sport terms dictionary B class

back crawl (swimming) a former term for the backstroke
back door (golf) the back or side of the holewhen
entered by the ball
back down(rowing) to move a boat backward by
pushing the oars
back edge(fencing) the opposite edge of the saber
from the cutting edge
back foot(general) the right foot, of a right-handed
person, as the one further from the target
back four(association football) the four backsin a
4-4-2 formation
back full(trampolining) a backward somersault
with a full twist
back giant(g ymnastics) a giantin which the gymnastswings clockwise, his palms facing in the
same direction as his stomach
back handspring(g ymnastics) a backfliponto the
hands from a standing position on one or both
feet that leads to a landing upright on the floor
or apparatus
back-in, full-out(g ymnastics) a double saltowith
a full twistmade during the second salto
back judge(American football) a member of the
officiating team positioned downfieldof the line
of scrimmageat the side of the fieldwho rules
on whether a passis fairly caught
back nine(golf) the last nine holeson a course
back of a length(cricket) a ballpitched short of a
length (but not so as to be actually short)
back pass(association football) a passback to one’s
own goalkeeper, who must observe the backpass rule
back-pass rule(association football) a rule introduced in 1992 which states that a goalkeeper
receiving a back passmay not handle the ballin
the penalty box
back-pedal(boxing) to retreat from an opponent
while still facing them
back pocket(Australian Rules) a defensive player
who runs the ballout of defense
back pullover(trampolining) a move in which, following a backdrop, the legs are pulled or pushed
over the head into a three-quarter somersault
onto the feet
back row (rugby union) the three forwards(two
flankersand the number eight) at the back of
a scrum
back shot(polo) a shotplayed in the opposite direction to the movement of play
back straight(athletics) the straight part of a track
furthest from the finish; (horse racing) the
straight part of a racecoursefurthest from the
finish
back stretch(athletics, horse racing) anther term
for the back straight
back swing(g ymnastics) a backward swing
11 autumn • back swing
back the field(horse racing) to bet on the rest of the
runnersrather than the favorite
back three(rugby union) the wingersand full
back, as the players usually furthest back in a
defensive situation
back up(angling) to fish a pool from the bottom
toward the top by making a castacross then
walking slowly backward upstream; (cricket) (1)
as a fielder, to be in readiness to stop the ballif
it is missed by another fielder; (2) as the batsman
at the non-striker’send, to start to move down
the pitchin readiness for a possible run made by
the striker; (lacrosse) to place a player directly
behind the line of a shotat goalin order to resume possession if the shot is blocked or deflected
back walkover (g ymnastics) a move in which a
bridgeis executed then each leg brought forward in turn via a handstandposition
backboard(basketball) the board fixed behind the
basketto deflect the ball; (ice hockey) a board
fixed behind the goal; (tennis) a wall or other
surface against which a player can practice shots
backbreaker(wrestling) a holdin which a wrestler
presses his opponent down on his back over his
knee or shoulder
backcast(angling) to throw a fishing lineback before making a cast
backcheck(ice hockey) to check an opponent while
skating backward toward one’s own goal
backcourt(tennis) the area of the court between the
service line and the baseline
backcourt violation(basketball) the offenseof
passing the ballback across the center lineto a
colleague
backdoor play(lacrosse) a playin which a player
sends the ballaround the back of the defense
toward either wingthen makes for the goal
backdoor slider(baseball) a pitchthat appears to
be beyond the outside part of the strike zone
but that then breaks back over the plate
backdrop(trampolining) a landing made on the back
backfall(wrestling) a fallon the back
backfield(American football) the players who line
up behind the line of scrimmage
backfist(karate) a punch with the back of the fist
backflip(g ymnastics) a backward aerial somersault
backhand(bowls) the part of the rinkto the left of
a right-handed player, and to the right of a lefthanded player; (tennis) (1) (of ) a strokewith the
back of the hand facing toward one’s opponent;
(2) the part of the courtto the left of a righthanded player, and to the right of a left-handed
player, where it often necessary to play backhand
backhand chop(table tennis) a chopmade backhand
backhand drive(table tennis) a drivemade backhand
backhand flick(table tennis) a flickmade backhand
backhand push(table tennis) a pushmade backhand
backhander(general) a blow or stroke made
backhand
backheel(association football) a passor shotmade
with the heel
backlift(association football) a backward raising of
the leg before the ballis kicked; (cricket) a backward lifting of the bat before the strokeis made
backline(general) a line marking the end limit of
play; (rugby union) the players lined across the
fieldbehind a scrumor lineout
backmarker(general) (1) a contestant who starts a
racewith the least advantageous handicap; (2)
a competitor at the back of the field
backpaddle(canoeing) to push the paddlebackward in order to reverse the direction of motion
backscratcher(skiing) an aerial maneuver in which
the skiertouches his back with the tails of both
skis, keeping his legs together and his knees bent
under his body
backside air(snowboarding) an aerial maneuver
executed off the backside wall of the half-pipe
backside rotation(snowboarding) a clockwise rotation for a regular footeror an anticlockwise rotation for a goof y footer
backside wall(snowboarding) the wall of the halfpipe behind the back of the boarder
backspin(general) a backward motion imparted to
a ballwhen struck, as in golfor snooker; (table
tennis) a backward rotation given to the balleither by striking it with a downward movement
or by a chopof the bat
backstop(baseball) a screen or wall that acts as a
barrier behind the catcher; (cricket) an alternate
name for a longstop; (rounders) the player behind
the batterwho stops the ball; (spaceball) the
frame at the end of each courtthat serves as a
scoring area
backstroke(swimming) a strokeperformed on the
back, with alternate backward circular movements of the arms and scissor movements of the
legs
backstroke flags(swimming) flags suspended above
and across the pool near each end, positioned to
show backstroke swimmerswhere to turn
backswing(golf) the movement that lifts the club
back and away from the ballpreparatory to
striking it
backward(swimming) a dive in which the diver
starts with his back toward the water and rotates
away from the board
backward point(cricket) a fieldingposition on the
off sidesimilar to point but further out from
the batsman and behind the line of his wicket
back the field • backward 12
badminton(sport) a gamefor two or four people
on a courtwith a netplayed with lightweight
racketsand a shuttlecock, the object being to
win more pointsthan the oppositionby preventing the shuttlecock from hitting the ground
[first played in the 1870s at Badminton House,
Gloucestershire, country seat of the dukes of
Beaufort]
Badminton(equestrianism) short name of the Badminton Horse Trials, an annual three-day event
held in the grounds of Badminton House,
Gloucestershire, seat of the dukes of Beaufort
baff(billiards) to hit the tablebefore hitting the
ball; (golf) to strike the ground with the sole
of the cluband so send the ballhigh into the
air
baffing spoon(golf) a former term for the spoon
more commonly known as a baff y
baff y(golf) the former name of a 4-wood, a spoon
like a brassybut with a slightly shorter shaft
and a more concave face [perhaps from French
baffe, “slap in the face”]
bag(angling) the amount of fish caught; (baseball)
any basebut home base; (cricket) (1) the total
of wicketstaken in an innings or matchby a
particular bowler; (2) shortening of cricket bag;
(golf) shortening of golf bag
bag boy(golf) a male member of the coursestaff
who helps place a player’s clubson a cart
bag drop(golf) the place where a bag boyor bag
girlpicks up a player’s clubs
bag girl(golf) a female member of the coursestaff
who helps place a player’s clubson a cart
bag tag(golf) the tag that identifies a particular
player’s bag
bagel(tennis) shortening of bagel job
