Air barrels : When a player is gambling but has no money& can't
pay up .
Angled kick : Shot with draw or follow .
Artistic : Amazing performance .
Attack : potting ball(s) legally & getting good position on
the next one .
Attacking : Leaving the opponent with a very difficult shot
on his turn .
Avoidance : The cue ball path is controlled to avoid hitting
surrounding balls .
Back cut : A cut shot where the cue ball is shot away from
the target pocket .
Bad hit : Not hitting an object ball first , resulting in a foul .
Bang : Scattering balls without a clear vision of their next stop.
Bank : Making object ball(s) bounced off the rail(s) .
Bending : Applying massé spin to curve a ball’s trajectory
( e.g. , with a massé shot or with an angled kick shot with
draw or follow ) .
Billiard : A shot where the cue ball is deflected off
an object ball to strike a second object ball .
Break : The first opening shot where the cue ball is hit from
behind the head string (i.e., in the “ kitchen ” or " baulk " )
into the packed balls .
Call(ed) : A shot for which you specify the ball being targeted
and/or the target pocket .
Cannon : When playing the " Cue ball " to strike an object ball
& have the latter hit another ball (s) .
Cannon : Snooker term for “ carom ” .
Carom ( kiss ) : A shot where an object ball is deflected off
an incidental ball before being pocketed or striking
another object ball .
Check side : Making the cue ball to take a side spin which
narrows the angle when rebounds from the cushion .
Chinese : A self - made model of bridge's position to deliver
a shot.
Choke : Miss a shot due to nervousness under pressure .
Cocked - hat : Special kind of double where the object
ball's returning angle from the rail is close to 90 degree .
Clean : Having the target ball to go into the pocket
without contacting any other ball(s) .
Clearance : Make the remaining balls on the table in
succession to win a game .
Collision-induced : Sidespin imparted to the object ball
during a cut shot , caused by sliding friction between
the cue ball and the object ball .
Collision-induced throw : Throw caused by sliding friction
between the cue ball and the object ball caused by
a cut angle .
Combination : A shot where the cue ball hits an object ball
which then hits a different object ball(s) .
Combo : Same as a “ combination shot ” .
Counter : Double hit of the cue ball and object ball
during a bank shot .
Crawl : Playing softly to roll the cue-ball up to touch
the object ball .
Cross-corner : A bank shot off a long rail into a corner pocket .
Cross-side : A bank shot off a long rail into a side pocket .
Curve(d) : A shot using a slightly elevated cue stick and
bottom-side English to create massé action to have
the cue ball to curve a small amount around an obstacle ball .
Cut shot : A shot where the cue ball impacts the object ball
at an angle to the impact line (i.e. , the shot is not
“ straight-in ” ) .
Dart : A stroke , similar to the throwing motion for a dart ,
also applied to execute a jump shot , usually with a shorter
and/or lighter cue stick , even without using a bridge .
Dead : Term used to indicate that a carom or combination
shot is lined up perfectly ( i.e. , you can’t miss and your
play seems effortless , automatic , and confident ) .
Deep screw : Striking the cue ball below centre ( horizontal line ) .
Defensive : A shot where you try to pocket a ball ;
but if you miss the shot , you also planned to leave
the cue ball or object ball in a difficult position for
your opponent .
Defensive : Where the opponent can play an easy safety in return .
Dig under : An illegal shot , making the cue ball to jump up
to air ( same as shovel ) .
Dirty : Unsportsmanlike conduct or play .
Dog a shot : Miss a shot as a result of a “ choke ” or to miss it
due to the pressure .
Double : Billiard term for a “ bank shot ” .
Double : To rebound an object-ball from a cushion .
Double-double : Variations of double .
Double hit : An illegal shot where the cue stick hits the cue ball
twice during a stroke .
Double kiss : Double hit of the cue ball and object ball during
a bank shot .
Drag : Shot where bottom spin is used to slow the cue ball
on the way to the object ball and/or to create stun at
object ball impact . A drag shot is an alternative to
a slow-roll shot , where table roll-off might be more of an issue .
Draw : A shot in which the cue ball is struck below center
( horizontal line ) to impart bottom spin to the cue ball
& causing the cue ball to pull back from the object ball ,
after impact .
