ICC

International Cricket Council
w:International Cricket Council

(cricket) Initialism of International Cricket Council.


International Cricket Council

the International Cricket Council (canonical)
ICC (abbreviation)

(cricket) the governing body that organizes world cricket


bump

en-noun

bump (countable and uncountable, plural bumps)

From Early Modern English bump (“a shock, blow from a collision”), probably of North Germanic origin; compare Danish bump (“a thump”), Danish bumpe (“to thump”), Old Danish bumpe (“to strike with a clenched fist”), all probably of imitative origin.
Apparently related to Middle English bumben, bummen (“to make a hollow noise”), Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”), German Low German bumsen (“to bump, push”), German bummen (“to hum, buzz”), Icelandic bumba (“drum”). More at bum, bumble. Compare also bomb.

onom

imitative

cog

(snooker, slang) The jaw of either of the middle pockets.


ultra

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-
Latin uls
Proto-Indo-European *-teros?
Latin -ter
Latin -ā
Latin ultrābor.
English ultra
From Latin ultra.

etymon

A similar view is expressed by a Turin supporter in Segre's study, but in this case it is more specifically addressed to how powerful teams, such as Juventus, get preferential treatment in reports on the negative aspects of the ultras world.

2012, ALINA BERNSTEIN, Neil Blain, Sport, Media, Culture: Global and Local Dimensions, Routledge, →ISBN, page 183:

If a member of an official football club can be said to be a citizen of the football world, an ultra has to be considered as a militant.

2013, Richard Guilianotti, Football, Violence and Social Identity, Routledge, →ISBN, page 77:

Although the intention initially was to distribute tickets and arrange travel to away matches, ultras quickly became actively organised and developed an overtly passionate cultural and political identity inside each curva

2015, Jamie Cleland, A Sociology of Football in a Global Context, Routledge, →ISBN, page 30:

(soccer) An especially devoted football fan, typically associated with the intimidating use of extremist slogans, pyrotechnics and sometimes hooligan violence.


unbalanced

en-adj

unbalanced (comparative more unbalanced, superlative most unbalanced)

more unbalanced (comparative)
most unbalanced (superlative)

(American football) an offensive line with more players on one side of the center than on the other


flank

From Late Middle English flanc, from Late Old English flanc (“flank”), from Old French flanc, of Germanic origin, probably Frankish *hlanca, from Proto-Germanic *hlankō (“bend, curve, hip, flank”), from Proto-Germanic *hlankaz (“flexible, sleek, bendsome”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend”). Akin to Old High German hlanca (“loin”), Middle Low German lanke (“hip joint”) (German lenken (“to bend, turn, lead”)), Old English hlanc (“loose, slender, flaccid, lank”). More at lank.

cog

The hosts also had Paul Robinson to thank for a string of saves, three of them coming against Jerome Thomas, who gave Michel Salgado a torrid time down the left flank.

2011 January 23, Alistair Magowan, “Blackburn 2 - 0 West Brom”, in BBC:

(soccer) The wing, one side of the pitch.


jumper

[Markieff] Morris isn’t quite the post-up threat that [Enes] Kanter is, and he can play both the 4 spot and 5 spot instead of just center, like Kanter. He is capable of playing a similar way, backing defenders down in the post. He prefers getting his buckets there with a bevy of fade-aways and jumpers. He’s a heat checker. And he can get hot on the block.

2019 February 25, Brett Dawson, Fred Katz, “How power forward Markieff Morris might fit in with the Thunder”, in The Athletic:

(basketball) A shot in which the player releases the ball at the highest point of a jump; a jump shot.


fullback

(American football) An offensive back whose primary jobs are to block in advance of the halfback on running plays and for the quarterback on passing plays.

(rugby) A position behind the main line of backs in both rugby union and rugby league. In rugby union, they wear number 15 jersey at the start of play and are the last line of defence responsible for catching punts.

For long, awkward spells, City looked out of their depth. Dani Alves and Jordi Alba attacked like whippets from the full-back positions.

2015 February 24, Daniel Taylor, “Luis Suárez strikes twice as Barcelona teach Manchester City a lesson”, in The Guardian (London):

(soccer) A player who plays on the left or right side of defence.

һаҡсы

(soccer) a player who plays on the left or right side of defence


neutral zone

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(American football) A zone between the defensive line of scrimmage and the offensive line of scrimmage.

zona neutral

football: zone between the lines of scrimmage


line of scrimmage

en-noun

line of scrimmage (plural lines of scrimmage)

(American football) Either of two imaginary lines across the football field touching one of the two apices of the football which point toward either the defensive side or the offensive side before the center is allowed to touch the ball before each play.


football field

(American football) A playing field on which the game of American football is played.


offensive line of scrimmage

offensive line of scrimmage (plural offensive lines of scrimmage)

(American football) The scrimmage line on the offensive side of the football field.


running back

(American football) An offensive back whose primary job is to be the ballcarrier.


ball carrier

ball carriers (plural)
ballcarrier (alternative)

(American football, Canadian football, rugby) A player who carries the football.


offensive back

(American football) A player for the team in possession of the ball who lines up behind the line of scrimmage at the start of a play.


one-minute warning

one-minute warning (plural one-minute warnings)

(American football) In the AFL, a warning given with one minute to go before the end of a half, after which special rules apply, eg, stoppage of the game clock after very first down.


AFL

Arena Football League
w:Arena Football League

(American football) Initialism of Arena Football League.

American Football League
w:American Football League

(obsolete, American football) Initialism of American Football League.


first down

(American football) The first play in a series that has a maximum of four downs.

(American football) The act of getting a first down by advancing the ball more than ten yards ahead of the field position where the team took possession.


football player

football player (plural football players)

football players (plural)
football-player (alternative)

association football
association football

(soccer, UK) One who plays association football, aka soccer.

(American football, US) One who plays American football.

(Canadian football, Canada) One who plays Canadian football.


quarterback

From quarter + back, in reference to position in front of the halfback position.

Standing 6-foot-6, 237 pounds, Herbert’s size and arm strength are consistent with a prototypical N.F.L. quarterback, and he led the Ducks to a Pac-12 championship and a victory at the Rose Bowl in January with not much talent at receiver.

2020 April 24, Ken Belson, Ben Shpigel, “Full Round 1 2020 N.F.L. Picks and Analysis”, in New York Time:

(American football, Canadian football) An offensive back whose primary job is to pass the ball in a play.

(American football, historical) An offensive back who receives the snap (hike) and then blocks the defense from crossing the line of scrimmage; a blocking back.

(rugby football, historical) A position just behind the forwards, or one who plays this position.


quarterback

en-verb

quarterback (third-person singular simple present quarterbacks, present participle quarterbacking, simple past and past participle quarterbacked)

quarterbacks (present singular third-person)
quarterbacking (participle present)
quarterbacked (participle past)
quarterbacked (past)

(American football) To play the position of quarterback.


forward pass

(rugby and American football) A pass in the forward direction, advancing toward the goal, generally illegal except in American football, once per play, from behind the line of scrimmage.


neutral-zone infraction

en-noun

neutral-zone infraction (plural neutral-zone infractions)

(American football) an infraction in which a football player, on defense, gets into or crosses the neutral zone during the snap, causing an offensive player to false start. The penalty is against the defense, not the offense. It is a 5 yard penalty.


hand-off

hand-off (countable and uncountable, plural hand-offs)

(American football) A pass made in a backward direction.

(rugby) The act of pushing an opponent away with an open hand.


wide receiver

All season, the Chiefs have struggled on offense, in particular in the pass catching department. On multiple occasions throughout the regular season, Mahomes was burned by mental miscues from his wide receivers which cost the Chiefs wins.