bagel job(tennis) colloquial term for a setwon in
six straight games[from the resemblance of the
loser’s zero scoreto a bagel]
Baggies(association football) nickname of the English clubWest Bromwich Albion [from the bags
in which the stewardscarried the gate money
along the touchlineto their office]
baggy green(cricket) the baggy green cap worn by
Australian Testplayers
Bahrain Grand Prix(auto racing) the Formula
One international Grand Prixheld on the circuit at Sakhir, Bahrain
bail(cricket) one of the two bailson the wicket
bail out(golf) to play cautiously, as in a short
gamearound a greenguarded by bunkers
bailer(cricket) another term for a full toss[it is
aimed at the bails]
bails(cricket) the two small wooden crosspieces
atop the stumpsthat form the wicket, which
when dislodged denote that the batsmanis out
Bairns(association football) nickname of the Scottish clubFalkirk [Scots bairns, “children,” a local
name for the townsfolk]
bait(angling) the food on a hookthat attracts fish
and offers them a bite
bait waiter(angling) a tray that screws into a bank
stickto hold boxes of bait
baitfish(angling) a small fish used as bait
baize(billiards, snooker) the green woolen cloth
that covers the bedof the billiard table
baker(angling) a type of artificial flyused in
salmon-fishing
balance beam (g ymnastics) a formal name for the
beam
balestra(fencing) an attacking movement consisting of a jumpforward with both feet immediately followed by a lunge[Italian balestra, “crossbow”]
balk(baseball) an illegal action by the pitcher in
which he fails to deliver a pitchafter beginning
the motion to do so, thus deceiving a baserunner; (billiards, snooker) the part of the billiard
tablewhere play begins, marked off by the balkline
balkline(athletics) a line marking the boundary
for a preliminary run when jumping; (billiards,
snooker) a line across the bottom of the billiard
table 29 inches (73.3cm) from the cushion;
(croquet) the line at each end of the court from
which players start
ball(association football, rugby union) a passto a
teammate; (baseball) a pitchoutside the strike
zone; (cricket) a deliveryby the bowler; (general)
(1) the round or oval object of varying size,
shape, and composition with which a gameor
sport is played, as a baseball, billiard ball,or
football; (2) a gameplayed with a ball, as American footballor baseball
ball carrier (rugby league, rugby union) the player
carrying the ballat any given moment
ball court(general) an area such as a paved yard
used for ball games
ball game(general) any gameplayed with a ball
ball hawk(American football) colloquial term for
a player who is quick to get possessionof the
ball
ball-out(trampolining) a one-and-a-quarter forward somersault executed after a backdrop
ball player(association football) a player with good
ball skills; (baseball) a player of the game
ball skills(association football) the knowledge and
expertise required of a ball player
ball tampering(cricket) an infringement in which
the surface of the ballis artificially altered during a gameto gain an advantage, as by raising its
seamwith a fingernail or applying a substance to
shine it
ball up(Australian Rules) the procedure for starting
13 badminton • ball
a game, in which the umpirebounces the ball
in the center of the fieldand the ruckmencompete for possession
ballboy(association football) a boy stationed on the
sidelinesto return the ballfor a throw-in, collect corner flagsafter a match, and the like;
(tennis) a boy who retrieves ballsthat are out of
play and returns them to the players, supplies
balls to the players, and the like
ballet(ice skating, skiing) a movement or performance like that of a ballet dancer
ballet leg(swimming) a position in synchronized
swimmingin which one leg is extended perpendicular to the surface of the water
ballet leg double (swimming) a position in synchronized swimmingin which both legs are extended perpendicular to the surface of the water
ballgirl(association football) a girl stationed on the
sidelinesto return the ball to the players when
it goes out of play, collect the corner flagsafter
a match, and the like; (tennis) a girl who retrieves ballsthat are out of play and returns them
to the players, supplies balls to the players, and
the like
ballkid(tennis) general term for a ballboyor ballgirl
Ballon d’Or(association football) an annual award
to the player adjudged the European Footballer
of the Year, first made in 1956 [French ballon
d’or, “golden ball”]
balloon(cricket) to score a duck; (general) a high
kick or hitof a ball
ballooning(sport) racing or competing in hot-air
balloons, with contests of altitude, distance, duration of flight, accuracy of landing, and the like
ballpark(baseball) a stadiumfor baseball
ballwinner(association football) a player adept at
winning the ball
Ballybunion(golf) a golf courseat Ballybunion,
Co. Kerry, Ireland
Baltimore chop(baseball) a chopperthat enables
the batterto reach first basebefore a fieldercan
catch the ball[originally practiced by Baltimore
Orioles]
banana kick(association football) a sharply curving shotmade with the inside of the boot
banana shot(golf) an extreme slicethat sends the
ballon a curving trajectory
bandbox(baseball) a ballparksmaller than average, in which it is easy to hit home runs
bandit(golf) an amateurplayer with an undeservedly high handicap, giving an advantage in
competitions
bandy(sport) a gamesimilar to hockey played on
ice with curved sticksbetween teams of 11players, the object being to score goals[perhaps same
word as bandy, “to toss from one to another”]
Banff Springs(golf) a golf courseat Banff, Alberta, Canada
bang-bang(baseball) a moment of play when a
runnerand the ballarrive at a basealmost simultaneously
bank(billiards, snooker) another term for a cushion
bank shot (basketball) a shotthat sends the balloff
the backboardinto the basket
bank stick(angling) a device that secures a keepneton a river bank
banker(association football) a resultforecast identically in a series of entries on a football coupon
Bankies(association football) nickname of the Scottish clubClydebank
banking(cycling) the inclined tracksurface of a
velodrome
Bantams(association football) nickname of the English clubBradford City [from the domestic
fowl, the male of which is a lively fighter]
bantamweight(boxing) the professional weight
category of maximum 54kg (118lb)
banzuki(sumo) the official ranking list of wrestlers
[Japanese banzuke, “list”]
bar(athletics) the crossbar to be cleared in the high
jump or pole vault; (weightlifting) shortening
of barbell
bar billiards (billiards) a scaled-down version of
billiardsplayed in bars
bar hop(cycling) in BMX, to move from the saddle to the handlebars while the bikeis in motion
barani(trampolining) a forward somersaultwith a
half-twist [apparently a proper name]
barani-in (trampolining) a double forward somersaultwith a half-twistin the first somersault
barani-out(trampolining) a double forward somersaultwith a half-twistin the second somersault
barb(angling) a backward-facing projection near
the point of a hook
Barbarians(rugby union) an international invitational team with no groundor clubhouse,
founded in England in 1890 [perhaps so named
from the popular conception of rugby players as
mindless thugs]
Barbars(rugby union) nickname of the Barbarians
barbell(weightlifting) a bar with attached disk
weightsand collars[blend of barand dumbbell]
barber(baseball) (1) colloquial term for a talkative
player [like the commentator “Red” Barber]; (2)
a pitcherwho fires ballsas the head of the batter, so forcing him away from the plate[as did
Sal “The Barber” Maglie]
Barça(association football) nickname of the Spanish clubBarcelona
barebow(archery) a type of recurve bowbut with
no sightor stabilizer
ballboy • barebow 14
barefoot skiing (water skiing) a form of the sport
practiced without skis
barmaid(tenpin bowling) a pin that remains hidden behind another pin [like a barmaid behind
a bar counter]
Barmy Army (cricket) nickname for British supportersof the English national team, especially
when playing test matches abroad [so dubbed by
the Australian media for their vociferous enthusiasm]
barn(horse racing) a collection of loose boxesin a
yard
barrage(bowls) a cluster of bowlsaround the jack;
(general) a heator roundto elect contestants or
to serve as a tie break, as a jump-offin showjumping
barrel(darts) the metal part of the dart; (surfing) the
hollow space beneath the curl of a breaking wave
barrier(horse racing) another term for the starting gate
