically. This prevents accidental loose racks, and also thwarts the possibility of cheating by manipulating the ball positions while racking. The [[European Pocket Billiard Federation]] (EPBF, Europe's [[World Pool-Billiard Association|WPA]] affiliate organization) has adopted this racking technique for its professional Euro-Tour event series.<ref>{{BDMag|first=Nick|last=Varner|date=February 2008|title=Killing Me Softly?: The Outbreak of the Soft Break Threatens the Game of 9-ball|volume=30|issue=3|pages= 34–35}}</ref> ''See also {{gli|racking template}}, {{gli|pocket template}}.''</dd>

{{Term| triangle }}
<dd class="glossary">[[File:Cribbage pool rack closeup.jpg|thumb|left|{{gli|rack|Racking}} up a game of [[Cribbage (pool)|cribbage pool]] using the {{gli|triangle}} [[Rack (billiards)|rack]], with the 15 ball in the middle, no two corner balls adding up to 15, and the apex ball on the {{gli|foot spot}}]]
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A [[Rack (billiards)|rack]] in the form of an [[equilateral triangle]]. There are different sizes of triangles for {{gli|rack|racking}} different games (which use different ball sizes and numbers of balls),<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> including the fifteen ball racks for [[snooker]] and various pool games such as [[eight-ball]] and [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]]. A larger triangle is used for the twenty-one ball rack for [[baseball pocket billiards]].<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /> The smallest triangle rack is employed in [[three-ball]] ''(see illustration at that article)'' but is not strictly necessary, as the front of a larger rack can be used, or the balls can be arranged by hand. {{further|Rack (billiards)}}
2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The {{gli|object ball|object balls}} in triangular formation, before the {{gli|break|break shot}}, after being racked as above ''(i.e., same as {{gli|rack}}, definition 2)''. Principally British. ''(See also {{gli|pyramid}}.)''{{Clear}}</dd>

{{Term| trick shot }}
<dd class="glossary">{{Main|Trick shot}}
An exhibition shot designed to impress either by a player's skill or knowledge of how to set the balls up and take advantage of the angles of the table; usually a combination of both. A trick shot may involve items otherwise never seen during the course of a game, such as bottles, baskets, etc. being placed on or around the table.</dd>

{{Term| triple |content=triple {{anchor|triples|tripled|treble|trebles|trebled|tripling|trebling|triple shot|treble shot|triple-shot}}{{anchor|treble-shot}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''treble'''.''
A British term for a type of {{gli|bank shot}} in which the {{gli|object ball}} is {{gli|pot|potted}} off two {{gli|cushion|cushions}}, especially by sending it twice across the table and into a {{gli|side pocket}}. Also called a '''two-cushion double'''.<!--Cross-reference this to [[#zig-zag]] when that entry exists.--></dd>

{{Term| triple century |content=triple century {{anchor|triple centuries|triple-century|triple-century break|treble century|treble centuries|treble-century|treble-century break}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''treble century''', '''triple-century break''', '''treble-century break'''.}}
''See {{gli|double century}}.''</dd>

{{Term| turn }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|visit}}.''</dd>

{{Term| two-cushion double }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|triple}}''.</dd>

{{Term| two-pot-rule }}
<dd class="glossary">In {{gli|English billiards}}, the rule that the {{gli|red ball}} should be placed on the {{gli|centre spot}} if it has been {{gli|pot|potted}} twice in succession from its own spot.{{sfnp|Shamos|1999|p=256}}</dd>

{{Term| two-shot carry }}
<dd class="glossary">A rule in [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]]<ref name="WEPFRules" /> whereby after an opponent has {{gli|fault|faulted}} and thus yielded {{gli|two shots}}, if the incoming shooter {{gli|pot|pots}} a ball on the first shot, (s)he is still allowed to miss in a later shot and take a second shot {{gli|ball-in-hand|in-hand}} (from {{gli|the D|the "D"}} or from {{gli|baulk}}, or if the opponent potted the cue ball, from anywhere)—even on {{gli|black ball|the black}}, in most variants. Also called the "two visits" rule; i.e., the two penalty shots are considered independent {{gli|visit|visits}} to the table, and the limiting variants discussed at {{gli|two shots}} below cannot logically apply.</dd>