2024 February 12, Ben Morse and Steve Almasy, “Kansas City Chiefs defeat San Francisco 49ers in OT in Super Bowl LVIII, become first back-to-back NFL champions in 19 years”, in CNN.com:

(American football) An offensive football player whose position on the line of scrimmage is farthest from the ball and whose function is to principally to catch passes.

laitahyökkääjä

American football: offensive player position


airmail

en-verb

airmail (third-person singular simple present airmails, present participle airmailing, simple past and past participle airmailed)

airmails (present singular third-person)
airmailing (participle present)
airmailed (participle past)
airmailed (past)
air mail (alternative)

(baseball) To (unintentionally) throw the ball well over a fielder's head where that fielder is unable to make a play on the ball.


keep wicket

keep wicket (third-person singular simple present keeps wicket, present participle keeping wicket, simple past and past participle kept wicket)

keeps wicket (present singular third-person)
keeping wicket (participle present)
kept wicket (participle past)
kept wicket (past)

(cricket, intransitive) To act as wicket-keeper.


king pair

(cricket) The score of zero runs, having been out on the first ball faced in each innings of a two-innings match; a golden duck in each innings


golden duck

(cricket) the score of zero runs after getting out on the first ball faced


knee roll

(cricket) the thick part of a batsman's pads that protects the knee


cleanup

en-noun

cleanup (countable and uncountable, plural cleanups)

cleanups (plural)
clean-up (alternative)

Jones will be batting cleanup in tonight's game.

The starting lineup for Newark consisted of Johnny Neun leading off at first base; the number two hitter was catcher Norman Kies; batting third and playing second base was Andy Cohen; at cleanup was "The People's Cherce," Dixie Walker; George Selkirk was hitting fifth and playing right field; Bob Barrett was at third base and hitting sixth; Jess Hill was the number seven batter in left field; Red Rolfe batted eighth and played shortstop; and the right-hander, George Miner, was on the mound.

1994, Ronald A. Mayer, The 1937 Newark Bears: A Baseball Legend, →ISBN, page 27:

There it was: McDougald at cleanup, and DiMaggio fifth.

2000, Richard Ben Cramer, Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life, →ISBN, page 528:

I had been getting hits off Jim Palmer and had a streak going and went from hitting 8th to 7th, to 6th, 5th, and then finally McKeon put me in at cleanup.

2010, Kenneth Hogan, Batting 10th for the Yankees, →ISBN:

(baseball) Fourth in the batting order; a cleanup hitter.


Barmy Army

An English football chant, in which supporters of a team would chant that they were the team manager's "barmy army", was applied to a particularly "barmy" group of supporters who followed the English cricket team to Australia in 1994–95 despite the team being seen as having little prospect of success.
The origin of "Barmy Army" was based on a soubriquet by Leeds United supporters for Howard Wilkinson, the team manager during the late eighties and early nineties. He was known as Sergeant Wilko - a skit on Sergeant Bilko, a well known comedy character portrayed by Phil Silvers a couple of decades earlier, but still at the time on TV. Sergeant Bilko's army became Sergeant Wilko's army, the barmy bit was added because it's Yorkshire and it makes a good chant. It was picked up by other teams, whereupon the Sergeant Wilko bit was dropped. Then by cricket people. The tune is the same though.

(cricket) An organised group of cricket fans which arranges touring parties of its members to follow the English cricket team on all of its overseas tours.


scoreboard

(cricket) A similar board that also displays each batsman's score, and many statistics and pieces of information.


blindside

blindsides (plural)
blind side (alternative)
blind-side (alternative)

(rugby) The space on the side of the pitch with the shorter distance between the breakdown/set piece and the touchline; compare openside.


crunch time

crunchtime (alternative)
crunch-time (alternative)
time crunch (alternative)

(basketball) The last few minutes of play in the fourth quarter.


loop

From Middle English loupe (“noose, loop”), earlier lowp-knot (“loop-knot”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hlaup (“a run”), used in the sense of a "running knot", from hlaupa (“to leap”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to leap, run”). Compare Swedish löp-knut (“loop-knot”), Danish løb-knude (“a running knot”), Danish løb (“a course”). More at leap. The verb is derived from the noun.

der

(cricket) The curved path of the ball bowled by a spin bowler.


receiver

From Anglo-Norman receverre, receivour et al., later also reformed as receive + -er. Compare recevor, rescaivour.

curator

person appointed to settle financial affairs

прыёмнік

electronic device that receives and converts signal

(American football) An offensive player who catches the ball after it has been passed.

(racquet sports) A person who attempts to return the serve.


rundown

→ Spanish: rondón

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Smith is caught in a rundown, but Jones will come around to score.

(baseball) A defensive play in which the runner is caught between two fielders, who steadily converge to tag the runner out.


hummer

Branca, concentrating so intently that he didn't hear the braying crowd, threw a hummer down the middle.

2015, Andrew Goldblatt, The Giants and the Dodgers, page 115:


shoestring

The noun is derived from shoe + string. The adjective is derived from the noun, while the verb is derived from terms such as shoestring catch and shoestring tackle.

(US, chiefly American football, baseball) Of a catch or tackle: made near the ground, close to a player's shoes.

jalka-

of a catch or tackle: made near the ground, close to a player’s shoes


shoestring

en-verb

shoestring (third-person singular simple present shoestrings, present participle shoestringing, simple past and past participle shoestringed)

shoestrings (present singular third-person)
shoestringing (participle present)
shoestringed (participle past)
shoestringed (past)

shoestring tackle
shoestring tackle#English

(transitive, American football) To tackle (a player) using a shoestring tackle (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).

taklata alas

to tackle (a player) using a shoestring tackle

We didn't score in our half of the eighth, but it was only because Ernie's line drive was shoestringed by the Giant left fielder, with Rusty Howarth on second.

1976, Paul R. Rothweiler, The Sensuous Southpaw […], New York, N.Y.: Putnam, →ISBN, page 104:

Most outfielders say that short-hopping a ball so that it looks as if it was caught is more an accident than an art form, but Coach Joe Nossek of the Indians actually tells his charges to hold up the ball after shoestringing it on the off chance that the umpire might be fooled.

1981 April 13, Steve Wulf, “Tricks of the Trade”, in Sports Illustrated Baseball: Four Decades of Sports Illustrated’s Finest Writing on America’s Favorite Pastime (Collector’s Library), Birmingham, Ala.: Oxmoor House, published 1994, →ISBN, page 275:

shoestring catch
shoestring catch#English

(transitive, baseball) To catch (a ball) using a shoestring catch (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).

ottaa koppi matalalta

to catch (a ball) using a shoestring catch


throw someone a curve

throw someone a curve (third-person singular simple present throws someone a curve, present participle throwing someone a curve, simple past threw someone a curve, past participle thrown someone a curve)

throws someone a curve (present singular third-person)
throwing someone a curve (participle present)
threw someone a curve (past)
thrown someone a curve (participle past)
throw someone a curveball (alternative)

From the curve ball in baseball, where a spin is employed to adjust the path of the ball unexpectedly.

(baseball) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To pitch a curve ball.


bowl a googly

bowl a googly (third-person singular simple present bowls a googly, present participle bowling a googly, simple past and past participle bowled a googly)

bowls a googly (present singular third-person)
bowling a googly (participle present)
bowled a googly (participle past)
bowled a googly (past)

(transitive, intransitive, cricket) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bowl, googly.


rotation

en-noun

rotation (countable and uncountable, plural rotations)

/ɹoʊˈteɪʃən/

Borrowed from Latin rotatiō. By surface analysis, rotate + -ion.

(baseball) The set of starting pitchers of a team.


header

His header for the goal followed a perfect corner kick.