bas(hurling) the flat blade of the hurley
base(baseball) one of the four stations around the
corners of the infield that must be reached in
turn when scoring a run; (rounders) one of the
four fixed points marked by posts that must be
run around to score a rounder
base hit(baseball) a hitthat enables the batterto
reach a base safely
base jumping(sport) a form of parachutingfrom
the summit of a structure or natural height, especially a landmark, rather than from an aircraft
[name devised as an acronym of building, aerial,
span (as a bridge), earth (as a mountain), the four
objects from which the jumpis properly made,
but later associated with “base” as the foot of the
object where the jumper lands]
base on balls(baseball) the advance to first base
awarded to a batterafter the pitcherhas thrown
four ballsoutside the strike zone
base-stealer(baseball) a baserunner who advances
to the nextbasewhen no hitor errorhas been
made
baseball(sport) (1) a gameplayed with bat, ball,
and gloves between two teams of nine players, the
object being for each batterto hit the ball delivered by the opponents’ pitcherthen run around
a diamond-shaped circuit of four basesto score
a run; (2) the hard ballused in baseball
baseball bat(baseball) the batused in baseball
baseball pass(basketball) a long fast passin which
the ball is thrown overarm
baseline(badminton, tennis) the backlineat each
end of the court; (baseball) a line that joins two
bases
baseliner(tennis) a player who plays mainly from
the baselineand only rarely approaches the net
baseman(baseball) a fielderstationed near first
base(as first baseman), second base(second
baseman), or third base(third baseman)
baserunner(baseball) a batterwho has reached
first basesafely and is now attempting to complete the circuit
bases-loaded(baseball) made or occurring at the
moment when baserunnersoccupy first base,
second base, and third base
basher(skiing) colloquial term for a fast or reckless
skier
basho(sumo) a tournamentcomprising 15 matches
[Japanese ba, “place,” and sho, “place,” the repeated meanings serving for emphasis]
basic swing (skiing) a snowplowstart to a turn
and a parallel turnto finish
basket(basketball) (1) the net (originally fruit basket) fixed on a ring that is used as a goal; (2) a
scored goal; (skiing) the circular part of a ski
sticknear its base that prevents the pole from
going too deep into the snow
basket catch(baseball) a catchmade by fielderat
waist height as the balldrops over his shoulder
[the player’s arms and hands form a “basket”]
basketball(sport) (1) a gameplayed between teams
of five players, the object being to toss the ball
into the opponents’ basketto score a goal; (2) the
large inflated ballused in the game
bat(baseball) the rounded wooden implement
used to strike the ball; (cricket) (1) shortening of
cricket bat; (2) a turn at batting; (3) a batsman; (horse racing) a short whipused by a
jockey; (table tennis) the small rubber-coated
implement used to strike the ball; (tennis) colloquial term for a racket; (trapball) the small
flat implement with which the ballis hit away
from the trap
bat-pad catch(cricket) a catchtaken after the ball
has struck the batof the batsmanand then rebounded off his pad
Bath (horse racing) a flat racecourseat Bath, western England
batinton(sport) a gamefor two or four players
based on badmintonwith a scoring system as
in table tennis [blend of batand badminton]
baton(athletics) the metal cylinder passed from one
runner to another in a relay race
batsman(cricket) the player with a bat who attempts to strike the balldelivered by the bowler
and score runs
batter(baseball) the player with a batwho attempts to strike the balldelivered by the pitcher
and score a run; (rounders) the player with a bat
who attempts to hit the balldelivered by the
bowlerand score a rounder
batter’s box(baseball) the place where the batter
stands to receive the pitch
battery(baseball) collective term for the pitcher
15 barefoot • battery
and catcher[originally the term for the pitcher
alone, as the player who delivered a “battery” of
pitches]
batting(baseball, cricket) playing with a bat, as distinct from fielding
batting average(baseball) a scorecalculated for a
batter by dividing his total number of hitsby his
number of at bats; (cricket) a scorecalculated
for a batsman by dividing his total number of
runs by the number of times he has been out
batting order(baseball) the order in which a team’s
battersare at bat; (cricket) the order in which a
team’s batsmengo in to bat
batting track(cricket) fuller term for the track
baulksee balk
baulklinesee balkline
BCS(American football) abbreviation of Bowl
Championship Series
beach cricket(cricket) an informal gameplayed
on the beach
beach football(association football) an informal
game played on the beach
beach start(water skiing) a start from the beach,
with the skier sitting in the water holding the
towbar of the boat
beach volleyball(volleyball) a form of the game
played barefoot on an outdoor sandy court between teams of two players [originally played on
a beach]
beach wicket(cricket) a slow or dry and dusty
wicket[like one found in beach cricket]
beachball(general) a large inflatable usually colored
ballfor gameson the beach
beachbreak(surfing) the point where a wave breaks
on the approach to a sandy beach
beam(g ymnastics) the raised wooden beam on
which gymnastsperform balancing exercises
beamer(cricket) a fast full tossdelivered to a batsman at head height
beanball(baseball) a ballpitched at the head of
the batter; (cricket) another term for a beamer
[from colloquial bean, “head”]
bear hug (wrestling) a holdthat tightly grips an
opponent’s arms and upper body
Bears(American football) short name of the
Chicago Bears team
beat(angling) a stretch of riverbank noted for good
fishing; (sailing) to sail as close as possible to directly into the wind
beat the board(athletics) to thrust the foot down
hard on the boardin the long jump
beatout(baseball) a playin which a battermakes
a runto first baseby outrunning the throwof
the fielderdesigned to stop him
beautiful game(sport) journalistic nickname for
association football [the phrase is attributed to
the Brazilian football Pelé (1940–), whose 1977
autobiography was titled My Life and the Beautiful Game]
Becher’s Brook(horse racing) a difficult jumpon
the Grand Nationalcourse at Aintree[named
for Captain Martin Becher (1797–1864), who
fell here in the first racein 1839]
bed(billiards, snooker) the flat surface of slate on the
billiard tableon which the baizeis laid; (darts)
one of the two narrow rings scoring a doubleor
treble in the main segment of a dartboard;
(trampolining) the area of the trampolineon
which performers bounce and perform routines
bed and breakfast (darts) colloquial term for a
scoreof 26 [from two and sixin its general sense
of “two shillings and six pence,” the traditional
cost of bed and breakfast at an inn]
Bees(association football) (1) nickname of the English clubBarnet; (2) nickname of the English
club Brentford [initial of the names, with a hint
at the stinging insect]
behind(Australian Rules) a goal, worth one point,
scored between one of the behind postsand the
main goalposts
behind post(Australian Rules) one of the two small
posts on either side of the main goalposts
belay(mountaineering) (1) the turn of a rope
around a rock, especially one supplemented by
anchors and braking devices, made to assist an ascending colleague; (2) the rock around which
the turn is made
Belgian Grand Prix(auto racing) the Formula
One international Grand Prixheld on the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
bell lap(athletics) the final lapof a foot race, signaled by the sounding of a bell
bell target(shooting) a targetin air pistol shooting that consists of a cast-iron plate with a hole
in the center behind which is a bell
bellows to mend(general) colloquial term for
shortness of breath, as in an aging racehorseor
an unfit boxer
belly(archery) the part of the bowhandle that faces
the archerwhen shooting
belly flop(swimming) an inexpert divein which the
diverlands face down, flat on the water
belly putter(golf) a type of putterwith a longer
than usual shaft, the top of which is lodged in
the player’s midriff when making a shot
bellyboard(surfing) a short boardwhich the surfer
rides by gripping the sides and keeping the upper
surface pressed to his chest, using his legs for
steering
Belmont Stakes(horse racing) the oldest of the