{{Term| two shots |content=two shots {{anchor|two-shot rule|two shot rule|2 shots|2-shot rule|2 shot rule}}}}
<dd class="glossary">In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]],<ref name="WEPFRules" /> a penalty conceded by a player after a {{gli|fault}}. The incoming opponent is then allowed to miss twice before the faulting player is allowed another {{gli|visit}}. Many local rules state the {{gli|ball-in-hand|in-hand}} from the D (see {{gli|D, the}}) or {{gli|baulk}} (or if the opponent potted the cue ball, from anywhere) nature of the second shot is lost if a ball is potted on the first shot, that it is lost if the ball potted in the first shot was that player's last {{gli|colour ball|coloured ball}} ({{gli|object ball}} in their {{gli|group}}), and/or that there is only ever one shot on {{gli|black ball|the black}} after a fault. ''See {{gli|two-shot carry}} for more detail on a sub-rule that may apply (and eliminate the variations discussed here).''</dd>

{{Term| two visits }}
<dd class="glossary">''See {{gli|two-shot carry}}.''</dd>

{{Term| two-way shot }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot in which if the target is missed, the opponent is safe or will not have a desirable shot;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot in which there are two ways to score;</dd>
<dd class="glossary">3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A shot in which a second ball is targeted to be pocketed, broken out of a cluster, repositioned or some other secondary goal is also intended.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==U==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| umbrella shot }}
<dd class="glossary">A [[three cushion billiards]] shot in which the cue ball first strikes two cushions before hitting the first object ball then hits a third cushion before hitting the second object ball. So called because the shot opens up like an umbrella after hitting the third rail. Umbrella shots may be classified as inside or outside depending on which side of the first object ball the cue ball contacts.</dd>

{{Term| umpire }}
<dd class="glossary">''Chiefly American, and largely obsolete:'' ''Same as {{gli|referee}}.''<ref name="BDESaw" /> Derives from the usage in [[baseball]].</dd>

{{Term| undercut |content=undercut {{anchor|under-cut|undercutting|under-cutting|undercuts}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''under-cut'''.}}
1&nbsp;&nbsp;To hit the object ball with not enough of a cut angle; hitting the object ball too full or "fat". It is a well-known maxim that {{gli|overcut|overcutting}} is preferable to undercutting because of the principle of the "{{gli|professional side of the pocket}}". May be used as a noun: "That was a bad undercut."</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;On [[Billiards table#Snooker|snooker and English billiards tables]], to trim back (usually by filing and sanding, not actually cutting) the underside of the protruding {{gli|knuckle}} of the {{gli|cushion}}, a.k.a. the {{gli|nose}} of the cushion, from where the cushion starts to curve into the {{gli|pocket}} until it ends inside the pocket {{gli|jaws}}.<ref name="Stooke 201 p8" /> The result is a cushion {{gli|face}} at the knuckle that angles inward toward where the base of the {{gli|rail}} meets the {{gli|bed}} of the table, instead of one that is perpendicular to the bed.<ref name="Stooke 201 p8" /> At this point behaves more like a triangular [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] cushion profile, with its "[[Backboard (basketball)|backboard]]" effect, than an upside-down L-shaped snooker cushion profile. Undercut knuckles make for an easier pocket to {{gli|pot}} balls in from an angle – a "faster {{gli|pocket speed}}" – because they raise the {{gli|contact point}} between cushion and ball to above the centre of the ball,<ref name="Stooke 201 p8" /> reducing the tendency of the ball to be rebounded away. Also used as a noun: "The amount of the undercut has a major effect on pocket playability."</dd>