The Black Cats had a mountain to climb after James Morrison's header and Shane Long's neat side-foot finish gave Albion a 2-0 lead five minutes in.

2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer) The act of hitting the ball with the head.

رَأْسِيَّة

soccer: act of hitting the ball with the head


ERA

ERA (countable and uncountable, plural ERAs)

earned run average
earned run average#English

(baseball) Initialism of earned run average, a baseball statistic.


QPR

Queens Park Rangers
w:Queens Park Rangers F.C.

(soccer) Initialism of Queens Park Rangers: a British football club based in London.


downtown

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That shot came from way downtown!

(basketball) Outside the three-point line, or generally far from the basket.


flare

→ Italian: flare

Origin unknown, first recorded in the mid 16th century, probably related to Latin flagrō (“I burn”). Norwegian flara (“to blaze; to flaunt in gaudy attire”) has a similar meaning, but the English word predates it. Possibly related to Middle High German vlederen (“to flutter”), represented by modern German flattern.
The noun is derived from the verb.

unknown

Origin unknown

ярка светлина

source of brightly burning light or intense heat

Stulp

widening of an object with otherwise roughly constant width

разкрояване

widening of the lower legs of trousers and jeans

Jones hits a little flare to left that falls for a single.

An observant base runner checks the outfield defense and easily goes from first to third when the batter hits a flare to right field. A base runner who does not observe the depth of the outfield must turn to watch the ball, see it drop, and then run. He probably doesn't make it to third base.

2008, Mark Gola, “Character”, in Baseball’s Sixth Tool: Playing the Mental Game to Get the Competitive Edge, New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 7:

(baseball) A low fly ball that is hit in the region between the infielders and the outfielders.

(American football) A route run by the running back, releasing toward the sideline and then slightly arcing upfield looking for a short pass.


loaded

en-adj

loaded (comparative more loaded, superlative most loaded)

more loaded (comparative)
most loaded (superlative)

It's bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded and there are two outs.

(baseball) Pertaining to a situation where there is a runner at each of the three bases.

täynnä

baseball: when there is a runner at each of the three bases


charity

en-noun

charity (countable and uncountable, plural charities)

From Middle English charite, from Old French charité, cherte, chariteit, cariteit, from Latin cāritās.

(US, Philippines, basketball, informal) A free throw.


not out

(cricket, of a batsman at the end of an innings) not dismissed and having not retired.


leg bye

(cricket) A run scored by a batting side arising from the ball striking any part of the batsman's body (other than the hand) without touching the bat.


biter

From Middle English biter, bitere, equivalent to bite + -er. Cognate with West Frisian biter (“biter”), Dutch bijter (“biter”), German Low German Bieter (“biter”), German Beißer (“biter”).

(curling) A stone that barely touches the outside of the house.


camel toe

When contacting the ball with one hand, it must be cleanly hit with the heel or palm of the hand (a roll shot), with straight, locked fingertips (a cobra), knurled fingers (a camel toe), or the back of the hand from the wrist to the knuckles.

1997, Steven Boga, Volleyball, Stackpole Books, →ISBN, page 83:


false start

(American football) The act of an offensive player moving across the line of scrimmage prior to the snap.


fruit salad

fruit salad (countable and uncountable, plural fruit salads)

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(cricket) A bowler's strategy of using a different delivery each time.


linesman

A linesman replaced injured referee Rebecca Welch after 50 minutes and with no other official present, qualified referee Pattison, 60, ran the line.

2015 November 18, “Steven Pattison: Carlisle United director runs line in FA Youth Cup”, in BBC Sport:

As the linesman raised his flag, Neville played on, crossing for Piovaccari to net.

2015 November 13, “Western Sydney Wanderers romp to victory at hapless Melbourne City”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

(American football) An official whose primary task is to determine whether there has been a line of scrimmage violation.

linjatuomari

American football: official who determines if there has been a line of scrimmage violation


lineman

(American football) A player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage.


overhead

en-adj

overhead (comparative more overhead, superlative most overhead)

more overhead (comparative)
most overhead (superlative)

From Middle English owerheved, over-hed, over hede (adverb), from Old English oferhēafod (adverb), equivalent to over- + head. Compare German Low German overhoopt, överhoopt, German überhaupt.

It was Rooney, however, who produced a moment of inspiration to score a stunning overhead kick that will live forever in the memory of United's fans and extended City's dismal sequence of only one league win in their last 27 visits to Old Trafford.

2011 February 12, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 2 - 1 Man City”, in BBC:

despeses generals

of, or relating to the operating expenses of a business


assistant referee

en-noun

assistant referee (plural assistant referees)

Maccabi's Yoan Ziv also saw red in the second half for kicking a boot at the assistant referee.

2011 October 20, Michael da Silva, “Stoke 3 - 0 Macc Tel-Aviv”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer, British): One of the two officials at an association football match, previously known as linesmen, who assist the referee.


ferrule

From Middle English verel, virel, virole (“ferrule; metal pivot on the end of an axle”), altered under the influence of Latin ferrum (“iron”), from Old French virole (“ferrule”), from Latin viriola (“little bracelet”), diminutive of viria (“bracelet worn by men”), from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *weiros (“crooked”) (compare Middle Irish fiar (“bent, crooked”), Welsh gŵyr, Breton gwar (“curved”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁ros (“threaded, turned, twisted”), from *weyh₁- (“to turn, twist, weave”).

refn

From the collection of the Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland, New Zealand.

kování

band or cap placed around a shaft to reinforce it or to prevent splitting

příruba

During a short break he clamped the tenon machine to the countertop; then he took a few cues that were in need of repair and began replacing their ferrules. […] By two-thirty, a dozen cues had new white ferrules and leather tips.

1984 August, Walter Tevis, chapter 6, in The Color of Money, New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Warner Books, October 1986, →ISBN, pages 150–151:

A band holding parts of an object together.

(billiards) The plastic band attaching the tip to the cue.

virolla

(billiards) plastic band attaching the tip to the cue


Ajax

(soccer) The Amsterdam football club AFC Ajax


run and gun

en-verb

run and gun (third-person singular simple present runs and guns, present participle running and gunning, simple past ran and gunned, past participle run and gunned)

runs and guns (present singular third-person)
running and gunning (participle present)
ran and gunned (past)
run and gunned (participle past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-run and gun.wav

This team likes to run and gun.

They're really running and gunning now.

This coach likes to play a run-and-gun offense.

(basketball, often attributive) To move the ball quickly and shoot often.


banjo hitter

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From the twanging sound of the batter's swing, like that of a banjo.

Aluminum bats, which had replaced wood in the college game in 1974, were so potent they made Babe Ruths out of banjo hitters.

(baseball) a batter who lacks power, usually hits bloop singles, and would have a low slugging percentage.


completion

en-noun

completion (countable and uncountable, plural completions)

termination

antonym(s) of “making complete, accomplishment”

Borrowed from Latin completio, completionem, from complere (“to fill up, complete”); comparable to English complete + -ion.

(American football) A forward pass that is successfully caught by the intended receiver.


Angel

Smith became an Angel as a result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player on the team the "Los Angeles Angels" or one of its predecessor "Angels" teams.


Argonaut

/ˈɑːrɡənɔːt/

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀργοναύτης (Argonaútēs).

(Canadian football) A team member for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.


Athletic

Smith became an Athletic as a result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player on the team Oakland Athletics.

(soccer, uncountable) Short for Athletic Club, a Spanish professional club more often known in English as Athletic Bilbao.


Athletics

(baseball) The team The Oakland Athletics, previously Kansas City Athletics and Philadelphia Athletics.


Aztec

From Spanish azteca, from Classical Nahuatl aztēcah, plural of aztēcatl (“inhabitant of Aztlán”).

(American football) A hybrid defensive back position combining aspects of the safety, nickelback and linebacker positions.