Triple Crown races, run annually at Belmont
Park near New York City [named for the financier
and sportsman August Belmont (1816–1890)]
belt(boxing) an imaginary line around the waist
batting • belt 16
below which punchesare prohibited; (general)
an award for achievement in a sport, as black
belt, Lonsdale Belt
bench(American football, association football) a seat
near the touchline for a team’s manager,
trainer, and substitutes; (baseball) (1) a seat for
coachesand reservesat a match; (2) a collective
term for the reserves themselves
bench press(weightlifting) an exercise in which the
lifter lies face up on a bench with feet on the
floor and raises a barbellfrom chest level to arm’s
length
bench-warmer(baseball) colloquial term for a reserve[who warms the benchby sitting on it]
benched(American football) kept out of a team as
a substituteby being retained on the benchfor
the duration of a gameor even for several games
bend(athletics) (1) the curved section of the track;
(2) the part of a racerun around this section;
(auto racing) another term for a shunt
bend the ball(association football) to kick the ball
in an curving trajectory
benefit match(general) a matchthe proceeds of
which go to a particular player or team
Bengals(American football) short name of the
Cincinnati Bengals team
benny squad(American football) the special team
used for the toughest playswith maximum
physical contact [their aggression is reportedly
fuelled by pre-match doses of benzedrine]
Benson & Hedges Cup(cricket) the cupawarded
to the winner of the annual competition between
first-class counties, some minor counties, and
certain other teams, first held in 1972 and superseded in 2003 by the Twenty20 Cup[name
of sponsors]
bent(cycling) colloquial term for a recumbent
berm(cycling) in BMX, a banked bend
Bermuda Race(sailing) a biennial ocean racefor
yachts, first held in 1906 and covering a course
from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda
Bermuda rig(sailing) a rigin which a large sail
set fore-and-aftis fixed directly to a tall mainmast[originating in Bermuda]
Bernabéu(association football) the home ground
in Madrid, Spain, of the Spanish clubReal
Madrid [named for a former club president, Don
Santiago Bernabéu]
besom(curling) the broom with which the ice is
swept ahead of a traveling stone
best of the rest(association football) a term for the
teams that are among the best apart from those
that are currently at the top
bestball(golf) (1) a matchin which one player
plays against two or three other players, the lowest scoreof an individual’s holesbeing the one
that is counted; (2) alternate name for a fourball
bet(general) a wager on the result of a sporting
contest, especially in horse racing
betterball(golf) (1) a strokeplaybetween two
teams of two players in which only the lower
scoreof each is counted for each hole; (2) a
matchin which a single player competes against
the best individual score of two or more players
for each hole
betting shop(greyhound racing, horse racing) an
establishment, not on a racetrack, licensed for
the placing of betsand the payment of winnings
Betty(snowboarding) nickname for a female
boarder
between the flags(horse racing) in a point-topoint[a racein which obstacles are marked by
flags]
between the posts(association football) the playing
position of a goalkeeper
between the sticks(association football) alternate
term for between the posts
Beverley(horse racing) a flat racecourseat Beverley, East Yorkshire, England
BHA (horse racing) abbreviation of  British
Horseracing Authority
Bhoys(association football) nickname of the Scottish clubCeltic [mock–Irish spelling of boys, relating to the club’s founding in 1887 by Irish
Catholics]
bias(bowls) (1) the bulge or greater weight on one
side of a bowlthat makes it turn to one side; (2)
the actual turning that it causes
biathlete(Olympics) a competitor in a biathlon
biathlon(Olympics) a contest in the Winter
Olympicscombining cross-country skiing and
rifle shooting [Latin bi-, “two,” and Greek
athlon, “contest”]
bib(athletics, skiing) the vest bearing their number worn by competitors; (fencing) the padded
protective part of a mask that protects the throat
bicycle(equestrianism) to spur a bucking horse on
each side alternately
bicycle kick(association football) an overhead kick
made with both feet off the ground and the legs
moving as if pedaling a bicycle
bicycle motocross(cycling) formal name of BMX
bicycle polo(polo) a variety of the gameplayed
on bicycles instead of on horseback
biddy basketball(basketball) a scaled-down version of basketballplayed by young children
bidon(cycling) a water bottle carried on the bicycle during a road race[French]
Biellmann spin(ice skating) a spinsimilar to a layback spin, with the back arched and the free leg
pulled up over the head [popularized by the
Swiss figure skaterDenise Biellmann (1962–)]
big air(general) a freestyle eventin a sport such
as skateboardingor skiingin which partici-17 bench • big
pants perform various tricks in the air after a
jump
Big Eight(American football) a major conference
of eight college footballteams, comprising the
universities of Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas,
Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma,
and Oklahoma State
Big Five(basketball) the teams of five institutions
in the area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: La
Salle College, the University of Pennsylvania, St.
Joseph’s College, Temple University, and Vilanova University
Big Four(association football) the four English
clubswho have dominated the Premier League
since its formation in 1992: Arsenal, Chelsea,
Liverpool, and Manchester United
big hitter(baseball, cricket) a player who hits the
balla long way
big league(baseball) another term for a major
league
Big Ten(American football) a major conferenceof
college football teams, comprising the universities of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan,
Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio
State, Purdue, and Wisconsin
Big Three(American football) the college football teams of Harvard, Princeton, and Yale universities
Big Twelve(American football) a major conferenceof college footballteams, comprising the
universities of Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State,
Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M,
and Texas Tech
bike(cycling) colloquial term for a bicycle [shortening of bicycle]; (motorcycle racing) colloquial
term for a motorcycle [shortening of motorbike]
bike-o(orienteering) a form of orienteeringon
mountain bikes
Bikle’s baseball(gliding) a contest, formally
known as “distance within a prescribed area,” in
which pilots attempt to fly around as many designated turn points as possible [named for pilot
Paul Bikle and the contour of the course, like
that of a baseball diamond]
billiard ball(billiards) one of the three balls(plain
ball, spot white, and red) used in billiards
billiard cloth(billiards, snooker) the baize that covers the billiard table
billiard cue(billiards) fuller term for a cue
billiard marker(billiards) the person who (or apparatus which) marks the pointsmade by the
players
billiard spot(billiards) the spoton the billiard
tablenearest the top cushionon which the red
is placed at the beginning of a game
billiard table(billiards, snooker) the rectangular
table, with pocketsat the sides and corners, on
which billiardsand snookerare played
billiards(sport) (1) general term for a gameplayed
with a cueand balls on a baize-covered table,
the aim being either to send the balls into its
pocketsor to place them in a strategically advantageous position; (2) the specific name of such a
game, played with two cue balls(plain balland
spot white) and one red
Bills(American football) short name of the Buffalo Bills team
billy board(surfing) a very short surf board
Billy Williams’ Cabbage Patch(rugby union)
nickname of the groundat Twickenham[acquired in 1907 by William “Billy” Williams and
in part used as a market garden]
bind(rugby union) to hold on to another player, as
in a scrum, ruck, or maul
bingo-bango-bingo(golf) a betamong players
on whose ballwill first reach the green, or is
nearest the holewhen all the balls are on the
green, or is first into the hole
Binos(association football) nickname of the Scottish clubStirling Albion [from Albion]
bird(badminton) colloquial term for the shuttlecock
birdie(golf) a scoreof one under paron a hole
[said to derive from the “bird of a shot” that U.S.