Duck : Slang term for potting a ball sitting close to a pocket
that is virtually impossible to miss .
Ducking : Playing a safety shot .
Dutch double : Male/female team that alternates shots .
Escape : Managing to get out of a difficult position , legally .
When snookered you have to play an " escape " shot .
Fantastic : A shot that causes applause from the audience .
Feather : A very thin cut shot .
Fluke : A shot to have a ball to pocket by pure luck .
Follow : A shot in which the cue ball is struck above center
to impart top-spin to the cue-ball , causing the cue ball
to roll forward while spins .
Follow through : The movement of the cue stick through
the cue ball position during& to the end of your stroke
in the direction of the aiming line , after making
contact with the cue ball .
Force : When the shot is played with great strength it is
known as a forcing (or power) shot .
Force an angle : If the pot is played to pocket the ball in
one side of the pocket or the other it is described as
trying to " force an angle " .
Force follow : Maximum top-spin follow shot hit with high speed .
Forcing : A shot played above normal pace with a specific objective .
Fouetté ( pronounced “ fwet-tay ” ) : A shot that uses tip
offset (i.e., English) and cue stick
deflection to avoid a double-hit when there is a small gap
between the cue ball and object ball. A fast , full stroke
is used so the cue stick deflects away while the cue ball clears .
Foul : A violation of the rules of the game while shooting
incurring a penalty .
Full-ball : A direct hit with no cut angle .
Good : A legal shot where the cue ball hits the object ball first .
Grand massé : " Massé " played without resting the
bridge-hand on the table " .
Half-ball : A shot where the cue ball aiming line passes
through the edge of the object ball .
High run : The highest number ( points ) of consecutive
balls made by a player in a game .
Hook(ed) : Whenever one of the players shoots and misses ,
but by luck or design leaves his opponent no shot . Often used
without the connotation of luck .
Hustle : Misleading others about your true ability and
taking advantage of it by gambling with them and/or
others . Also refers to cheating in general .
Hug the rail : Making a ball roll along a rail cushion .
In jail : Leave an opponent without a shot ( safe ) .
In Off : When a ball goes into a pocket after striking
another ball . Normally referring to the cue ball .
In-and-safe : A special safety shot in the games like 8 ball ,
9 ball … , where you declare “ in-and-safe ” or “ safety ”
before the shot , and you return the table to your opponent
after your shot , even if you legally pocket one of your
object balls . The purpose is to leave the cue ball in
a difficult position for your opponent ( a tactical shot ) .
Inside cut : A bank shot where the cue ball hits the object ball
on the side toward the bank direction , relative to the aiming line .
The cue ball imparts natural (running) collision-induced English
to the object ball .
Inside English : Sidespin in the direction of the object ball
in a cut shot (e.g., when the cue ball strikes an object ball
on the left side , creating a cut shot to the right ,
right side-spin would be called “ inside English ” and
left sidespin would be “ outside English ” ) .
Insurance ball : An easily pocketed ball ( e.g., a ball in the jaws
of a pocket ) that you leave untouched until you need it to get out
of trouble (e.g., when you create poor position after a shot ) .
Intentional foul : A deliberate foul shot used to give you
a strategic advantage .
Jab : A short punch-like stroke .
Jacked up : Refer to an elevated cue-stick When
shooting over another ball .
Jawed : When the object ball bounces between
the two tits of a pocket and fails to fall into the pocket .
Jump shot ( legal ) : A shot in which the cue ball is
bounced off the table surface , with a downward stroke ,
to jump over an obstacle ball .
Jump shot ( illegal ) : An illegal shot in which the cue ball
is lifted off the table's playing Surface to jump over
an obstacle ball by hitting the cue ball way below center .
Key ball : The ball before the final ball of the game,
used to get position on the final shot.
Kick : Having the cue ball hit the rail before
an object ball . Also refers to a poor contact between cue ball
and object ball .
Kick : A shot in which the cue ball bounces off one or more
rails before contacting the object ball . Ball gets thrown off
its target line ( mostly because of dirt ) .
Kill : A shot where you use draw or reverse English to limit
the cue ball’s motion after object ball or rail contact .
Kiss : Contact by the cue ball on a object ball . Same as cannon
or “ carom shot ” or “ billiard shot ” .