B

From abbreviations of various terms beginning with or containing the letter ‘B’.
* (billion): abbreviation of billion
* (cricket): abbreviation of balls
* (bitch): abbreviation of bitch

(cricket) The number of balls faced by a batsman.


Barca

2000 April 19, BBC Online, "Football News":

There's only one Barca

Chelsea and Barca clash once again

Giovani committed to Barca

(informal, soccer) FC Barcelona, a prominent Spanish association football club.


Blues

In reference to the ancient Roman and medieval Byzantine racing faction, a calque of Latin venetī (“Sea-Blues”) or factio veneta (“the sea-blue faction”) and Byzantine Greek Βένετοι (Bénetoi, “Blues”).

bor

(informal) Any of several sports teams whose uniform is predominantly blue, such as:


Brewer

(soccer) A player, supporter or other person connected with Burton Albion Football Club.

(baseball) A player for the Milwaukee Brewers.


Cardinal

Smith became a Cardinal as the result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player on the St. Louis Cardinals team.

(American football) A player on the Arizona Cardinals team.


Cherry

(soccer) someone connected with AFC Bournemouth, as a fan, player, coach etc.


City

City will reportedly look to have a fee for Aguero.

(soccer, informal) Manchester City Football Club, an English football club.


Cub

Jones became a Cub as the result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player on the team the "Chicago Cubs".


D

From the shape of the upper case letter "D".

(snooker) The semicircle on the baulk line, inside which the cue ball must be placed at a break-off.

Johnson, a late substitute, applied the finishing touch but it was move kickstarted by the again-impressive Neco Williams, who skedaddled forward from halfway with the ball in tow before feeding Aaron Ramsey on the edge of the D.

2022 June 11, Ben Fisher, “Brennan Johnson’s late goal denies Belgium and extends the Wales party”, in The Guardian:

(soccer) The penalty arc on a football pitch.


Elk

(Canadian football) A team member of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Elks (formerly known as the Eskimos).


Euro

England could have met world and European champions Spain but that eventuality was avoided by Sweden's 2-0 win against France, and Rooney's first goal in a major tournament since scoring twice in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in Lisbon at Euro 2004.

2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer, usually followed by the year) The UEFA European Football Championship, a European football competition held between the international teams of Europe every four years.


G

en-noun

G (countable and uncountable, plural Gs)

(sports, baseball) Games (the statistic reporting the number of games that a player has participated in).


Giant

(baseball) A player for the San Francisco Giants.

(American football) A player for the New York Giants.


Gill

* As an English surname, converged from variants of Giles (sometimes through Dutch), Julian, and William.
* As a northern English surname, from Middle English gil (“ravine, glen”), from Old Norse gil. The Old Norse is also a source of the Norwegian surname.
* As an Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, variant of McGill.
* Also as an Irish surname, variant of Gall.
* As a Jewish/Israeli surname, from Hebrew גיל (“joy”).
* As a German surname, variant of Gilger.
* As an Indian/Sikh/Punjabi surname, from ਗਿੱਲ (gill, “moisture”).

(soccer) Someone connected with Gillingham Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.


Hammer

Shortened West Ham + -er, with a pun on hammer.

(soccer) someone connected with West Ham Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.


J

Js (plural)
J's (plural)
JJ (plural)
J. (alternative)
j. (alternative)
j (alternative)

And Durant had a front seat for just how much work DeRozan was putting in during their time together in Rio. "I watched him man," Durant said. "His footwork in the post is flawless. His jump shot in the mid-range is incredible. That is the type of stuff I look at as a basketball guy, his footwork, his mechanics on his J, his handle. At first he was a dunker and he barely dunks now. He’s a finesse player but he can play power forward. I’m a big fan."

2017 February 18, Mike Gantner, “Durant a big admirer of DeRozan and his work ethic”, in Toronto Sun:


K

Abbreviations.
# (stenoscript) Abbreviation of counter, prefix counter-, sequence contr.

ng

prefix <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">counter-</i>, sequence contr.

(baseball) Abbreviation of strikeout. On a baseball scorecard, a frontwards K signifies striking out while swinging the bat, while a backwards K signifies striking out while looking.


Lion

(American football) A player for National Football League's Detroit Lions.

(Canadian football) A player for Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions.

(soccer) A player for the England football team.


M

en-noun

M (countable and uncountable, plural Ms)

(cricket, in batting figures) the number of minutes a player spent at the crease

(cricket, in bowling figures) the number of maiden overs bowled


Mariner

Jones became a Mariner as the result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player on the team the Seattle Mariners.


Met

(baseball) A player for the New York Mets.


O

O (countable and uncountable, plural Os)

(soccer) Someone associated with Leyton Orient Football Club, as a player, coach, supporter etc.


Oval

Alternative form: The Oval

(cricket) A cricket ground in South London.


PK

PK (countable and uncountable, plural PKs)

(American football) Initialism of placekicker.

(US, soccer) Initialism of penalty kick.


Padre

Jones became a Padre as the result of a pre-season trade.

(baseball) A player for the San Diego Padres.


Patriot

(American football, NFL) A member of the New England Patriots professional football team.


R

(baseball, cricket) runs, the statistic reporting the number of runs scored by a player


Ram

From ram the animal of the mascot for the sports team.

(UK, soccer) Someone connected with Derby County Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.


Robin

* (masculine given name): From Middle English Robin, from Old French, diminutive of Robert
* (feminine given name): From the bird, robin
* (given name): From Germanic

(soccer) Someone connected with any number of sports teams known as the Robins, as a fan, player, coach, etc.


Spur

English surname, variant of Spurr. Compare the noun spur.

(soccer) someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.


Swan

The Swans will doubtless recover, but they will head home this evening knowing that they didn't do themselves justice in a game that means so much to supporters.

2013 November 3, Delme Parfitt, “Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win”, in Wales Online:

(soccer) someone connected with Swansea City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.


Sweet Sixteen

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(basketball, US, informal) The sixteen teams participating in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Division I tournament, one of whom will become the national champion.

(basketball, US, informal) The round of the NCAA Division I basketball tournament where all but 16 teams have been eliminated.

The new coach has just led the Nimrods to their first Sweet Sixteen.

(basketball, US, informal) An appearance in the Sweet Sixteen.


T

T (countable and uncountable, plural Ts)


Tiger

(soccer) Someone connected with Hull City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.


Tyke

Perhaps a derogatory nickname from Old Norse tík, 'bitch, female dog' (compare English tyke, Icelandic tík). Less likely to be from Old Norse þýzkr, 'of one's nation' or an Old English cognate (compare German deutsch, Swedish tysk).

(slang, soccer) someone connected with Barnsley Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.


Villa

Olsson and Herd tussled off the ball at a free-kick before Olsson fell to the ground. Assistant referee Darren Cann signalled for a penalty and Dowd sent Herd off to the amazement of the Villa faithful.

2011 October 22, Sam Sheringham, “Aston Villa 1 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer) Aston Villa Football Club, a football club based in Birmingham


W

Abbreviations of various words beginning with W.


Wanderer

(soccer) someone connected with any number of soccer clubs known as the Wanderers.


Will

Shortened from William or, less often, from other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.

Will linebacker drops to turn-in, QB dropping dumps the ball off to HB.

1997, F Henderson, M Olson, Football's West Coast Offense, page 7:

Our Will linebacker, because he is away from the formation or to the split end, should be a great pursuit man and pass defender.
Will covers the back side hook zone on the weak side.

2000, American Football Coaches Association, Defensive Football Strategies, page 25:

(American football) A weak-side linebacker.


DB

(American football, Canadian football) Initialism of defensive back.