{{Term| unders }}
<dd class="glossary">''Same as {{gli|solids}}, in New Zealand.<ref name="Stickmen2" /> Compare {{gli|little}}, {{gli|small}}, {{gli|red ball|reds}}, {{gli|low}}, {{gli|spot|spots}}, {{gli|dots}}; contrast {{gli|overs}}.''</dd>

{{Term| unintentional english }}
<dd class="glossary">Inadvertent {{gli|english|{{Not a typo|english}}}} placed on the cue ball by a failure to hit it dead center on its horizontal axis. It is both a common source of missed shots and commonly overlooked when attempts are made to determine the reason for a miss.{{sfnp|Knuchell|1974|p=89}} In UK parlance this is usually called 'unwanted side'.</dd>

{{Term| up-table }}
<dd class="glossary">Toward the {{gli|head}} of the [[Billiard table|table]].</dd>

{{Glossary end}}

==V==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| velcro }}
<dd class="glossary">A British term describing when a ball is {{gli|tight}} on the {{gli|cushion}} and a player sends the {{gli|cue ball}} to hit both the {{gli|object ball}} and the rail at nearly the same time; the object ball, ideally, stays tight to the rail and is thus "velcroed" to the rail. {{gli|inside english|Inside {{Not a typo|english}}}} is often employed to achieve this effect, hitting slightly before the ball. The movement of a ball just next to the rail (but not the shot described to achieve this movement) is called {{gli|hugging the rail}} in both the UK and the US.</dd>

{{Term| visit }}
<dd class="glossary">One of the alternating turns players (or {{gli|doubles}} teams) are allowed at the table, before a shot is played that concedes a visit to their opponent (e.g. "he ran out in one visit"). Usually synonymous with {{gli|inning}} as applied to a single player/team, except in {{gli|scotch doubles}} format.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==W==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| wall rack |content=wall rack {{anchor|wall racks|wall-rack|wallrack}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A one-piece or two-piece item of wall-mounted furniture designed to store [[cue stick]]s and sometimes other accessories such as the {{gli|mechanical bridge}} ({{gli|rest}}), [[billiard ball|balls]], {{gli|chalk}}, etc., when not in use. May consist of two small pieces of wood, or be an elaborately decorative large work of carpentry. ''Contrast {{gli|cue stand|Cue stand}}.''</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Same as {{gli|scoring rack}}''.</dd>

{{Term| warrior }}
<dd class="glossary">An {{gli|object ball}} positioned near a {{gli|pocket}} so that another object ball shot at that pocket will likely go {{gli|in-off|in off}} the warrior, even if aimed so imperfectly that if the warrior had been absent, the shot likely would have missed. Usually arises when a ball is being {{gli|bank shot|banked}} to the pocket.</dd>

{{Term| way }}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Term for object balls in the game of Chicago that are each assigned as having a set money value; typically the 5, 8, 10, 13 and 15.{{Clarify|date=January 2009|reason=Usage example needed.}}</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In games where multiple balls must be pocketed in succession to score a specific number of {{gli|point}}s, such as [[Cribbage (pool)|cribbage pool]], when the last ball necessary to score has been potted, the points total given is referred to as a "way".{{citation needed|date=August 2015|reason=Does not appear in Shamos 1999 or any other pool book on hand.}} This is a usage borrowed from [[card games]].</dd>

{{Term| weight }}
<dd class="glossary">To "give someone weight" is to give them a {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} to compensate for notable differences in skill level. ''Compare {{gli|spot (noun)}}, sense 1.''</dd>

{{Term| white ball |content=white ball {{anchor|white balls|white-ball|whiteball|the white|white, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''the white'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Alternate name for the {{gli|cue ball}}.</dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[carom billiards]] games and [[English billiards]], a more specific term for the starting opponent's {{gli|cue ball}}, which for the shooting player is another {{gli|object ball}} along with {{gli|red ball|the red}}. ''Contrast {{gli|spot ball}}'', the other player's cue ball.<ref name="BDESaw" /></dd>