Lag : A skill shot used to determine which player will start
the game . Each player must shoot a ball from behind
the string ( baulk ) along the table's long rails and return
it as close as possible to the near rail ( where you start shooting )
after bouncing off the opposite rail .
Leave : The position of the balls after a player’s shot .
A “ good ” leave is one in which the ball positions for
the next shot are desirable .
Legal : Shot in which the cue ball strikes a legal object ball
first and either an object ball is Pocketed or some ball hits
a rail after contact with the object ball .
Long : When a ball rolls too far , or when a shot misses
beyond the target .
Massé : A shot where an elevated and firm stroke is used
with extreme bottom-side English which may significantly
curve the path of the cue ball (e.g., around an obstacle ball) .
Money : A key shot in a game that , if pocketed ,
will usually result in a victory .
Miss : A poor shot which does not hit the intended object ball .
Miscall : Performance of a shot other than the one intended .
Miscue : Hitting the cue ball with parts other than cue- stick's tip .
Natural position :“ Shape ” that results from a slow , natural-roll
shot with no English .
Nice : Potting a fairly difficult object ball .
Nip : A shot with little or no follow through .
Over cut : Hitting the object ball with too large of a cut angle ,
hitting the ball too thinly .
Outside cut : Term used to describe a bank shot where
the cue ball hits the object ball on the side away from
the bank direction , relative to the aiming line .
The cue ball imparts reverse collision-induced English
to the object ball .
Pattern play : Strategically playing the balls in a certain order
based on position and groupings .
Persian : Amazing performance ( same as artistic ) .
Piqué ( pronounced pee-Kay ) : same as masse' but a screw
shot played with a vertical cue applying no English , when
the balls are so close that there is not enough room to
follow through with the cue held horizontally .
The " massé " forces the cue-ball to curve by a combination
of back-spin and side-spin .
Plain ball : Striking the cue ball dead centre .
Plant : To play one object-ball onto another
(Snooker or British term for a frozen carom shot) .
Pocket speed : The slowest you can hit a shot and still
pocket an object ball . The object ball is given just enough
speed to reach and drop into the pocket .
Poke : When your lower arm's muscles get tightened you will poke on the shot .
Polo : Smooth swing mostly used for the break shot .
Position : To make the next shot easier you would be playing " position ".
Position play : Using controlled cue ball speed and English
to achieve good cue ball position for subsequent shots .
Pot : legal shots made .
Power break : A break shot , hit with a lot of force ,
resulting in active scatter of the racked balls .
Power : The term given to advanced cueing techniques
played at speed , with power .
Press : Making the cue ball go off- line .
Pressure : Keeping the cue-stick in-line while performing
a fallow through ( low to high ) .
Proposition : Offer of a wager on an unusual or difficult
shot that a “ … ” might think is unlikely to be made .
Taking the player's turn by offering him some advantage .
Punch : Tighten shooting hand's muscle will result a punch
where makes the cue ball to take off and up to the air
instead of smooth rolling .
Push : An illegal shot where the cue-stick's tip kind of sticks
to cue ball& remains in contact with the cue ball longer
than is appropriate for a normal stroke on a legal shot
( tough to call though . Causes a lot of trouble .
It has to be defined more specifically ) .
Push-out : A special shot allowed after the break in games like
9-ball where you can hit the cue ball anywhere on the table
and your opponent has the option to shoot the next shot or
have you shoot instead .
Rail cut : A cut shot where the object ball is frozen to the rail
cushion along which the ball is cut .
Rail-first : A shot where the cue ball is kicked off a rail
in close proximity to the object ball instead of hitting
the object ball directly .
Rail throw-back : The term used to describe the reduction
in bank rebound angle due to sideways compression of the rail ,
especially evident at high speed .
Rat in : To make a ball by luck . Typically said of shooting
a ball for a given pocket , and having it fall in some other pocket .
Reverse-double : Variations of double .
Roll : Refers to when the player shooting has something
( unlucky / lucky ) happen to him .
Run : A series of balls pocketed in succession during one
player's turn .
Run out : Make the remaining balls on the table in succession
to win a game ( clearance ) .
Run out : To break and shoot in all the balls without giving
your opponent a chance or a turn at the table .
