v ( general ) abbreviation of versus (“against”), used
to name the two teams or individuals in a game
or match, as “France v New Zealand,” “Rangers
v Celtic”
V (cricket) the area on the field between mid-off
and mid-on, used to describe the path of a ball
hit by the batsman
V-position (skiing) the position of the skis adopted
by most skiers during a ski jump, touching at the
tail and spread apart at the tips to form a “V”
Valderrama ( golf ) a golf course at San Roque,
southwestern Spain
Vale (association football ) short name of the English
club Port Vale
Valentine’s Brook (horse racing) a difficult jump
on the Grand National course at Aintree
[named for a horse that spectacularly cleared it]
valet (horse racing) the person responsible for looking
after a jockey’s equipment
Valiants (association football ) nickname of the English
clubs Charlton Athletic and Port Vale
van (tennis) abbreviation of advantage
Vardon grip ( golf ) a common grip of the club, in
which the pinkie of the right hand overlaps the
forefinger of the left [popularized by the English
champion Harry Vardon (1870–1937)]
varsity ( general ) a team representing a university or
college
varsity match ( general ) an annual match between
the teams of Oxford and Cambridge universities,
notably in association football and rugby
union
vault (athletics) shortening of pole vault; (gymnastics)
a leap from a springboard onto and over
167 University • vault
a vaulting horse, on which the hands are briefly
rested to gain height during the flight; (equestrianism)
a gymnastic leap or routine made by
a rider on horseback
vaulting (g ymnastics, equestrianism) the execution
of a vault as a distinctive event or discipline
vaulting horse ( g ymnastics) a piece of apparatus
in the form of a wooden block used for vaulting
[it represents a horse to be mounted by a vault]
veer (American football ) an offensive play in which
a modified T-formation with a split backfield
gives the quarterback the option of either passing
to the fullback, pitching to a running back,
or running with the ball himself; (sailing) to
change course away from the wind
velodrome (cycling) an indoor or outdoor stadium
with a banked track for races [borrowing of
French vélodrome, from vélo, “bicycle,” and -
drome as in hippodrome]
Vendée Globe (sailing) a solo, non-stop roundthe-
world race held every four years, sailing
westward from and back to Les Sables d’Olonne
on the west coast of France [from Vendée, the
French department where the race begins and
ends]
vent (parachuting) the opening in a canopy
through which air escapes at a controlled rate
venue ( general ) the chosen location for a match
or other sporting contest
verbal abuse (general) the offense by a player of berating
a referee or other official for an apparent
misjudgment, such as an alleged miscall by a
line judge in tennis (where it may be accompanied
by racket abuse)
vert (skateboarding, snowboarding) a vertical extension
to a ramp, from which stunts are performed
[abbreviation of vertical]
vertical (equestrianism) a high obstacle
vertical gate (skiing) a gate on a slalom course with
poles placed vertically rather than horizontally
Vezina Trophy (ice hockey) the trophy awarded annually
since 1927 to the goalkeeper voted the best
at his position [named in commemoration of the
Canadian player Georges Vézina (1887–1926)]
victor ludorum ( general ) a title awarded in some
schools and colleges to the overall champion in
a sports competition [Latin victor ludorum, “winner
of the games”]
Victorian Football League (Australian Rules) former
name of the Australian Football League
victory lane (auto racing) in NASCAR, the place
on the infield of the racetrack where the winner
parks for the prize-giving
victory lap (athletics) a celebratory lap run by an
athlete after winning a race
video referee (rugby league, rugby union) an official
in the stands who has access to TV replays and
who may be consulted by the referee in cases of
a doubtful try
video review ( general ) the video replay of an incident
during a match in order to determine
whether an offense had been committed
vigoro (sport) a team game played mainly by
women that combines elements of cricket and
baseball [abbreviation of vigorous]
VIII (rowing) conventional designation of an eight
in sports reports [Roman numerals]
Vikings (American football ) short name of the
Minnesota Vikings team; (rugby league) short