CB

CB (countable and uncountable, plural CBs)

(soccer) Initialism of centre-back, a defensive position

(American football, Gaelic football, hurling) Initialism of cornerback.

Gaelic football; hurling; Gaelic football; hurling


Bengal

Borrowed from Portuguese Bengala, from Classical Persian بَنْگَالَه (bangāla), from Middle Bengali বাঙ্গালা (baṅgala), said to be from the Vanga Kingdom, of uncertain ultimate origin. Vangalam has been attested in medieval South India. Doublet of Bangla.

Jones became a Bengal in a trade for Smith.

(American football) A player on the team The Cincinnati Bengals.


CG

(baseball) Initialism of complete games; the statistic reporting the number of games thrown by a pitcher.


mop up

en-verb

mop up (third-person singular simple present mops up, present participle mopping up, simple past and past participle mopped up)

mops up (present singular third-person)
mopping up (participle present)
mopped up (participle past)
mopped up (past)

(baseball) To pitch the final innings especially of a game that is no longer close.


hit up

hit ups (plural)
hitup (alternative)
hit-up (alternative)

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(rugby) The act of taking a pass from the dummy half and running straight into the opposition's defensive line without looking to pass.


take on

take on (third-person singular simple present takes on, present participle taking on, simple past took on, past participle taken on)

takes on (present singular third-person)
taking on (participle present)
took on (past)
taken on (participle past)

He drifted past four Palace players and took on two more before crossing to the far post, where Fellaini touched on for Mata to score. It was a momentum-shifting moment.

2016 May 22, Phil McNulty, “Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United”, in BBC:

(soccer) To (attempt to) dribble round (an opposition player).


all-rounder

all-rounders (plural)
all-arounder (alternative)
all rounder (alternative)

From earlier all-round (“versatile”) + -er, sense “versatile person” from 1875.

An all-rounder is a player who can bat and bowl. A genuine all-rounder should be able to make the team on either skill alone. A genuine one is as rare as a punctual Sri Lankan.

2011, Shehan Karunatilaka, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Jonathan Cape, page 26:

(cricket) A player who is skilled in both batting and bowling.

yleispelaaja

(cricket) player skilled in both batting and bowling


meg

meg (third-person singular simple present megs, present participle megging, simple past and past participle megged)

megs (present singular third-person)
megging (participle present)
megged (participle past)
megged (past)

(colloquial, soccer, transitive) To nutmeg an opponent.


jaffa

From Jaffa, an ancient port city in what is now Israel from which the oranges were exported. The sense "impotent male" is a reference to being "seedless"; see seed.
The cricketing sense, of a 'sweet ball' (from the bowler's perspective), is a metaphor further reinforced in Australian English where Jaffa is also a trademark for a popular lolly that is red and round.

(cricket) A ball that is very difficult for the batsman to hit because it moves erratically either through the air or off the pitch


touch base

touch base (third-person singular simple present touches base, present participle touching base, simple past and past participle touched base)

touches base (present singular third-person)
touching base (participle present)
touched base (participle past)
touched base (past)
touch bases (alternative)

(baseball, literally) To touch a base, usually with a foot but sometimes with a hand.


snapshot

Yet Revell misjudged his promising position in the area to put his point-blank snapshot wide from only six yards out.

2011 March 2, Chris Whyatt, “Arsenal 5 - 0 Leyton Orient”, in BBC:

(soccer) A quick, unplanned or unexpected shot.


ER

en-noun

ER (countable and uncountable, plural ERs)


no-no

no-nos (plural)
no-noes (plural)
no no (alternative)

must

antonym(s) of “something forbidden, ...”

He threw two no-nos in his career.

(baseball, colloquial) A no-hitter; a game in which no batter on one of the teams got a hit.


tip off

en-verb

tip off (third-person singular simple present tips off, present participle tipping off, simple past and past participle tipped off)

tips off (present singular third-person)
tipping off (participle present)
tipped off (participle past)
tipped off (past)

(basketball) To put the ball in play by throwing it up between two opponents.

The game tips off in an hour, so hurry back!


hand off

hand off (third-person singular simple present hands off, present participle handing off, simple past and past participle handed off)

hands off (present singular third-person)
handing off (participle present)
handed off (participle past)
handed off (past)

(American football) To pass (the ball) to a teammate.


silver goal

(soccer) The first goal scored during the first half of extra time, giving victory to the scoring side if this rule is in effect.


bicycle kick

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Yaya Toure sent over a hopeful cross-field pass that Warnock attempted to clear with a bicycle kick, only to calamitously set Johnson up for a low finish past Given.

2011 October 15, David Ornstein, “Man City 4 - 1 Aston Villa”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer) A kick in which the kicker leans backwards and kicks the ball back over his head.

bicicleta

not in dictionaries, but a more common spelling in practice


kicker

(American football) A placekicker: a player who kicks the football during free kicks, kick offs, field goals, and extra point tries.


HR

en-noun

HR (countable and uncountable, plural HRs)

/eɪt͡ʃ ɑː(ɹ)/

(baseball) Initialism of home runs (in statistics).


RFC

(rugby) Initialism of rugby football club.


LFC

(soccer, now obsolete) Initialism of ladies' football club.


LFC

Liverpool Football Club
w:Liverpool F.C.

(soccer) Initialism of Liverpool Football Club.


FC

FC (countable and uncountable, plural FCs)

fielder's choice
fielder's choice#English

(baseball) Initialism of fielder's choice.


OT

OT (countable and uncountable, plural OTs)

offensive tackle
offensive tackle#English

(American football, Canadian football) Initialism of offensive tackle.


walk the dog

en-verb

walk the dog (third-person singular simple present walks the dog, present participle walking the dog, simple past and past participle walked the dog)

walks the dog (present singular third-person)
walking the dog (participle present)
walked the dog (participle past)
walked the dog (past)

(idiomatic, lacrosse) To perform a trick where the ball rolls down the shaft and is caught in the head of the lacrosse stick.


tosh

en-noun

tosh (countable and uncountable, plural toshes)

From 19th-century British thieves' cant, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from *tarsh, a metathetic alteration of trash; or from toss.
Sense of nonsense possibly influenced by tush (“nonsense! tsk tsk!”) attested from 15th century.

Among the recent neologisms of the cricket field is ‘tosh’, which means bowling of contemptible easiness.

(cricket, slang, derogatory, uncountable) Easy bowling


DP

DP (countable and uncountable, plural DPs)

(baseball, softball) Initialism of double play.


ODI

According to Karuna, had he played a full career of 100 tests and say 300 ODIs, he would have finished with well over 700 and 500 wickets respectively.

2011, Shehan Karunatilaka, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Jonathan Cape, page 348:

one-day international
one-day international#English

(cricket) Initialism of one-day international.


IRS

instant replay system
instant replay system#English

(basketball) Initialism of instant replay system.


HSV

HSV (countable and uncountable, plural HSVs)

BHV

bovine herpes virus or bovine herpesvirus

CeHV

cercopithecine herpes virus or cercopithecine herpesvirus

EHV

equine herpes virus or equine herpesvirus

FHV

feline herpes virus or feline herpesvirus

KSHV

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

MaHV

macropodid herpes virus or macropodid herpesvirus

OsHV

oyster herpes virus or oyster herpesvirus


PL

(soccer, UK) Initialism of Premier League.


LF

LF (countable and uncountable, plural LFs)

(baseball) Initialism of left field, Initialism of left fielder.


hacking

hacking (usually uncountable, plural hackings)

From Middle English hackynge, hakkynge, hacckinge, equivalent to hack + -ing.

(sports, chiefly American football, soccer, rugby) A kick in the shins.


GSW

Golden State Warriors
w:Golden State Warriors

(US, basketball) Initialism of Golden State Warriors.