Running English (AKA “ natural English ” ) : Side-spin that
causes the cue ball to speed up after bouncing off a rail ,
also resulting in a larger rebound angle . The spin is in the
direction that results in “ rolling ” along the rail during contact .
Run the rack : Same as “ run the table out ” .
Run-through : Striking the cue-ball above centre .
Safety : Defensive position play shot where you leave your
opponent in a difficult situation/position that is deemed
to be safe . The best safety shot of course is a " snookered " .
Scoop : An illegal jump shot executed by hitting very low
on the cue ball . Used to describe the motion of the cue
when lifted above the horizontal .
Scratch : Pocketing the cue ball by accident during a shot ,
resulting a foul .
Screw : Also referred to as ‘ backspin ’ imparted
when the cue ball is struck below centre which makes
the cue ball roll back-wards .
Sell out : To leave a good shot for the next player and
some times a bad shot for the shooter that results in
loss of a game or the whole match .
Set : A type of plant in which the two object balls are touching .
Shovel : To dig-under .
Shot : The action of hitting the cue ball into an object ball(s)
with the goal of sending the object ball along
the desired & intended path .
Shot maker : A person good at making difficult shots .
Shot making : Potting ball (s) .
Shot to Nothing : Tactical shot in which a pot is attempted
in such a way as to leave the opponent safe if the shot is missed .
Also caller for an un-plant shot .
Side : Striking the cue ball left or right of it's centre .
Skill shot : A difficult shot requiring more ability than a typical shot .
Skrew : Snooker or British term used for a draw shot or bottom spin .
Slop : A shot with no clear objective , usually hit hard
in the hopes that something might go in or the striker
gets a good position by luck .
Slow screw : Striking the cue ball below centre which may
cause the cue ball roll forward after the impact or draws
back but not very far .
Slow-roll : A shot hit very softly , where the cue ball rolls
almost immediately , regardless of cue tip offset ( drag shots ) .
Table roll-off can be more of an issue with these shots .
Snatch: On the shot when the cue is not delivered smoothly .
Speed control : Using the correct amount of cue ball speed
to achieve good position for the next shot .
Spot : Hitting the cue ball dead center results the cue ball
to occupy the exact object ball's position after impact .
Stop : A shot where the cue ball stops immediately after
hitting the object ball . It results from a straight-on stun shot .
Straight-in : A shot in which the cue ball is directly in-line
with the object ball and the intended pocket ( i.e. ,
a shot where the cut angle is zero ) .
Stun : Forcing the cue ball to stop right after the impact
where the cue ball has no top or bottom spin by applying power .
Stun run-through : Forcing the cue ball to roll forwards right
after the impact where the cue ball has no top or bottom
spin by applying power/press .
Swerve : Striking down on the cue-ball ( with the cue-stick elevated ) .
Swoop : Sideways motion of the grip hand , used by some
to add English during a stroke .
Thin cut : A shot requiring a large cut angle , where only
a small fraction of the cue ball glances the object ball .
Top speed : Refers to how well a person plays the game .
Throw : A shot in which English is used to alter the path
of the object ball .
Twist : Use spin to alter a shot (e.g., use spin-transfer to
“ twist ” a bank in , or use SIT to “ twist ” a shot in ) .
Two-way : A shot where you attempt to pocket a ball and ,
at the same time , play for a safety in case you miss the shot .
Under cut : Hitting the object ball with too small of a cut angle ,
hitting the ball too fully .
The Tit : The ' tit ' is used to refer to the corner of the side pocket
on pocket billiards tables .Many shots meant for the side and
even rail shots that have to pass by the side end up hitting
the side ' tittie ' , usually causing a miss .
Treble : Variations of double .
Trick : Amazing performance ( Artistic ) .
Warm-up : To find out the table's roll . Back and forth motion
of the cue stick used to prepare for the final forward stroke .
Whip : A shot that uses tip offset (i.e., English) and cue stick
deflection to avoid a double-hit when there is a small gap
between the cue ball and object ball . A fast , full stroke is
used so the cue stick deflects away while the cue ball clears .
Same as “ fouetté shot ” .
Definitions , terms , verbs , slang , … , said are not completed yet .
Be kind to " Billiard " and submit yours .
Be sport … Become ADIB
P.S : ADIB : The Wise man – Wise shot .
