Below is our definitive list of slang and technical terms related to pool (billiards), including their explanations. The terms cover various aspects of pool, including gameplay, equipment, techniques, and slang commonly used in pool halls or among players. The list includes terms from different pool games like 8-ball, 9-ball, straight pool, and others, as well as general billiards terminology. Since pool has a rich culture, some terms are regional or colloquial, while others are technical and universally recognised.
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A
- Action: Refers to the gameplay or a wager placed on a game. For example, “There’s a lot of action at the pool hall tonight.”
- Angle Shot: A shot where the cue ball is intentionally hit to create an angle for positioning or to pocket a ball via a bank or combination.
- Apex: The top ball in a rack, typically the 1-ball in 9-ball or the head ball in a triangle rack.
- Around the World: A trick shot or a shot where the cue ball travels around the table, often hitting multiple rails before striking the target ball.
B
- Back Cut: A shot where the object ball is cut at a sharp angle, often requiring precise aim.
- Bad Break: A poor break shot that results in an unfavorable spread of balls or no balls pocketed.
- Ball-in-Hand: A rule allowing a player to place the cue ball anywhere on the table (or behind the head string in some games) after a foul by the opponent.
- Bank Shot: A shot where the object ball is bounced off one or more rails before being pocketed.
- Bed: The flat playing surface of the pool table, typically covered with felt or cloth.
- Behind the Eight Ball: A slang term meaning to be in a difficult or disadvantaged position, derived from the 8-ball game where the cue ball behind the 8-ball can be problematic.
- Billiard: A shot (often in carom billiards) where the cue ball hits two object balls in succession, or a term referring to the broader family of cue sports.
- Break: The opening shot of a game, where the cue ball strikes the racked balls to start play.
- Break and Run: When a player breaks, pockets at least one ball, and then runs the table to win the game without the opponent getting a turn.
- Bridge: The hand or mechanical device used to support the cue stick during a shot. A “closed bridge” uses a loop of fingers, while an “open bridge” rests the cue on an open hand.
- Bumpers: The rubber cushions on the rails of the pool table that balls bounce off.
- Bust: To break the rack with a powerful shot, often used in 9-ball to scatter the balls widely.
C
- Call Shot: A rule in some games (like 8-ball or straight pool) where the player must specify which ball and pocket they intend to hit.
- Carom: When the cue ball or an object ball glances off another ball or rail, often used in games like three-cushion billiards.
- Center Spot: The marked spot in the center of the table, used for spotting balls in certain situations.
- Chalk: A substance applied to the cue tip to increase friction and prevent miscues.
- Cheat the Pocket: To aim the object ball slightly off-center of the pocket to allow for a wider margin of error or to control the cue ball’s path.
- Cheese: Slang for an easy shot or an opportunity to win, as in “That’s the cheese!”
- Choke: To fail under pressure, often missing an easy shot due to nerves.
- Clean: A shot or game played without fouls or scratches.
- Combination Shot: A shot where the cue ball hits one object ball, which then hits another to pocket it.
- Cue: The stick used to strike the cue ball.
- Cue Ball: The white ball struck by the cue stick to hit other balls.
- Cue Tip: The leather or synthetic tip of the cue stick that contacts the cue ball.
- Cushion: The rubber edge of the table’s rails, which balls bounce off during play.
- Cut Shot: A shot where the cue ball strikes the object ball at an angle to send it toward a pocket.
D
- Dead Ball: A ball that is positioned perfectly for an easy shot, often near a pocket.
- Dead Rail: A rail that doesn’t provide much rebound due to wear or poor maintenance.
- Deflection: The deviation of the cue ball’s path due to spin or the angle of impact, also called “squirt.”
- Diamond: The inlaid markers on the rails used as reference points for aiming bank shots or kicks.
- Dog It: Slang for missing an easy shot, often due to lack of focus or pressure.
- Double Hit: An illegal shot where the cue tip strikes the cue ball more than once in a single stroke.
- Draw Shot: A shot where backspin is applied to the cue ball, causing it to reverse direction after hitting the object ball.
- Duck: Slang for an easy shot, often one that’s “sitting in the pocket” (also called a “sitting duck”).
- Dump: To intentionally lose a game, often for gambling purposes.
E
- English: Spin applied to the cue ball (side spin) to alter its path after hitting a rail or object ball. Also called “side” in some regions.
- End Rail: The short rail at the head or foot of the table.