golfer Ab Smith claimed he had made in an 1899
gamein Atlantic City]
bird’s nest(angling) colloquial term for a tangled
lineor cast
Biscuitmen(association football) former nickname
of the English clubReading [from the famous
biscuit (cookie) factory in the town]
Bisley(shooting) the village near Woking, Surrey,
that is the home of the sport in Britain
Bismarck(horse racing) a bet that bookmakersdo
not expect to win [from the World War II German battleship of the name that was torpedoed
although thought to be unsinkable]
bisque(croquet) an extra turn awarded to a weaker
player in a handicap game; (general) a pointor
strokeallowed when regarded as an advantage
bit(equestrianism, horse racing) the part of the bridlethat the horse holds in its mouth
bite(angling) a nibble at the baitby a fish
bite alarm(angling) a battery-operated device that
indicates the movement of a fish taking a bite
biter(angling) a fish likely to take a bite; (curling)
a stonethat just touches the outer circle of the
house
black(snooker) the black ball, worth seven points
Black and Whites (association football) (1) nickname of the Scottish clubElgin City; (2) nickname of the Scottish club Gretna [the colors of
the teams’ strips]
Big • Black 18
black ball game (sport) a name for snooker, as a
gamewhose outcome depends on the final pottingof the black
black belt(judo, karate) a beltworn to indicate
attainment of the danrank
Black Cats (association football) nickname of the
Scottish clubSunderland [from the animal of
this color, believed to bring luck]
Black Ferns(rugby union) nickname of the New
Zealand national women’s team [from the color
of the team’s shirts]
black flag(auto racing) (1) a flagwith a car number indicating that its driver must immediately
return to the pits; (2) a flagwith an orange disk
showing a car number indicating that the car has
a mechanical fault and must immediately return
to the pits
Black Jacks(bowls) nickname of the New Zealand
national team [a pun on the white jack]
black line(cycling) another term for the pole line
black run(skiing) a runregarded as difficult for
inexperienced skiers
black spot(snooker) the spot on the billiard table
where the black is positioned, midway between
the top cushionand the pyramidof reds
Blackcaps(cricket) nickname of the New Zealand
national team [from their black caps]
Blackhawks(ice hockey) short name of the Chicago
Blackhawks team
blade(cricket) (1) the long flat part of the batwith
which the ballis struck; (2) the bat itself; (golf)
a clubthat does not have a cavity back; (ice skating) the runner of a skate; (rowing) (1) the flat
part of the oaror scullthat enters the water during the rowing stroke; (2) the oar itself; (table
tennis) the batunderneath its rubber covering
blader(roller skating) a person who uses rollerblades
Blades(association football) nickname of the British
clubSheffield United [from the local cutlery industry]
bladework(rowing) the management of oars
blanket(greyhound racing) the cover worn by a
greyhound during the parade, showing the color
and number of the dog’s postposition
blanket finish(general) a very close finishto a
race[the contestants are so close that they could
be covered with a single blanket]
blast(baseball) colloquial term for a home run
blaster(golf) another term for a sand wedge [it
“blasts” the ballout of the sand]
blazer(general) (1) a lightweight colored or striped
jacket bearing on its breast pocket the badge of
a clubor team, worn by some sportsmen; (2) an
sports official who wears a jacket of this type [so
named from the red color of the original jackets
worn by members of a St. John’s College, Cambridge, boat club]
bleachers(general) (1) cheap open-air seats for
spectators at a sports ground; (2) the spectators
themselves [at one time the seats were “bleached”
or made pale by the sun]
Bledisloe Cup(rugby union) the cupfor which
Australia and New Zealand have competed since
1931[presented by Lord Bledisloe (1867–1958),
governor general of New Zealand]
Bleus, Lessee under Les
blind side(rugby league) the side of the pitchwith
less space between the scrumor play-the-ball
and the touchline than the open side; (rugby
union) the side of the pitchwith less space between the scrum, ruckor mauland the touchlinethan the open side
blind-side flanker(rugby union) the flankerbinding on the blind side
blind spot(cricket) the spot on the ground in front
of a batsmanwhere a ballpitched by the bowler
leaves the batsman uncertain whether to play
forwardor play back
blinders(horse racing) another term for blinkers
blinkers(horse racing) a pair of sidepieces fastened
to a horse’s bridlein order to concentrate its attention on the courseahead
blitz(American football) a tactic in which a defensive backabandons his usual role and charges
into the offensive backfieldto anticipate a pass
blob(cricket) colloquial term for a scoreof zero
[from the shape of the figure 0]
block(American football) the obstruction of an opposing player who does not have possession;
(athletics) shortening of starting block; (basketball) the deflection of the ball in its upward trajectory to the basket; (cricket) (1) the spot on
which the batsmanrests the end of the batwhen
facing the bowling; (2) the defensive stopping of
the ballwith the bat, with no attempt to score
runs; (cycling) (1) another term for the freewheel; (2) a tactical attempt by a riderto slow
down a group when he does not want it to catch
another rider who is in the lead; (general) the
hindering of the play or action of an opponent;
(swimming) the platform from which a swimmerstarts the race; (table tennis) a return shot
in which the ballis played immediately after it
strikes the table; (volleyball) a barrier of arms
and hands formed above the net with the aim
of preventing a spikefrom the opposite side
block tackle(association football) a tackle made
on an opposing player as he attempts to pass the
ballor shoot at goal
block volley(tennis) a volleyplayed with a stationary racket
blocker(American football) a player whose role is to
obstruct opponents with a block; (bowls) a bowl
played so that it stops short of the head, thus
19 black • blocker
making it harder for an opponent to attack the
jack; (cricket) a habitually defensive batsman,
who makes little or no attempt to score runs
blocking(boxing) the use of the shoulders, arms, or
hands to prevent an opponent’s punchfrom
landing cleanly
blocking back (American football) another term
for a quarterback
blocks(athletics) shortening of starting blocks
blood bin(rugby league, rugby union) the place off
the pitchwhere a player goes to have a bleeding
wound attended to
blood doping(athletics) the injection of oxygenated blood into an athletein an (illegal) attempt to enhance his performance
blood horse(horse racing) another term for a thoroughbred
blood knot (angling) a knot used to tie fishing
linesof different lengths
bloodstock(horse racing) collective term for thoroughbredor pedigree horses
bloodwagon(skiing) a sled used to move injured
skiers off the slopes
bloodworm(angling) a midge larva (Chironomus)
used as bait
bloop(baseball) to hit the ballhigh beyond the
reach of the infielders
blooper(baseball) (1) a ball hit high beyond the
reach of the infielders; (2) a ball thrown high
by the pitcher
blouse(horse racing) another term for the silks
worn by a jockey
blow line(angling) a lineused in dappingwhich
allows the flyto ride on the surface of the water
blue(general) (1) a person chosen to represent Oxford University or Harrow School (dark blue) or
Cambridge University or Eton College (light
blue) in a particular sport; (2) the badge awarded
for this; (snooker) the blue ball, worth five points
Blue Bombers (Canadian football) short name of
the Winnipeg Blue Bombers team
Blue Brazil(association football) nickname of the
Scottish clubCowdenbeath [from the color of
the team’s stripand their boast that they are on
a par with the Brazilian national side]
blue day(gliding) a cloudless day, when the sky is
altogether blue
blue flag(auto racing) the flagshown to a driver to
indicate that another car is trying to overtake
Blue Jackets(ice hockey) short name of the Columbus Blue Jackets team
Blue Jays(baseball) short name of the Toronto
Blue Jays team
blue jersey(cycling) the jersey worn by the leader
of the Intergiro sprint competition at the
halfway stage of the Giro d’Italia [Italian maglia
azzurra, “blue jersey”]
blue line(cycling) another term for the stayers’
line; (ice hockey) one of the two lines that divide
the playing area into three equal parts
blue spot(snooker) the spot on the billiard table
where the blue is positioned, midway between
the top and bottom cushions
Bluebirds(association football) nickname of the
Welsh clubCardiff City [the color of the team’s
strip]
blueliner(ice hockey) another term for a defenseman
Bluenoses(association football) nickname for supportersof the Scottish clubRangers [from the
supposedly puritanical views of the Protestants
who traditionally make up their numbers, especially when the club is playing against the rival
Catholic club Celtic]
Blues(association football) nickname of many English clubs, including Birmingham City, Carlisle
United, Chelsea, Chester City, Ipswich Town,
Manchester City, and Rangers [the color of the
teams’ strips]; (Australian Rules) short name of
the Carlton Blues team; (ice hockey) short name
of the St. Louis Blues team
blunt(skateboarding) a move in which the tail area
behind the rear truckis in contact with the surface