name of the English club Widnes Vikings
Villa (association football ) short name of the English
club Aston Villa
village cricket (cricket) an informal game or
match, as played between local village teams
Villans (association football ) short name of the English
club Aston Villa [pun on villains]
Vince Lombardi Trophy (American football ) the
trophy awarded since 1967 to the winners of the
Super Bowl [named for Vince Lombardi
(1913–1970), coach and manager of the Green
Bay Packers team]
violation (basketball) a breach of the rules not considered
to be a foul, such as traveling
visitors ( general ) a team that comes to play a
match on the home ground of their rivals
visor (horse racing) a headpiece worn by a horse to
concentrate its attention on the course ahead in
the manner of blinkers but unlike them having
slits that allow some side vision
voiture balai (cycling) alternate French term for
the broom wagon
volley (association football ) a shot or pass in which
the ball is struck before it hits the ground;
(squash, tennis) a shot played before the ball
bounces; (volleyball) a shot of the ball over the
net with the fingers, fist, or forearm
volleyball (sport) a game for two teams of six players
played with a large ball on a court, the aim
being to gain points by hitting the ball by a volley
over a high net dividing the court in such a
way that the opposing team cannot return it
volte (equestrianism) the gait of a horse moving
sideways around the center of a circle [French
volte, from Italian volta, “turn”]
Volvo Ocean Race (sailing) a round-the-world
race for one-design boats, first held in 1973
[name of sponsors]
vorlage (skiing) a position in which the skier leans
forward without lifting his heels from the skis
[German Vorlage, “presentation”]
vorlaufer (skiing) a skier who travels a course before
a race to check that it is within the capacity
of the competitors [German, Vorläufer, “runner
ahead”]
vaulting • vorlaufer 168
vs ( general) another form of v as an abbreviation of
versus (“against”), as in “Barbarians vs All Blacks”
Vuelta a España (cycling) an annual stage race over
the roads of Spain, first held in 1935 [Spanish
Vuelta a España, “Tour of Spain”]
to name the two teams or individuals in a game
or match, as “France v New Zealand,” “Rangers
v Celtic”
V (cricket) the area on the field between mid-off
and mid-on, used to describe the path of a ball
hit by the batsman
V-position (skiing) the position of the skis adopted
by most skiers during a ski jump, touching at the
tail and spread apart at the tips to form a “V”
Valderrama ( golf ) a golf course at San Roque,
southwestern Spain
Vale (association football ) short name of the English
club Port Vale
Valentine’s Brook (horse racing) a difficult jump
on the Grand National course at Aintree
[named for a horse that spectacularly cleared it]
valet (horse racing) the person responsible for looking
after a jockey’s equipment
Valiants (association football ) nickname of the English
clubs Charlton Athletic and Port Vale
van (tennis) abbreviation of advantage
Vardon grip ( golf ) a common grip of the club, in
which the pinkie of the right hand overlaps the
forefinger of the left [popularized by the English
champion Harry Vardon (1870–1937)]
varsity ( general ) a team representing a university or
college
varsity match ( general ) an annual match between
the teams of Oxford and Cambridge universities,
notably in association football and rugby
union
vault (athletics) shortening of pole vault; (gymnastics)
a leap from a springboard onto and over
167 University • vault
a vaulting horse, on which the hands are briefly
rested to gain height during the flight; (equestrianism)
a gymnastic leap or routine made by
a rider on horseback
vaulting (g ymnastics, equestrianism) the execution
of a vault as a distinctive event or discipline
vaulting horse ( g ymnastics) a piece of apparatus
in the form of a wooden block used for vaulting
[it represents a horse to be mounted by a vault]
veer (American football ) an offensive play in which
a modified T-formation with a split backfield
gives the quarterback the option of either passing
to the fullback, pitching to a running back,
or running with the ball himself; (sailing) to
change course away from the wind
velodrome (cycling) an indoor or outdoor stadium
with a banked track for races [borrowing of
French vélodrome, from vélo, “bicycle,” and -