- Extension: A device added to the cue stick to increase its length for hard-to-reach shots.
F
- Fat: Hitting the object ball too thickly, often resulting in a missed shot or poor position.
- Feather Shot: A delicate shot with minimal force, often used for precise positioning.
- Felt: The cloth covering the table’s surface, typically made of wool or a wool-nylon blend.
- Follow Shot: A shot where topspin is applied to the cue ball, causing it to roll forward after hitting the object ball.
- Foot Spot: The marked spot at the foot of the table where the apex ball of the rack is placed.
- Foul: A rule violation, such as hitting the wrong ball, failing to hit a rail, or scratching, often resulting in ball-in-hand for the opponent.
- Freeze: When two or more balls are touching, making a shot difficult. Also refers to locking up the cue ball against a rail or another ball to play safe.
- Full: Hitting the object ball directly or nearly head-on, as opposed to a cut shot.
G
- Ghost Ball: An imaginary ball used as an aiming technique, representing where the cue ball needs to be to pocket the object ball.
- Golden Break: In 9-ball, pocketing the 9-ball on the break, resulting in an instant win.
- Grip: The way a player holds the cue stick, typically at the butt end.
- Gutter: The channel along the edge of the table where balls travel in some tables with ball-return systems.
H
- Hanger: A ball positioned very close to a pocket, making it an easy shot.
- Head String: An imaginary line across the table at the head spot, used in games like 9-ball for ball-in-hand placement after a foul.
- High Run: The most balls pocketed consecutively in a single turn, often used in straight pool.
- Hook: To leave the cue ball in a position where the opponent has no clear shot, often behind another ball (also called a “snooker”).
- House Cue: A cue stick provided by the pool hall, often of lower quality than personal cues.
I
- Inning: A player’s turn at the table, ending when they miss, foul, or win.
- Inside English: Side spin where the cue ball spins in the same direction as its path after hitting a rail.
- Insurance Ball: A ball left in an easy position to pocket later, used as a backup plan.
J
- Jacked Up: When the cue stick is elevated at a steep angle, often to avoid obstacles or apply spin.
- Jump Shot: A shot where the cue ball is struck to jump over another ball, typically using a steep angle and a jump cue.
- Juice: Slang for spin or power applied to a shot, as in “Put some juice on it.”
K
- Key Ball: In straight pool, the ball that sets up the final shot to break the next rack.
- Kick Shot: A shot where the cue ball hits a rail before striking the object ball, often used to avoid obstacles.
- Kill Shot: A shot played to reduce the cue ball’s speed or stop it, often using draw or stun.
- Kitchen: The area behind the head string, where the cue ball is placed after a scratch in some games.
L
- Lag: A method to determine who breaks first, where players shoot to see whose cue ball comes closest to the head rail after bouncing off the foot rail.
- Leave: The position of the cue ball after a shot, as in “good leave” (favorable position) or “bad leave” (difficult position).
- Lock: A situation where the opponent is left with no viable shot, often due to a safety.
- Long String: An imaginary line from the foot spot to the center of the foot rail, used for spotting balls.
M
- Masse Shot: A shot where the cue is held nearly vertical to apply extreme spin, causing the cue ball to curve sharply.
- Match: A series of games played to determine a winner, often in a tournament.
- Mechanical Bridge: A device (also called a “rake” or “rest”) used to support the cue for long or difficult shots.
- Miscue: When the cue tip slips off the cue ball, often due to insufficient chalk or poor technique, resulting in a bad shot.
- Money Ball: The game-winning ball, such as the 8-ball in 8-ball or the 9-ball in 9-ball.
N
- Natural: A shot that feels intuitive or requires minimal spin or adjustment to make.
- Nip: A light, grazing shot, often used to describe a subtle contact.
- Nudge: A gentle safety shot to move a ball slightly, often to block a pocket or create a difficult leave.
O
- Object Ball: Any ball on the table that the cue ball is intended to strike.
- On the Hill: When a player needs only one more game to win a match (in tournament play).
- Open Table: In 8-ball, when neither player has chosen solids or stripes yet, allowing any ball to be pocketed.
- Outside English: Side spin where the cue ball spins in the opposite direction of its path after hitting a rail.
P
- Pattern Play: Planning a sequence of shots to run the table efficiently, often used in rotation games like 9-ball.
- Plant: A term used in some regions for a combination shot.