BMX(cycling) a bicycle race over an outdoor
course similar to a motocross course, originating in California in 1969 [abbreviation of bicycle motocross]
BMX bike (cycling) the specially modified bicycle,
with smallish wheels and no gears, used in BMX
board(association football) shortening of indicator
board; (athletics) the point at the end of the runway where the athletetakes off in the long jump
and triple jump; (basketball) (1) shortening of
backboard; (2) alternate term for a rebound;
(cricket) shortening of scoreboard; (darts) shortening of dartboard; (general) short form of the
formal name of the specially designed rigid platform on which a person rides in various sports,
as skateboard, snowboard, surf board, wakeboard; (swimming) shortening of diving board
boarder(general) a person who rides a boardin a
sport such as snowboardingor surfing
boardercross(snowboarding) another name for
snowboard cross
boarding(ice hockey) the offenseof pushing another player into the boards
boards(ice hockey) the wooden or plastic wall surrounding the playing area
boardsailing(sport) the official term for windsurfing[introduced because of potential problems with the proprietary status of the name
Windsurfer]
boast(squash) a shotthat hits one of the two side
blocking • boast 20
walls of the court, then the end wall, before
bouncing [probably form of French bosse]
boast for nick(squash) a boastthat lands in the
nickand dies
boat race(rowing) a racebetween two or more boats
Boat Race(rowing) the annual boat race between
crews of Oxford and Cambridge universities,
held on the Thames River in London, England
boat the oars(rowing) to lift the oars out of the
rowlocksand lay them down in the boat
boatie(rowing) colloquial term for a enthusiast for
the sport
boating(general) rowingor sailingfor pleasure
bob(angling) (1) short term for a bobfly; (2) a
bunch of lobworms used as baitfor eels; (bobsledding) short term for a bobsled
bob and weave(boxing) to make quick bodily
movements up and down and from side to side
in order to dodge punches
bob skeleton(bobsledding) another term for a
skeleton bob
bobber(angling) a floatattached to a fishing line;
(bobsledding) a rideron a bobsled
bobfly(angling) a dry flythat bobs on the water to
indicate the position of the tail fly
bobs(bobsled) the runners for a bobsled
bobskate(ice skating) an ice skatewith two parallel blades
bobsled(bobsledding) the racing sled for two or
more people with steering mechanism and brakes
used in bobsledding
bobsledding(sport) the sport of riding or racing
in a bobsled
bobsleigh(bobsledding) alternate name for a bobsled
bocce(bowls) an Italian form of the game, played
on a narrower, shorter green [Italian bocce, plural of boccia, “ball”]
boccia(bowls) another term for bocce
body blow(boxing) a punch to the body
body drop(judo) a throwin which a combatant
stretches out his leg and throws his opponent
forward over it
body lock(wrestling) a hold in which a combatant
locks his arms around his opponent’s body before bringing him down to the mat
body swerve(general) a swerving movement of
the body made to avoid an opponent
bodyboard(surfing) a short type of surf boardon
which the surferlies
bodybuilding(general) a form of exercising to develop the size and strength of the muscles
bodycheck(general) the deliberate obstruction of
an opposing player’s movements, permitted in
ice hockeyand (in the men’s game) lacrossebut
not in most other sports
bodyline bowling (cricket) fast, aggressive bowling
aimed at the body of the batsmanand usually directed toward the leg side[famously practiced in
England’s 1932–33 tourof Australia]
bodysuit(swimming) a close-fitting one-piece costume offering little resistance to the water
bodysurfer(surfing) a person riding a breaking
wave without a surf board
bogey(golf) a scoreof one strokeover parfor a
hole [originally the same as par, but after 1918 as
now, presumably from the idea of losing to an
imaginary player, Colonel Bogey, said to be so
named from “The Bogey Man,” a popular song
of the 1890s]
bogu(kendo) the armor worn by a kendoka[Japanese]
boil(angling) a swirling disturbance on the surface
of the water made by a fish coming to a fly
Boks (rugby union) short form of the nickname
Springboks
Bolivarian Games(Olympics) regional gamesheld
since 1938 for competitors from South American
countries [named for the South American revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar (1783–1830)]
bolo (boxing) a long sweeping uppercut[said to
resemble a slash with a bolo knife]
bolt(horse racing) to run out of control, as a horse
may do at the startof a race
bomb(American football) a long looping forward
pass; (basketball) a long shotinto the basket
Bombers(Australian Rules) short name of the Essendon Bombers team
bonification(cycling) a time bonus given to riders
in the Tour de France who achieve a placeat
the end of a stage[French bonification, “bonus”]
bonk(cycling) sudden fatigue in a race, often due
to lack of food [imitative of the sensation]
bonk bag(cycling) colloquial term for a musette
bonspiel(curling) a combined tournamentand
social gathering lasting two or three days [said
to derive from French bon, “good,” and Dutch or
Flemish spel, “game”]
boobird(general) colloquial term for a supporter
who boos his team when they play poorly
boogie board(surfing) colloquial term for a bodyboard
book(association football) to administer a booking
bookie(horse racing) colloquial shortening of
bookmaker
booking(association football) the entering of a
player’s name in a notebook by the refereeas
the record of an offense, signaled by the showing of a yellow cardto the offender
bookmaker(general) a person who accepts bets
in a sport such as horse racingand pays out the
winnings
bookmakers(greyhound racing, horse racing) another term for a betting shop
21 boast • bookmakers
boom(sailing) a pole that controls the position of
a sail
Boomers(basketball) colloquial name of the Australian national men’s team [from boomer, a male
kangaroo, Australia’s national animal]
boost(swimming) a rapid headfirst rise out of the
water in synchronized swimming
boot(general) colloquial term for a kick
Boot Hill(cricket) colloquial name for the hazardous short legposition [from the nickname
of the cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas, where
many 19th-century gunfighters were buried after
they “died with their boots on”]
boot money(rugby union) money formerly paid to
amateurplayers by manufacturers of sports
equipment as an inducement to wear their brand
of boots for televised matches
boot one(baseball) to make an error
bootleg(American football) a playin which a
quarterback simulates a passto another player
but then runs in the opposite direction concealing the ballnear his hip [from the term for
smuggled goods]
Borderers(association football) nickname of the
Scottish clubBerwick Rangers [based near the
border with England]
Borders(association football) nickname of the Scottish clubGretna [based near the border with England]
bore (athletics, horse racing) to push other competitors out of the way to gain advantage in a race
Boro(association football) nickname of the English
clubsMiddlesbrough and Scarborough [shortened form of the placenames]
borrow(golf) the allowance made for a slope or
the wind on a green, usually by putting the ball
uphill of the hole
bos(hurling) another spelling of bas
bosie(cricket) less common term for a googly[a
specialty of the English bowlerB.J.T. Bosanquet (1877–1936)]
Bosman ruling(association football) a ruling that
a footballerwhose contract has expired may be
given a free transferto another clubinside the
European Union [the result of a 1995 case brought
by the Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman (1964–)]
boss(association football) colloquial term for a
manager
bossaball(sport) a gameinvented in Belgium in
2005 that combines association football, volleyball, trampolining, and capoeira (a Brazilian
martial artand dance combination), played on
an inflatable court
Boston crab(wrestling) a holdin which a combatant sits on the buttocks of a prone opponent and
pulls upward on the latter’s legs [so they are bent
like those of a crab]
Boston Marathon(athletics) an annual marathon
in Boston, Massachusetts, first run in 1897
bottom(baseball) the second part of an inning,
during which the hometeam bats
bottom edge(cricket) (1) the lower edge of a batas
held by the batsman; (2) a (usually inadvertent)
strokeoff this part
bottom fishing(angling) fishingfor fish that live
near the bottom of the sea, usually done from
the shore or a pier
bottom order(cricket) the batsmenwho come last
in the batting order
bottom pocket(billiards, snooker) one of the two
pocketsin the balkarea of the billiard table,
where play begins
bouldering (mountaineering) a form of rock
climbing in which climbers attempt to negotiate large boulders without the use of ropes
boules(sport) a French form of bowls played on
rough ground with metal bowlsthat are thrown
at a smaller target ball[French boules, “bowls”]
bounce(Gaelic football) a downward throw of the
ballso that it rebounds to the hand of the
thrower, as a way of retaining possessionand
gaining ground; (general) a rebound of the ball
when thrown, dropped, or hit; (golf) the projection at the bottom of the back of a wedge; (trampolining) a rebound made on the bedof the
trampoline
bounce-out(darts) the landing of a dart on the
wire of a dartboardso that it falls to the ground
bounce pass(general) a passin which a player