{{Term| whitewash }}
<dd class="glossary">''Principally British:'' In [[snooker]], if a player wins all of the required {{gli|frame|frames}} in a {{gli|match}} without conceding a frame to their opponent, for example, if a player wins a best-of-nine-frames match with a score of 5–0, this is referred to as a "whitewash". The term is based on a similar term used in the card game of "Patience" in the UK. However, it is not used in the context of a 1–0 winning scoreline in a match consisting of a single frame.</dd>

{{Term| whitey }}
<dd class="glossary">Alternate name for the {{gli|cue ball}}.<ref name="USOpen06-3" /></dd>

{{Term| wild }}
<dd class="glossary">When a ball is given as a {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} it often must be called (generally tacit). A wild handicap means the ball can be made in any manner specifically ''without'' being called.</dd>

{{Term| wing ball }}
<dd class="glossary">Either of the balls on the lateral extremities of a racked set of balls in position for a break shot; the two balls at the outside of a 15-ball rack in the back row, or the balls to the left and right of the 9 ball in [[nine-ball]]'s diamond {{gli|rack}}-shaped opening set up position.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p121">{{harvp|Brandt|2006|p=121}}.</ref> In nine-ball it is seen as a reliable sign of a good {{gli|break shot|break}} (which is normally taken from close to either {{gli|cushion}} in the {{gli|kitchen}}) if the opposite wing ball is {{gli|pocket|pocketed}}. ''See also {{gli|break box}}.''</dd>

{{Term| wing shot |content=wing shot {{anchor|wing-shot|wingshot|wing shots|wing-shots|wingshots}}}}
<dd class="glossary">Shooting at an object ball that is already in motion ("on the wing") at the moment of shooting and cue ball impact; it is a {{gli|foul}} in most games, and usually only seen in [[trick shot]]s and in [[speed pool]].</dd>

{{Term| winning hazard |content=winning hazard {{anchor|winner|winning-hazard|winning hazards|winners}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''winner''', largely obsolete.'' A shot in which the {{gli|cue ball}} is used to {{gli|pot}} another ball.<ref name="BCA 1992 np" /><ref name="Shamos 1999 p275">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=275}}.</ref> In [[snooker]] and most [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] games doing this is known as {{gli|pot|potting}}, {{gli|pocket|pocketing}} or {{gli|sink|sinking}} the targeted ball. The term derives from early forms of billiards where this hazard winning the player points, while {{gli|losing hazard|losing hazards}} cost the player points. Whether the ball is an {{gli|object ball}} or an opponent's cue ball depends upon the type of game (some have two cue balls). The move will score {{gli|point|points}} in most (but not all) games in which {{gli|hazard|hazards}} (as such) apply, such as [[English billiards]] (in which a "red winner" is the potting of the {{gli|red ball}} and a "white winner" the potting of the opponent's cue ball, each worth a different number of points).<ref name="Shamos 1999 p275" /> ''Contrast {{gli|losing hazard}}.''</dd>

{{Term| wipe its feet }}
<dd class="glossary">British term referring to the base or metaphorical "feet" of a ball that rattles in the {{gli|jaws}} of a {{gli|pocket}} before eventually dropping. Usually said of an {{gli|object ball}} for which the intention was to {{gli|pot}} it.<ref name="Brandt 2006 p121" /></dd>

{{Term| wire, the |content=wire, the {{anchor|wire|the wire|scoring wire|score wire}}}}
<dd class="glossary">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[File:Booches interior.jpg|thumb|A scoring wire at [[Booches]] in Columbia, Missouri, with a sign stating "please do not use this wire"]]''Also '''scoring wire''', '''score wire'''.'' Actual wire or string with multiple beads strung (like an [[abacus]]) used for keeping {{gli|score}}. Beads may be numbered or, more commonly, are in series of nine small beads representing 1s punctuated by larger beads representing 10s. Scoring strings are usually strung over the table, above the lights, but may be mounted on the wall.