- Pocket: The holes at the corners and sides of the table where balls are sunk.
- Position Play: Controlling the cue ball’s path to set up the next shot.
- Power Break: A forceful break shot designed to scatter the balls widely, often used in 9-ball.
- Push Out: In 9-ball, a shot after the break where the player intentionally hits the cue ball to a safe position, allowing the opponent to choose whether to take the shot or pass it back.
- Push Shot: An illegal shot where the cue tip remains in contact with the cue ball too long, often during a close-contact shot.
R
- Rack: The triangular or diamond-shaped frame used to arrange balls before the break, or the arrangement itself.
- Rail: The raised edges of the table, covered with cushions.
- Railbird: A spectator who watches games closely, often from the rail, sometimes betting on the outcome.
- Rake: Another term for the mechanical bridge.
- Run: Pocketing multiple balls in a single turn, as in “running the table.”
- Run Out: Pocketing all required balls to win the game in one turn.
S
- Safety: A defensive shot designed to leave the opponent with a difficult or no shot.
- Scratch: When the cue ball is pocketed or leaves the table, resulting in a foul.
- Set: A group of games in a match or a rack of balls.
- Shaft: The thinner, front portion of the cue stick that contacts the cue ball.
- Shape: Another term for position play, referring to the cue ball’s placement for the next shot.
- Shark: A skilled player who may hustle or distract opponents to gain an advantage; also refers to “sharking,” the act of distracting.
- Short Rail: The end rails of the table (head or foot rail).
- Side Pocket: The two pockets located on the long sides of the table.
- Skid: When the cue ball or object ball slides without spin, often due to chalk marks or table conditions.
- Slate: The flat, heavy stone surface beneath the table’s cloth, ensuring a level playing field.
- Slop: A shot that goes in unintentionally or by luck, allowed in some casual games but not in professional rules.
- Snooker: To leave the opponent with a blocked shot, or a reference to the related cue sport. Also, being “snookered” means having no direct shot.
- Soft Break: A controlled break shot, often used in 9-ball to keep the 1-ball near the center and control the cue ball.
- Solid: In 8-ball, the balls numbered 1-7, as opposed to stripes.
- Spot: To place a ball back on the table (e.g., on the foot spot) after a scratch or foul, or the term for a handicap in some games.
- Squirt: See “Deflection.”
- Stance: The player’s body position when addressing the cue ball.
- Stop Shot: A shot where the cue ball stops immediately after hitting the object ball, achieved by hitting it straight with no spin.
- Stripes: In 8-ball, the balls numbered 9-15, as opposed to solids.
- Stun Shot: A shot where the cue ball is struck to slide with minimal spin, stopping or moving minimally after contact.
T
- Table Scratch: A foul where the cue ball fails to hit an object ball or a rail, without pocketing the cue ball.
- Thin: Hitting the object ball at a slight angle, often resulting in a cut shot.
- Throw: The deviation of an object ball’s path due to spin or collision dynamics.
- Tip: The cue tip, or the end of the cue stick.
- Topspin: Spin applied to make the cue ball roll forward after contact (see “Follow Shot”).
- Triangle: The rack used to set up balls in games like 8-ball or straight pool.
- Turn: A player’s time at the table (also called an inning).
V
- Vegas Rules: Informal rules in some pool halls, often allowing slop shots or relaxed fouls.
W
- Weight: Slang for a player’s skill level, as in “He’s got a lot of weight” (highly skilled).
- Wing Ball: In 9-ball, one of the two balls at the back of the rack, often pocketed in the corner during a break.
- Wire: In some pool halls, a string or wire above the table used to track scores in straight pool.
Notes
- Regional Variations: Some terms (e.g., “plant” for combination shot) vary by region or game type. Slang like “cheese” or “duck” is more common in casual play.
- Game-Specific Terms: Certain terms apply primarily to specific games (e.g., “push out” in 9-ball, “key ball” in straight pool).
- Slang Evolution: Pool slang evolves with culture and region, so some terms may have multiple meanings or fall out of use.
- Technical Precision: Technical terms like “draw,” “follow,” or “english” are critical for understanding advanced play and are universal in competitive pool.
If you’d like a deeper dive into terms specific to a particular pool game (e.g., 8-ball, 9-ball, or snooker) or want clarification on any term, let me know! I can also generate a chart to visualise something like common shot types or spin effects if you provide specific data or preferences.