sends the ballto a teammate by bouncing it
bouncer(archery) an arrow that rebounds from
the target; (cricket) a fast deliverythat sends the
ballup sharply from the pitchso that it reaches
the batsmanat chest or head height
boundary(cricket) (1) the outer limit of the playing area, traditionally marked with a rope or
white line; (2) a hitby a batsmanthat clears the
boundary to score a fouror a six
boundary line(general) a line around the playing
area beyond which the ballis out of play
bout(boxing, fencing, judo, wrestling) a contest
bow[rhyming with “hoe”] (archery) the curved
piece of flexible plastic or other material (originally wood), bent by means of a cord stretched
between its ends, that is used for shooting arrows
bow[rhyming with “how”] (horse racing) a horse’s
debut in a race; (rowing) (1) the front of the boat;
(2) the rower who sits in it; (sailing) the forepart
of the boat
bow-hand(archery) the hand in which the bowis
held, normally the left
bowl(American football) (1) a bowlshaped stadium
in which college footballis played; (2) the game
boom • bowl 22
itself; (3) a postseasongame between specially
invited teams; (bowls) (1) the heavy ballwith a
biasthat is rolled toward the jack; (2) the deliveryof the bowl; (3) a turn at bowls; (cricket) (1)
a delivery of the ballto the batsman by the
bowler; (2) to dismissa batsman with such a
delivery
Bowl Championship Series(American football)
the championship series, held in one of five
bowls, that determines which top two college
teams will meet in competition
bowl game(American football) an established
postseason gameheld at a named bowl
bowl-in(polo) another term for a throw-in
bowled(cricket) (of ) a batsmanwho is outbecause a balldelivered by the bowlerhas struck
the stumpsand dislodged one or both of the
bails
bowler(bowls) a player of the game; (cricket) the
player who delivers the ballto the batsman
bowler’s wicket(cricket) a pitchthat favors bowlers
bowling(bowls) the playing of the game; (cricket)
the action of delivering the ballby the bowler;
(sport) alternate name for tenpin bowling
bowling alley(bowls) the alleywhere indoor
bowlsare played; (skittles, tenpin bowling) the
alleywhere the gameis played
bowling analysis(cricket) the performance record
of a bowler, giving figures for oversand maiden
oversbowled, runsconceded, wicketstaken,
and the like, from which his bowling average
can be calculated
bowling average(cricket) a scorecalculated for a
bowlerby dividing the number of runsscored
off his bowling by the number of wicketshe
takes
bowling crease(cricket) the creasefrom behind
which the bowlerdelivers the ball
bowling green(bowls) the greenwhere the game
is played
bowling machine(cricket) a machine that delivers
ballsto a batsmanwhen practicing in the nets
bowls(sport) a gameplayed between individuals
or teams in which bowlsare rolled toward a jack
on a green, the aim being to place as many of
one’s bowls as possible closer to the jack than the
nearest bowl of one’s opponent or opponents
bowman(archery) an archer, who wields a bow;
(rowing) fuller term for the bow
bowshot(archery) the distance to which an arrow
can be shot from a bow
bowside(rowing) the left side of the boat from the
point of view of the rowers, as the side on which
the bowsits
bowsight(archery) a sightattached to the bowto
help the archeraim
bowstring(archery) the cord of a bow
box(association football) shortening of penalty
box; (athletics) the support in which an athlete
plants the base of the polewhen making a vault;
(baseball) the place where the batterstands;
(cricket) (1) a padded shield for the genitals worn
inside the trousers by batsmenand wicketkeepers; (2) alternate term for the gully; (horse racing) shortening of loose box; (rugby union) the
area behind the scrumor line-out
box kick (rugby union) a high kick, usually by the
scrum-half, into the box
box lacrosse(lacrosse) formal name of boxla
box out(basketball) to take up a position between
an opponent and the basketso as to be well
placed for a rebound
box score (baseball) the tabulated results of a game
boxed in(athletics) trapped by other competitors
against the inside of the trackand so unable to
overtake
boxer(boxing) a person who boxes or is skilled in
the sport
boxing(sport) a combat sportin which two competitors trade puncheswith fists enclosed in
boxing gloves
boxing gloves(boxing) the special padded gloves
worn by boxers
boxing match(boxing) a matchor contest between
two boxers
boxing ring(boxing) fuller term for a ring
boxing weight(boxing) the particular weightcategory at which boxersare matched
boxla(lacrosse) an indoor version of the game,
played in an ice hockey rink with the ice removed or covered
brace(association football) two goalsscored by the
same player in a match; (canoeing) a recovery
strokemade to prevent the canoefrom overturning; (cricket) a duckscored by the same
batsman in two innings; (sailing) a rope attached to the yardof a square-riggedvessel for
the purpose of trimming the sail
bracket(ice skating) a half-turn that takes the
skater from one edge of the skateto the opposite edge
Braemar Gathering(general) the best-known annual Highland games, held at the village of
Braemar, Scotland, and traditionally attended
by royalty
brakeman(bobsledding) the person who sits at the
back of the bobsledand applies the brakes
braking zone (auto racing) the part of the track
before a corner where drivers apply the brakes
brandling(angling) a type of red worm used as bait
Brands Hatch(auto racing) a circuitin Kent, England, that was formerly the site of the British
Grand Prix
23 Bowl • Brands
brassie(golf) another spelling of brassy
brassy(golf) the former name of a 2-wood[so
called because it had a brass sole]
Bravehearts(rugby league) nickname of the Scottish national team [from Braveheart, the name
given to the Scottish patriot William Wallace
(c.1270–1305), who defeated the English at Stirling in 1297 and ravaged the northern counties
of England]
Braves(baseball) short name of the Atlanta Braves
team
Brazilian Grand Prix(auto racing) the Formula
One international Grand Prixheld on the circuit at either São Paolo or Interlagos, Rio de
Janeiro
break(athletics) a move by a runneraway from a
lane toward the inside of the track; (billiards,
pool, snooker) (1) the shotmade by a player to
break the balls; (2) a consecutive series of pots;
(3) the scoreat the end of such a series; (cricket)
the change of direction of a balldelivered by the
bowler; (croquet) a turn in which more than one
pointis scored in consecutive shots; (cycling) a
move made by a rideror group of riders away
from a larger group or from the peloton; (golf)
another term for a borrow; (horse racing) the
startof a race; (surfing) an area of water where
the waves are suitable for riding; (tennis) a win
gained by a player able to break service
break!(boxing) a command by the refereeto the
boxersin a clinchto separate
break back(tennis) to win an opponent’s service
gameimmediately after losing one’s own such
game
break-back(cricket) a ballthat turns sharply from
the off sideon pitching
break-fall(martial arts) a controlled fall in which
the impact is absorbed by the arms and legs
break one’s duck(cricket) to score one’s first run
as a batsman, so that one’s scorewill not be a
duck
break point (tennis) a pointthat gives a player a
chance to break service
break service(tennis) to win a gamein which one’s
opponent is serving
break the balls(billiards) to open the gameby
striking the red ballor giving a miss; (snooker)
to open the gameby striking one of the red balls
break the throw(darts) to win a legin which one’s
opponent made the first throw
break the wicket(cricket) to dislodge the bailsof
a wicketand thus stumpor run outthe batsman
breakaway(cycling) another term for a break;
(general) a sudden attack or forward movement;
(rugby football) an outside forwardin the back
row
breakdown(rugby union) the ending of a run,
causing competition for the ball, usually after a
tackle
breakfast(darts) shortening of bed and breakfast
breaking ball(baseball) a pitchthat changes direction in flight, as a curveballor slider
breast the tape(athletics) to come first in a foot
raceby breaking the tapewith one’s chest
breaststroke(swimming) a strokemade breastdown, with circling movements of the arms and
frog-like kicks of the legs between the arm
movements
breeder(horse racing) a person who breeds horses,
and especially thoroughbreds
Breeders’ Cup(horse racing) the cupawarded to
the winner of a flat race founded in 1984 at Hollywood Park, Texas, and administered by breeders in a series of promotional raceswith thoroughbreds
breeze-up sale(horse racing) a sale in which
prospective purchasers can watch young or untried horses go through their paces
breezing(horse racing) moving at a brisk pacebut
under some restraint from the jockey
Brewers(baseball) short name of the Milwaukee
Brewers team
brick(basketball) colloquial term for a poor shot
Brickyard(auto racing) nickname of the circuit
on which theIndianapolis 500 is held [so
named for the millions of bricks laid in 1909 to
build a new and firmer surface]
bricole(billiards) a rebound of the ball from a
cushion; (real tennis) a rebound of the ball from
a side wall [French bricole, “trifle”]
bridge(billiards, snooker) (1) a support for the cue
made by placing one’s fingers on the billiard
tableand raising the thumb; (2) a metal support at the end of a rest, serving the same purpose; (g ymnastics) an arched position of the
body; (wrestling) an arched position formed with