{{gli|games on the wire|Points "on the wire"}} are a type of {{gli|handicapping|handicap}} used, where a weaker player will be given a certain number of points before the start of the game.<ref name="Leider 2010 p281,292" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;The [[Grapevine (gossip)|grapevine]] in the pool world, carrying news of what action is taking place where in the country.{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}<!--Lots of things need to be sourced here, but this one in particular stands out as questionably a pool term in particular, rather than just general vernacular.--></dd>

{{Term| wired }}
<dd class="glossary">''And '''wired combination/combo''', '''wired kiss''', etc.''
''Same as {{gli|dead}} (and variants listed there).''</dd>

{{Term| wood |content=wood {{anchor|piece of wood|wood, piece of}}}}
<dd class="glossary">A slang term for a [[Cue stick|cue]], usually used with "piece", as in "that's a nice piece of wood". ''Contrast {{gli|firewood}}''.</dd>

{{Term| wrap |content=wrap {{anchor|wraps|wrapping|wrapper|grip|grips}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''wrapping''', '''grip'''.''
A covering of leather, [[nylon]] string, {{gli|Irish linen}} or other material around the area of the butt of a cue where the cue is normally gripped.<ref name="Knuchell 1974 p246" /></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes|x=X}}

==Y==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| yellow ball |content=yellow ball {{anchor|yellow balls|yellow|yellows|the yellow|the yellows|yellow, the|yellows, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">{{ghat|Also '''yellow(s)''', '''the yellow(s)'''.}}
1.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[snooker]], the lowest-value {{gli|colour ball}}, being worth two points.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p278">{{harvp|Shamos|1999|p=278}}.</ref> It is one of the {{gli|baulk colour|baulk colours}}. In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "2" on its surface. It is placed on the {{gli|yellow spot}}.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p278" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /></dd>
<dd class="glossary">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;In [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]], one of two {{gli|group|groups}} of seven {{gli|object ball|object balls}} that must be potted before the {{gli|eight ball}}; ''compare {{gli|stripes}}; contrast {{gli|red ball}}''.<ref name="WEPFRules" /></dd>

{{Term| yellow spot }}
<dd class="glossary">The {{gli|spot}} (usually not specially marked because it is obvious) on a [[Billiards table#Snooker and English billiards tables|snooker table]] at which the {{gli|yellow ball}} is placed. Regardless of table size, it is the intersection of {{gli|the D|the "D"}} and the {{gli|baulk line|balk line}} on the {{gli|break|breaker's}} right side.<ref name="Shamos 1999 p278" /><ref name="WPBSA 2011 p10" /> The left-to-right order of the {{gli|green ball|green}}, {{gli|brown ball|brown}} and yellow balls is the subject of the [[mnemonic]] phrase "'''G'''od '''b'''less '''y'''ou".<ref name="Shamos 1999 p115" /></dd>

{{Term| yellow pocket }}
<dd class="glossary">In [[snooker]], the {{gli|corner pocket}} that is closest to the {{gli|yellow spot}}.</dd>

{{Glossary end}}

==Z==
{{Glossary}}

{{Term| zone |content=zone {{anchor|Zone|in the zone|zone, in the|the zone|the Zone|zone, the}}}}
<dd class="glossary">''Also '''in the zone'''.''
Describes an extended period of functioning in {{gli|dead stroke}} ("she's in the zone").<ref name="Brandt 2006 p121" /> Sometimes capitalized for humorous effect.<!--Add entry for [[#zone play]]--></dd>