TD

TD (countable and uncountable, plural TDs)

When he and his Cincinnati Bengal playmates were done with the AFC’s best defense, that of the New York-New Jersey Jets, he had done Supermannish damage — 30 carries, 139 yards and two TDs — as the Bengals won, 36-19.

1988 October 10, Gary Nuhn, “Bengals put Jets, ghosts of ’87 to rest”, in Dayton Daily News, volume 112, number 31, Dayton, Ohio, page 1-B:

(American football, Canadian football) Abbreviation of touchdown.


wk

wk (countable and uncountable, plural wks)

(cricket) Abbreviation of wicket keeper.


NRL

National Rugby League
w:National Rugby League

(rugby) Initialism of National Rugby League, the main rugby league competition in Australia, including one New Zealand team.


derrick

en-verb

derrick (third-person singular simple present derricks, present participle derricking, simple past and past participle derricked)

derricks (present singular third-person)
derricking (participle present)
derricked (participle past)
derricked (past)

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Named after British executioner Thomas Derrick, who invented the framework arrangement commonly known by this name to aid in the conduct of executions. First use appears c. 1600 in the publication Ballad Death Earl Essex.

named-after

Stinky, who had batted a bit over .200 with scant power (two home runs in 66 games in 1933), was being derricked by Navin.

As a rule, when the twirler is derricked, it is because the members of the opposition are beginning to take undue familiarity with his offerings. But this is not always the reason.

2014, Addie Joss, Gary Mitchem, Addie Joss on Baseball, page 96:

(transitive, baseball, informal) To remove (a pitcher).


dink

Imitative. Originally US. Attested since the 1930s.

sound-symbolic

Imitative

The forward passed to Fernandes and, as Pau López advanced, the Portuguese fashioned a sand‑wedge dink over the goalkeeper.

2021 April 29, Jamie Jackson, “Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes help Manchester United hit Roma for six”, in The Guardian:

(soccer) A light chip; a chipped pass or shot


dink

en-verb

dink (third-person singular simple present dinks, present participle dinking, simple past and past participle dinked)

dinks (present singular third-person)
dinking (participle present)
dinked (participle past)
dinked (past)

sound-symbolic

Imitative

The forward dinked the ball over the goalkeeper to score his first goal of the season.

But the visitors started the game in stunning fashion when Morten Gamst Pedersen dinked forward a clever looping pass and Kalinic beat the offside trap, surged into the box and beautifully placed the ball past goalkeeper Scott Carson.

2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC:

A dinked pass intended for De Bruyne from the impressive Oscar Bobb then deflected off Jackson and looped into the net early in the second half before Foden smashed in his second.

2024 January 7, Gary Rose, “Manchester City 5-0 Huddersfield Town”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer) To chip lightly, to play a light chip shot.


deflect

en-verb

deflect (third-person singular simple present deflects, present participle deflecting, simple past and past participle deflected)

deflects (present singular third-person)
deflecting (participle present)
deflected (participle past)
deflected (past)

From Latin deflecto, from de- (“away”) + flecto (“to bend”).

The defender deflected the cross into his own net.

(transitive, ball games) To touch the ball, often unwittingly, after a shot or a sharp pass, thereby making it unpredictable for the other players.


curator

curators (plural)
curatour (alternative)

From Latin cūrātor (“one who has care of a thing, a manager, guardian, trustee”), from cūrāre (“to take care of”), from cūra (“care, heed, attention, anxiety, grief”).

der

(cricket) A groundsman who looks after a cricket field.


pitcher

A “pitchometer” was installed on the scoreboard to time the pitchers. According the baseball rules a pitcher had to throw a pitch within 20 seconds after he received the ball from the catcher when there was nobody on base.

2003, John E. Peterson, The Kansas City Athletics: A Baseball History: 1954–1967, Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, →ISBN, page 210:

(baseball, softball) The player who delivers the ball to the batter.

питчър

the player who throws the ball to the batter


takeout

en-noun

takeout (countable and uncountable, plural takeouts)

takeouts (plural)
take-out (alternative)

desc

Japanese: テイクアウト (teikuauto), テークアウト (tēkuauto)

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(curling) A stone that hits another stone, removing it from play.


bean ball

(cricket) A ball that does not bounce and passes the batsman approximately at head height.


IRB

(rugby, historical) Initialism of International Rugby Board, the name used by World Rugby, the worldwide governing body for rugby union, from 1998 to 2014.


floater

From float + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

kelluja

person who physically floats in a gas or liquid

paikanvaihtaja

person without a fixed or lasting affiliation, position, or role

kelluva esine

thing which physically floats in a gas or liquid

leijuri

(figurative) A thing which moves from place to place, as if floating.

(cricket) A spinning delivery of the ball that travels in a high arched path.


slugfest

Originally US, from slug (“to hit very hard”) + -fest.

The game turned into a 15-9 slugfest.

In a World Series that has come to be defined by the unpredictable and unexpected, it was only fitting that one night, after a lights-out pitchers’ duel between the heretofore unremarkable Alex Wood and Charlie Morton, a slugfest would unfold that sent the Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Dallas Keuchel to early exits.

2017 October 30, Billy Witz, “Astros Down the Dodgers in a Dramatic and Dizzying Slugfest”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(baseball, slang) A baseball game in which many runs are scored, especially by home runs.


homer

The first baseman hit a homer to lead off the ninth.

The Mets got that four-run cushion in the seventh when George Foster stepped in as a pinch-hitter and hit a two-run homer for the 5-1 final.

1983 June 27, Kevin Dupont, “METS GAIN SPLIT; STAUB TIES MARK”, in The New York Times:


homer

en-verb

homer (third-person singular simple present homers, present participle homering, simple past and past participle homered)

homers (present singular third-person)
homering (participle present)
homered (participle past)
homered (past)

The Sultan of Swat homered 714 times.

(US, baseball) To hit a homer; to hit a home run.


cornerback

The cornerback tipped the ball away from the receiver.

(American football, Gaelic football, hurling) Any of the defensive players who are in position on each side farthest laterally from the ball and whose principal responsibility is to defend against passes.


penalty box

At times, Swindon's penalty box resembled a pinball machine.

2000 March 12, Stuart Barnes, “Swindon stunner for Curbishley”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:


procession

From Middle English processioun, borrowed from Old French pourciession, from Latin prōcessiō (“a marching forward, an advance, in Late Latin a religious procession”), from prōcēdere, past participle prōcessus (“to move forward, advance, proceed”); see proceed.

der

Before he closed and opened his eyes, the bails on the wicket behind Johnny Masih were shattered. That was the beginning of a procession. The second ball clean bowled the batsman. The third ball was a catch for the wicketkeeper.

2012, K. L. Mohana Varma, Cricket-Indo: The Story of an Indo-Pak One-Day Cricket Turf War, page 205:

Scotland moved nicely to 45 without loss before I took the first wicket and then it became a procession.

2015, Steve Dolman, Edwin Smith: A Life in Derbyshire Cricket, page 36:

(cricket) The rapid dismissal of a series of batsmen.


outfield

He hit a long fly ball to the outfield in the gap to left.

(baseball, softball) The region of the field between the infield and the outer fence.

(cricket) The region of the field roughly outside of the infield or the wicket-keeper, slips, gully, point, cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket and square leg.


outfield

en-verb

outfield (third-person singular simple present outfields, present participle outfielding, simple past and past participle outfielded)

outfields (present singular third-person)
outfielding (participle present)
outfielded (participle past)
outfielded (past)

A special dispatch sent to The Cincinnati Enquirer on the game stated that the Buckeyes outfielded and outplayed the Grays at every point, and that had the Bucks run for first base instead of watching the ball after they hit it, they would have increased the score.