one’s back facing the mat, adopted to avoid a
fall
bridge out(wrestling) to escape from an opponent’s
move by rolling over from a bridgeonto one’s
stomach
bridle(equestrianism) the gear on a horse’s head
that controls and guides it
Brighton(horse racing) a flat racecourse at
Brighton, East Sussex, England
Britannia Cup(rowing) the cupfirst presented in
1969 to the winners of a racefor coxed foursat
Henley; (sailing) a cupfirst presented in 1951to
the winners of a race for small yachtsfrom any
country
British and Irish Lions(rugby union) formal name
of the Lions
British Grand Prix(auto racing) the Formula One
brassie • British 24
international Grand Prixheld on the circuit at
Silverstone
British Horseracing Authority(horse racing) the
organization that regulates the sport in Britain
[known as the British Horseracing Board until
2007, when it took over the regulatory powers of
the Jockey Club]
British Lions(rugby union) former name of the
Lions
British Open (golf) formal name of the Open
Championship
broad jump(athletics) another term for the long
jump
broadsiding(motorcycle racing) another term for
powersliding
broken field(American football) the area beyond
the line of scrimmagewhere the defenseis relatively scattered
bronc-riding(rodeo) the riding by a competing
cowboyof a bronco
bronco(rodeo) a wildly bucking horse ridden by a
competing cowboy
Broncos(American football) short name of the
Denver Broncos team; (rugby league) short name
of the English clubLondon Broncos
Bronx Bombers(baseball) nickname of the New
York Yankees team [their stadium is in the
Bronx, New York City]
bronze(Olympics) shortening of bronze medal
bronze duck(cricket) a duckscored by a batsman
on his third ball [from bronzeas a third award]
bronze medal(Olympics) the medal awarded as
third prize[bronze is a less valuable metal than
gold or silver]
broodmare(horse racing) a marekept for breeding
Brooklands(auto racing) a former circuitnear
Weybridge, Surrey, England, closed in 1939 on
the outbreak of World War II and never reopened
broom(curling) the implement used to sweep the
ice ahead of a moving stone
broom wagon(cycling) the support vehicle that
picks up riderswho abandon a stage raceor fall
too far behind [French voiture balai, “broom
wagon”]
broomball(sport) a game similar to ice hockeyin
which a volleyballis propelled over the ice with
brooms
broomhandle putter(golf) a type of putterwith
a long shaft, held at the top in one hand at chest
height and lower down in the other hand at waist
height, like a broomhandle
brown (snooker) the brown ball, worth four points
brown belt(judo, karate) a beltworn to indicate
the highest attainment in the kyurank
brown spot(snooker) the spot on the billiard table
where the brown is positioned, midway on the
balkline
Browns(American football) short name of the
Cleveland Browns team
Bruins(ice hockey) short name of the Boston Bruins team
Brumbies(rugby union) a Super 14team based in
Canberra, Australia, formed in 1996 [from the
brumbies, wild horses native to Australia]
brushback(baseball) a pitchaimed deliberately at
the head of the batterto force him to retreat off
home plate
bubble float(angling) a round plastic floatcontaining water
Buccaneers(American football) short name of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers team
buck(equestrianism) a vertical jump by a horse,
with the back arched and the feet bunched together
bucket(basketball) colloquial term for a basket;
(rowing) an abrupt forward movement of the body
Bucks(basketball) short name of the Milwaukee
Bucks team
Bucs(American football) colloquial short name of
the Buccaneers
Buddies(association football) nickname of the
Scottish clubSt. Mirren [plural of a Scots form
of body, “person”]
budo(sport) another term for the martial arts
[Japanese budo, “way of the warrior”]
bug(horse racing) the weightallowance given to
an apprenticeas jockey [an apprentice is denoted in a raceprogram by an asterisk (*), a
symbol known to printers as a bug]
bug boy(horse racing) an apprenticeas jockey[he
has been given a bug]
buggy(auto racing) a small, sturdy vehicle used in
off-roading, as a beach buggy or dune buggy
bulger(golf) a former type of wooden clubwith
a concave face
bull(archery, shooting) (1) the center spot of the
target; (2) a shotthat hits this spot; (darts) (1)
the small red (or black) circle at the center of the
dartboard, worth 50 points; (2) a dartthat hits
this spot
bull-dogging(rodeo) another term for steerwrestling
bull-riding(rodeo) the competitive bareback riding of a Brahma bull
Bulldogs(Australian Rules) short name of the
Western Bulldogs team; (rugby league) short
name of the English clubBatley Bulldogs
bullet(American football) colloquial term for a fast,
accurate pass
bullet race(horse racing) a sprintof less than five
furlongson the flat
bullpen(baseball) (1) the part of the groundjust
off the diamondwhere pitcherswarm up; (2)
collective term for the relief pitchersof a team
25 British Horseracing • bullpen
Bulls(basketball) short name of the Chicago Bulls
team; (rugby league) short name of the English
clubBradford Bulls
bullseye(archery, darts, shooting) formal name of a
bull
bully(Eton wall game) a scrimmage; (field hockey)
the opening move, in which one player from
each team taps the ground and an opponent’s
stickalternately three times, then tries to be first
to hit the balllying between them
bully-off(field hockey) formal name of a bully
Bully Wee(association football) nickname of the
Scottish clubClyde [Scots bully, “excellent,” and
wee, “small,” as the team was long weaker than
other Glasgow teams]
bum(general) an obsessive devotee of a sport
bump(rowing) the act of bumping in a bumping
race
bump and run (American football) a tactic in
which a cornerbackdeliberately bumps into the
receiver and runs with him to block a pass;
(golf) an approach shotplayed so that the ball
travels a long way after it lands
bump ball(cricket) a ballthat bounces just in front
of a fielderattempting a catch
bump supper(rowing) a celebratory dinner held
at Oxford or Cambridge university after the
bumping races, hosted by the college that finished Head of the River
bumper(cricket) another term for a bouncer; (horse
racing) shortening of bumper race
bumper race(horse racing) a flat racefor young
National Hunthorses that have not yet raced
over hurdlesor in steeplechasesand that have
not run under the rules of flat racing
bumping race(rowing) a race, rowed between college eightsat Oxford and Cambridge universities, in which the boats, starting at fixed intervals,
each aim to “bump” (touch) the one in front before being “bumped” by that behind, dropping
out when this happens
bumps(rowing) colloquial short name for bumping races
bunch(cycling) another term for the peloton
bunch sprint(cycling) a sprintfor the finishing line
made by the bunchat the end of a raceor stage
bung(angling) a type of floatused when fishingfor
pike
bunker(golf) a hazardin the form of a sand-filled
hollow
bunny(cricket) another term for a rabbit
bunsen(cricket) colloquial term for a pitch favorable to spin bowlers [rhyming slang, Bunsen
burnergiving turner]
bunt(baseball) a blocking of the ballwith the bat
so that it does not travel far, usually done to let
a baserunner advance
burger(skateboarding) colloquial term for a bad
bruise
Burghley(equestrianism) short name of the Burghley Horse Trials, an annual three-day event held
in the grounds of Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
burnout(auto racing) in drag racing, the procedure
of spinning the rear tires in water to heat and
clean them before a race
Busby Babes(association football) former nickname of the English clubManchester United
[from Sir Matt Busby (1909–1994), managerof
the youthful team in the 1950s]
bush league(baseball) colloquial term for a minor
league
bust(darts) to exceed the required score
butt(archery) the mound of earth behind the target; (snooker) the thicker end of the cue
butt-ending(ice hockey) an offensecommitted by
jabbing an opponent with the end of the handle
of the stick
butterfly(swimming) a breast-down stroke with
the arms extended and moving together in a circular motion while the legs perform a dolphin
kick
buttock(wrestling) a throwusing the buttocks or
hip
button(curling) another term for a tee; (fencing) the
soft covering over the point of a foil or épée;
(rowing) a fitting fastened on an oarto stop it
slipping through the rowlock
buttonhook(American football) a type of pass in
which the intended receiverruns straight toward a defensive back then stops and doubles
back to the passer
butts(shooting) a rangefor targetpractice
buzzard(golf) a scoreof two strokesover parfor
a hole[as distinct from an eagle]
buzzbait(angling) an artificial baitwith small
blades that stir the water
buzzer-beater(basketball) colloquial term for a
basketscored just before the end of play
by(horse racing) born to a named sire[often coupled with out ofto name the dam]
bycatch(angling) fish inadvertently caught with
the intended catch, especially when immature
or of a protected species
bye(cricket) a run made from a ballthat passes the
batsmanwithout being struck or touched by him,
the run being credited to the team rather than to
the scoreof the batsman; (general) the position
of a player or team against whom no opponent
has been drawn and who proceeds to the next
rounduncontested; (golf) a holeor holes remaining to be played when a matchis decided
byline(association football) another term for the
touchline