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44 terms
Cue ball
The ball struck by the cue tip.
Also: white ball
Open an example →Object ball
A ball other than the cue ball.
Open an example →Cushion
The rebound surface bordering the playing area.
Also: rail
Open an example →Cushion nose
The inward projecting edge of the cushion.
Open an example →Diamond
A rail marker used as an aiming reference.
Open an example →Head string
The transverse reference line near the breaking end.
Open an example →Kitchen
The area behind the head string.
Open an example →Foot spot
The marked reference used to position a rack.
Open an example →Lag
A return-distance contest commonly used to determine break choice.
Open an example →Break
The opening shot into a rack.
Open an example →Cut shot
An off-center ball collision redirecting the object ball.
Open an example →Bank shot
An object ball rebounds from a cushion before its intended pocket.
Open an example →Kick shot
The cue ball contacts a cushion before the target object ball.
Open an example →Combination
One object ball strikes another to produce the intended result.
Also: combo
Open an example →Carom
A rebound from one ball into another; usage varies by cue sport.
Also: billiard
Open an example →Scratch
Pocketing the cue ball; a type of foul.
Open an example →Ball in hand
Permission to position the cue ball within the applicable rules.
Open an example →Safety
A strategically defensive shot; declaration requirements depend on the game.
Open an example →Frozen
Touching another ball or a cushion.
Open an example →Stun
No top or bottom spin at object-ball contact. Sidespin may remain.
Open an example →Stop shot
A full-hit stun result that stops the cue ball near contact.
Open an example →Draw
Backspin used to produce backward cue-ball motion after contact.
Also: backspin, screw, bottom spin
Open an example →Follow
Forward-spin cue-ball continuation after object-ball contact.
Also: topspin
Open an example →English
Sidespin, possibly combined with top or bottom spin.
Also: side
Open an example →Running English
Sidespin acting with the travel along a particular cushion.
Open an example →Reverse English
Sidespin checking travel along a particular cushion.
Also: check, hold-up
Open an example →Inside English
Sidespin on the same side as the object-ball cut direction.
Open an example →Outside English
Sidespin on the opposite side to the object-ball cut direction.
Open an example →Squirt
Initial cue-ball deflection caused by an off-center tip hit.
Also: deflection
Open an example →Swerve
Curvature of the cue-ball path from spin and cloth interaction.
Open an example →Throw
Frictional change to the object-ball direction during ball contact.
Also: cut induced throw, spin induced throw, CIT, SIT
Open an example →Bridge
The hand or support guiding the forward portion of the cue.
Open an example →Mechanical bridge
A separate cue-support tool for difficult reaches.
Also: rest
Open an example →Tangent line
The line perpendicular to the line of centers at contact.
Open an example →An opening where a ball can leave the playing surface. Its mouth is not an intact cushion.
Also: pocket mouth
Open an example →Rack
The arranged group of balls before the break, the tool used to arrange them, or a unit of play; context matters.
Also: racking
Open an example →Spot-on-the-wall
A calibrated off-table landmark used to reproduce an aim for a selected cushion route. Its location depends on the route and conditions.
Also: spot on the wall, triangle reference
Open an example →Tip offset
The tip’s contact displacement from cue-ball center, measured in the plane perpendicular to the cue. Side and high/low offsets combine into one radial offset.
Also: cue contact, contact offset, clock face
Open an example →Natural roll
Forward rotation matched to travel so the ball’s bottom point is momentarily still against the cloth. It can coexist with sidespin.
Also: rolling without slipping, normal roll
Open an example →Overspin
Forward rotation faster than the natural-rolling amount for the ball’s travel speed. Cloth friction changes this state.
Also: excess topspin
Open an example →Spin transfer
Contact friction changes the balls’ rotation. On a near-full hit with cue-ball sidespin, the object ball can acquire a little opposite sidespin.
Also: transferred spin, induced spin, SIS, CIS
Open an example →Gearing outside English
The outside-spin amount that reduces sideways rubbing between the ball surfaces at contact, reducing throw. It depends on the cut and arrival state.
Also: gearing spin, gearing outside
Open an example →Impulse
Force accumulated over contact time, measured in newton-seconds. The cue’s impulse changes ball momentum; offset impulse also changes spin.
Also: strike impulse, cue impulse, strike force
Open an example →Corner-5
A named three-rail diamond system with specific cue-ball, first-rail, and third-rail numbering. Check its conventions and calibrate the table.
Also: corner five, diamond system
Open an example →Original short definitions, linked to instructional examples. Game-dependent terms defer to the named rule profile.