{{Glossary end}}
{{Compact TOC|side=yes|center=yes|top=yes|symnum=yes|refs=yes|nobreak=yes}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book |author=BCA Rules Committee |title=Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book |publisher=[[Billiard Congress of America]] |location=Iowa City |date=November 1992 |isbn=9781878493026 |url= https://archive.org/details/billiards00bill |via=Internet Archive |url-access=registration}} A newer version of this source is available: [https://bca-pool.com/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=2752962 2021/2022 ed.]
* {{cite book |last=Brandt |first=Dale |date=2006 |title=A Pool Player's Journey |publisher=Vantage Press |location=New York |isbn=9780533151769}}
* {{cite book |last=Knuchell |first=Edward D. |date=1974 |orig-date=1970 |title=Pocket Billiards with Cue Tips |publisher=A. S. Barnes and Co. |location=Cranbury, New Jersey |isbn=9780498073922 |url= https://archive.org/details/pocketbilliardsw0000knuc |via=Internet Archive |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |last=Leider |first=Nicholas |title=Pool and Billiards for Dummies |date=2010 |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |isbn=9780470565537 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=OVNZMylSVkwC&q=on%20the%20wire&pg=PA292 |via=Google Books}}
* {{cite book |last1=Mataya Laurance |first1=Ewa |author1-link=Ewa Laurance |last2=Shaw |first2=Thomas C. |date=1999 |title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pool & Billiards |publisher=Alpha Books |location=New York |isbn=9780028626451}} A newer version of this source is available: 2nd ed. (2004), {{ISBN|9781592572878}}.
* {{cite book |last=Shamos |first=Michael Ian |author-link=Michael Ian Shamos |date=1993 |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards |publisher=Lyons & Burford |location=New York |isbn=1558212191 |url= https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000sham
|via=Internet Archive |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |last=Shamos |first=Michael Ian |author-link=Michael Ian Shamos |date=1999 |title=The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards |publisher=Lyons Press |location=New York |isbn=9781558217973 |url= https://archive.org/details/newillustrateden0000sham |via=Internet Archive |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |last1=Stein |first1=Victor |last2=Rubino |first2=Paul |title=The Billiard Encyclopedia |edition=3rd |date=2008 |orig-date=1994 |publisher=Balkline Press |location=New York |isbn=9780615170923}}
* {{cite web |last=Stooke |first=Michael P. |date=March 14, 2010 |title=Definitions of Terms used in Snooker and English Billiards |at=<!--Obvious entries that relate to the ones here; see numbered pages glossary8.html, etc., as cited more specifically above.--> |work=SnookerGames.co.uk |location=Dorset, England |url= http://www.snookergames.co.uk/glossary1.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120417173644/http://www.snookergames.co.uk/glossary1.html |archive-date=April 17, 2012}} <small>This [[Wikipedia:Tertiary sources|tertiary source]] reuses information from other sources without citing them in detail. Stooke is a snooker instructor and writer whose work appears to be presumptively reliable, based on the sources he does cite throughout his materials.</small>
* {{cite web |publisher=[[World Eightball Pool Federation]] |title=World 8 Ball Pool Rules |date=2014 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |location=Perth, WA, Australia |url= https://www.wepf.org/docs/rules_2014.pdf |ref={{harvid|WEPF|2014}}}} These are also the rules of the English Pool Association and other national WEPF affiliates.<!--If old 2009 version needed for some reason, see: https://web.archive.org/web/20130626030244/http://www.wepf.org/WEPF%20Rules%202009%20poster.pdf-->
* {{Cite web |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards |date=2011 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |work=WorldSnooker.org |location=Bristol, England |url= http://www.worldsnooker.com/staticFiles/40/8d/0,,13165~167232,00.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150413054247/http://www.worldsnooker.com/staticFiles/40/8d/0,,13165~167232,00.pdf |archive-date=April 13, 2015 |ref={{harvid|WPBSA|2011}} }} A newer version of this source is available: [https://wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/Rulebook-Website-Updated-May-2022-2.pdf 2022 ed.]
* {{cite web |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |title=Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards |date=November 2019 |author=<!--Not stated--> |work=WPBSA.com |location=Bristol, England |url= https://www.wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/WPBSA-Snooker-and-Billiards-Rules-25.11.2019.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191224110404/https://www.wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/WPBSA-Snooker-and-Billiards-Rules-25.11.2019.pdf |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |ref={{harvid|WPBSA|2019}} }} A newer version of this source is available: [https://wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/Rulebook-Website-Updated-May-2022-2.pdf 2022 ed.]

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