2005, William A. Cook, The Louisville Grays Scandal of 1877: The Taint of Gambling at the Dawn of the National League, McFarland, →ISBN, page 118:

(baseball, cricket) To perform better in defense (fielding).


outfielder

outfielders (plural)
OF (alternative)
OFer (alternative)

The outfielder tracked down the long fly.

. I like to think that if I wasn't pitcher I could be an outfielder or a first baseman or something and play major league baseball anyway.

1973 January 4, Wells Twombly, “Now the 10th man”, in The New York Times:

The Twins are known for their fascination with toolsy and athletic outfielders, but Hicks has the most talent of any Twins draft pick since Joe Mauer in 2002.

2008 November 6, “Breaking down the draft, Part 1”, in The Hardball Times:

(cricket, baseball) A player that plays in the outfield, which is the outer portion of the field.


infielder

The infielder run in to field the bunt.

(cricket, baseball) A player who plays in the infield, which is the inner portion of the field.


home run

home runs (plural)
homerun (alternative)

Spanish: jonrón

Japanese: ホームラン (hōmuran)

Korean: 홈런 (homneon)

Russian: хоум-ра́н (xoum-rán)

The first baseman hit a home run to lead off the ninth.

(baseball) A four-base hit, allowing the batter to circle the bases and reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team.


fastball

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The pitcher had a blazing fastball.

(specifically) A four-seam fastball, which is a backspin pitch thrown with a ball gripped in the direction to cause four of the seams of the ball to cross the flight path and released with roughly equal pressure by the index and middle fingers


slider

From slide + -er.
The meaning "small hamburger" was originally used to describe onion-steamed small burgers at White Castle restaurants, formerly spelt "Slyder".
Regarding the senses about control devices or widgets: physical sliders (potentiometers serving as rheostats) predate virtual ones (elements in graphical user interfaces), and the virtual ones are so named because their concept is the abstraction of the physical ones; if more explanation on that topic is needed, it is available in the Wikipedia articles on skeuomorphs, icons, and the desktop metaphor.

The closer had a wicked slider that was almost unhittable.

(baseball) A pitch thrown with added pressure by middle and ring fingers yielding a combination of backspin and sidespin, resulting in a motion to the left when thrown by a right handed pitcher.

スライダー

(baseball) a pitch thrown with added pressure by middle and ring fingers yielding a combination of backspin and sidespin

(cricket) A similar delivery in which the wrist and ring finger work to impart backspin to the ball.

(curling) A piece of Teflon or similar material attached to a curling shoe that allows the player to slide along the ice.

scivolante

(curling) a piece of teflon or similar material attached to a curling shoe


curveball

He bit on a curveball in the dirt.

(baseball) A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve"


curveball

curveball (third-person singular simple present curveballs, present participle curveballing, simple past and past participle curveballed)

curveballs (present singular third-person)
curveballing (participle present)
curveballed (participle past)
curveballed (past)

Even though the haughty physics professors at the elite school ridiculed his declaration that he could make a baseball curve, Cummings just laughed it off and said, “I curveballed them to death,” according to Frederick Ivor-Campbell.

2006, William F. McNeil, The Evolution of Pitching in Major League Baseball, McFarland, →ISBN, page 21:

The news curveballed him. He'd been hamstrung and schizzed all the preceding weeks. He brooded in his den.

2009, James Ellroy, Blood's a Rover, Random House, →ISBN, page 566:


cut fastball

His cut fastball tends to break bats.

(baseball) A pitch thrown with an offset grip and a moderate amount of added pressure by middle finger yielding a combination of backspin and some sidespin, resulting in motion to the left when thrown by a right handed pitcher with velocity only slightly diminished from that of a fastball


bat-pad

en-noun

bat-pad (countable and uncountable, plural bat-pads)

(cricket, countable) One of a pair of soft padded coverings that protect the legs of the person batting; a pad or batting pad.

(cricket, informal, uncountable) A fielding position very close to the batsman, square on the leg side, designed to catch the ball from a misplaced defensive shot.

(cricket, informal, countable) A fielder in this position.


left arm orthodox

Two days before Australia’s first Test match in Pakistan since 1998, the centre-wicket practice at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium that had been teeming with players saw their numbers dissipate through that spring afternoon. For a time [Steve] Smith alternated batting with Usman Khawaja, facing Ashton Agar’s left-arm orthodox.

2022 March 3, Geoff Lemon, “Australia plunge into unknown as cricket’s resurrection in Pakistan continues”, in The Guardian:

(cricket) A style of bowling used by a left-handed bowler in which finger spin is used to move the ball from leg to off (for a right-handed batsman).


left arm unorthodox

(cricket) A style of bowling used by a left-handed bowler in which wrist spin is used to move the ball from off to leg (for a right-handed batsman).


leg break

(cricket) a normal ball bowled by a leg spin bowler, moving from leg to off (for a right-handed batsman)


leg cutter

leg cutters (plural)
leg-cutter (alternative)
legcutter (alternative)

(cricket) a ball bowled by a fast bowler who uses finger spin to move the ball from leg to off (for a right-handed batsman)


off cutter

off cutters (plural)
off-cutter (alternative)
offcutter (alternative)

(cricket) a ball bowled by a fast bowler who uses finger spin to move the ball from off to leg (for a right-handed batsman)


leg glance

(cricket) A shot played by a batsman with a vertical bat, deflecting the ball behind the square leg area of the field.


leg glance

en-verb

leg glance (third-person singular simple present leg glances, present participle leg glancing, simple past and past participle leg glanced)

leg glances (present singular third-person)
leg glancing (participle present)
leg glanced (participle past)
leg glanced (past)

(cricket) To play, or hit the ball with, a leg glance.


leg side

en-noun

leg side (countable and uncountable, plural leg sides)

(cricket) The side of the pitch on the same side as the batsman's legs as he takes his stance at the wicket; the left side for a right-handed batsman.


on side

on side (countable and uncountable, plural on sides)


off side

off side (countable and uncountable, plural off sides)

(cricket) The side of the pitch away from the batsman's legs as he takes his stance at the wicket; the right side for a right-handed batsman.


leg slip

(cricket) a fielding position on the leg side of the wicket-keeper, designed to catch a ball after it hits the bat and deflects by a small amount


leg spin

(cricket) A style of bowling in which a (right-handed) bowler spins the ball such that, after bouncing, it moves from leg to off (for a right-handed batsman).


off spin

(cricket) A style of bowling in which a (right-handed) bowler spins the ball such that, after pitching, it moves from off to leg (for a right-handed batsman).


leg spinner

The leg-spinner had talked about new mystery balls, giving them names like shooters and zooters.

1994 December 25, The Canberra Times, Canberra, page 14, column 4:


skittle

en-verb

skittle (third-person singular simple present skittles, present participle skittling, simple past and past participle skittled)

skittles (present singular third-person)
skittling (participle present)
skittled (participle past)
skittled (past)

Origin unknown. Perhaps of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse skutill (“bolt, harpoon”), related to skjóta (“to shoot”), but the OED dismisses this connection as conjecture. The Old Norse word is related to Swedish and Danish skyttel (“shuttle, child's toy”). Compare also Old English sċytel (“a dart, bolt”). More at shuttle.

unk

unknown

(transitive, cricket) (sometimes with out) To rapidly bowl out a succession of batsmen.

(transitive, figuratively) To defeat easily.


two-seam fastball

en-noun

two-seam fastball (plural two-seam fastballs)

His two-seamer has a heavy sink and keeps the infielders busy.