drome as in hippodrome]
Vendée Globe (sailing) a solo, non-stop roundthe-
world race held every four years, sailing
westward from and back to Les Sables d’Olonne
on the west coast of France [from Vendée, the
French department where the race begins and
ends]
vent (parachuting) the opening in a canopy
through which air escapes at a controlled rate
venue ( general ) the chosen location for a match
or other sporting contest
verbal abuse (general) the offense by a player of berating
a referee or other official for an apparent
misjudgment, such as an alleged miscall by a
line judge in tennis (where it may be accompanied
by racket abuse)
vert (skateboarding, snowboarding) a vertical extension
to a ramp, from which stunts are performed
[abbreviation of vertical]
vertical (equestrianism) a high obstacle
vertical gate (skiing) a gate on a slalom course with
poles placed vertically rather than horizontally
Vezina Trophy (ice hockey) the trophy awarded annually
since 1927 to the goalkeeper voted the best
at his position [named in commemoration of the
Canadian player Georges Vézina (1887–1926)]
victor ludorum ( general ) a title awarded in some
schools and colleges to the overall champion in
a sports competition [Latin victor ludorum, “winner
of the games”]
Victorian Football League (Australian Rules) former
name of the Australian Football League
victory lane (auto racing) in NASCAR, the place
on the infield of the racetrack where the winner
parks for the prize-giving
victory lap (athletics) a celebratory lap run by an
athlete after winning a race
video referee (rugby league, rugby union) an official
in the stands who has access to TV replays and
who may be consulted by the referee in cases of
a doubtful try
video review ( general ) the video replay of an incident
during a match in order to determine
whether an offense had been committed
vigoro (sport) a team game played mainly by
women that combines elements of cricket and
baseball [abbreviation of vigorous]
VIII (rowing) conventional designation of an eight
in sports reports [Roman numerals]
Vikings (American football ) short name of the
Minnesota Vikings team; (rugby league) short
name of the English club Widnes Vikings
Villa (association football ) short name of the English
club Aston Villa
village cricket (cricket) an informal game or
match, as played between local village teams
Villans (association football ) short name of the English
club Aston Villa [pun on villains]
Vince Lombardi Trophy (American football ) the
trophy awarded since 1967 to the winners of the
Super Bowl [named for Vince Lombardi
(1913–1970), coach and manager of the Green
Bay Packers team]
violation (basketball) a breach of the rules not considered
to be a foul, such as traveling
visitors ( general ) a team that comes to play a
match on the home ground of their rivals
visor (horse racing) a headpiece worn by a horse to
concentrate its attention on the course ahead in
the manner of blinkers but unlike them having
slits that allow some side vision
voiture balai (cycling) alternate French term for
the broom wagon
volley (association football ) a shot or pass in which
the ball is struck before it hits the ground;
(squash, tennis) a shot played before the ball
bounces; (volleyball) a shot of the ball over the
net with the fingers, fist, or forearm
volleyball (sport) a game for two teams of six players
played with a large ball on a court, the aim
being to gain points by hitting the ball by a volley
over a high net dividing the court in such a
way that the opposing team cannot return it
volte (equestrianism) the gait of a horse moving
sideways around the center of a circle [French
volte, from Italian volta, “turn”]
Volvo Ocean Race (sailing) a round-the-world
race for one-design boats, first held in 1973
[name of sponsors]
vorlage (skiing) a position in which the skier leans
forward without lifting his heels from the skis
[German Vorlage, “presentation”]
vorlaufer (skiing) a skier who travels a course before
a race to check that it is within the capacity
of the competitors [German, Vorläufer, “runner
ahead”]
vaulting • vorlaufer 168
vs ( general) another form of v as an abbreviation of
versus (“against”), as in “Barbarians vs All Blacks”
Vuelta a España (cycling) an annual stage race over
the roads of Spain, first held in 1935 [Spanish
Vuelta a España, “Tour of Spain”]
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