(baseball) A pitch thrown with a grip in the "horseshoe" orientation of the ball, with the rotation at a slight angle resulting in less Magnus effect as compared to a four-seam fastball since only two of the ball's seams cross the flight path; the pitch is delivered with a similar velocity as a four-seam fastball, but has a degree of sink.


four-seam fastball

four-seam fastball (plural four-seam fastballs)

(baseball) A backspin pitch thrown with a ball gripped in the direction to cause four of the seams of the ball to cross the flight path and released with roughly equal pressure by the index and middle fingers


line drive

The line drive went straight into the shortstop's glove.

(baseball, softball) A batted ball hit hard enough and low enough that it appears to travel in a relatively straight line.


liner

From line (noun) + -er (relational suffix) or -er (measurement suffix) (sense 5).

The liner glanced off the pitcher's foot.


knuckleball

Even the pitcher doesn't know where his knuckleball is going.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield is best known for his use of the knuckleball.

(baseball) A pitch thrown with the ball gripped on the fingertips and released with no rotation, which travels over an unpredictable path to the plate due to micro-turbulence in the air.

llançament de nus

(cricket) A type of delivery where a fast bowler holds the ball on the knuckles of the index and middle fingers.


knuckleball

en-verb

knuckleball (third-person singular simple present knuckleballs, present participle knuckleballing, simple past and past participle knuckleballed)

knuckleballs (present singular third-person)
knuckleballing (participle present)
knuckleballed (participle past)
knuckleballed (past)

Varitek did not start so Kevin Cash could catch the knuckleballing starter Tim Wakefield.

2008 April 16, The Associated Press, “Tigers Rally Again to Defeat the Twins”, in New York Times:

(intransitive, baseball) To pitch knuckleballs.


knuckler

Fowler flung a stiff-wrist knuckler that hung in the air without spin before it took a sudden dip, but Roy scooped it up with the stick and lifted it twenty rows up into the center field stands.

1952, Bernard Malamud, chapter 2, in The Natural:


sinker

His sinkers drew one ground ball after another.

split-finger fastball
split-finger fastball

(baseball) Any of several high speed pitches that have a downward motion near the plate; a two-seam fastball, a split-finger fastball, or a forkball.


split-finger fastball

en-noun

split-finger fastball (plural split-finger fastballs)

split-finger fastballs (plural)
split-finger (alternative)

His strikeout pitch was his split-finger fastball.

(baseball) A moderate rotation speed backspin pitch thrown with a ball gripped between the index finger and middle finger; it has good velocity, may have a precessing spin, and sinks as it approaches the plate.


change-up

change-ups (plural)
changeup (alternative)

The pitcher had a devastating change-up.

(baseball) A pitch thrown with the arm motion of a fastball, but which travels at a much slower velocity because it is released without the fingers adding power to the delivery.


strikeout

strikeout (countable and uncountable, plural strikeouts)

strikeouts (plural)
strike-out (alternative)

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The pitcher recorded seven strikeouts in the game.

(countable, baseball) An instance or the act of striking out.


strike out

en-verb

strike out (third-person singular simple present strikes out, present participle striking out, simple past struck out, past participle struck out or (somewhat archaic) stricken out)

strikes out (present singular third-person)
striking out (participle present)
struck out (past)
struck out (participle past)
stricken out (archaic participle past)

Jones struck out on a nasty slider.

The pitcher struck out Jones with a nasty slider.

(ergative, baseball, softball) Of a batter, to be retired after three strikes (missed swings, as opposed to any other way of becoming "out"); of a pitcher, to cause this to happen to the batter.

palaa

baseball: to be retired after three missed swings

polttaa

baseball: to cause a batter to be retired after three missed swings


catcher

Finding Dempsey in my mind's eye in January was not quite startling, ...but some other catchers turned up in my hot-stove reveries as well. Bob Boone, for instance.

1989 February 13, Roger Angell, Season Ticket: A Baseball Companion, Ballantine Books, page 22:

A “pitchometer” was installed on the scoreboard to time the pitchers. According the baseball rules a pitcher had to throw a pitch within 20 seconds after he received the ball from the catcher when there was nobody on base.

At the plate the catcher is responsible for catching pitches, keeping mispitched balls in front of the plate, calling pitches that are normally done through hand signals, picking off runners, and they are considered the leaders of the field.

2021, University of the District of Columbia, “The plate umpire may suspend play because of darkness”, in Course Hero:

(baseball) The player that squats behind home plate and receives the pitches from the pitcher.


wind up

wind up (third-person singular simple present winds up, present participle winding up, simple past and past participle wound up)

winds up (present singular third-person)
winding up (participle present)
wound up (participle past)
wound up (past)

snitches get stitches and wind up in ditches

Paige seemed to be winding up for a fastball but then switched it up.

(baseball, intransitive) To make the preparatory movements for a certain kind of pitch.


DL

en-noun

DL (countable and uncountable, plural DLs)

DLs (plural)
D.L. (alternative)
D. L. (alternative)
dl (alternative)
d/l (alternative)
D/L (alternative)


DL

en-verb

DL (third-person singular simple present DLs, present participle DLing, simple past and past participle DLed or DL'd)

DLs (present singular third-person)
DLing (participle present)
DLed (participle past)
DLed (past)
DL'd (participle past)
DL'd (past)
D.L. (alternative)
D. L. (alternative)
dl (alternative)
d/l (alternative)
D/L (alternative)

After 7 years of being in a rot league, I have learned that "day to day" in baseballese means "at least a week, maybe more, and maybe after the week, then we may DL him."

1996 June 3, Joe in MA [username], “Re: Jim Edmonds' return date?”, in rec.sport.baseball.fantasy (Usenet):

(baseball, transitive, informal) To place on the disabled list.


marksman

In what was a characteristic Bent display, he made only an occasional impact - but proved once again in front of England coach Fabio Capello that he is one of the most reliable marksmen in the domestic game.

2011 January 22, Phil McNulty, “Aston Villa 1 - 0 Man City”, in BBC:


light roller

The batting side may decide which of the two rollers to use - the heavy or the light roller.

2001, M.A. Pervez, A Dictionary of Cricket, page 67:

(cricket) The lighter of the rollers used for flattening the pitch between innings.


line and length

(cricket) The direction (line) and point at which a delivery hits the pitch (length) of a delivery considered as a whole, especially that of a group of a particular bowler's deliveries.


lofted drive

(cricket) A drive that sends the ball flying through the air, instead of along the ground, thus increasing the possibility of a catch.


long hop

It was a long hop, which bounced high and was flat-batted straight to cover to leave the score at 246 for seven.

2010 July 23, “Pakistan strike early but Australia respond as Headingley loses power”, in The Guardian:

(cricket) a relatively slow ball that bounces short of the batsman and is thus relatively easy to hit


long off

en-noun

long off (countable and uncountable, plural long offs)

(cricket) a fielding position on the off side, about 70° forward of square, designed to prevent runs from drives or to catch lofted drives


long on

long on (countable and uncountable, plural long ons)

(cricket) a fielding position on the leg side, about 70° forward of square, designed to prevent runs from drives or to catch lofted drives


testimonial

From French testimonial, from Late Latin testimonialis (“of or pertaining to testimony”), from Latin testimonium (“testimony”). See testimony.

der

(soccer) A match played in tribute to a particular player (who sometimes receives a proportion of the gate money).

проща́лен мач

football: match played in tribute to a player


bullpen

After that hit, there is activity in the bullpen.

Now the bullpens are hidden away underneath the bleachers, out of sight and sound.

2017 July 5, Billy Witz, “Camaraderie of Wrigley Field Bullpens Is Tangled Amid the Ivy”, in The New York Times:

Even though the Phillies bullpen has been a strength, it may be shopping for a veteran capable of handling the ninth inning.

2024 May 7, Greg Jewett, “Bullpen report: Porter Hodge enters Cubs’ circle of trust, Mason Miller cools down and more”, in The New York Times:

(baseball) An enclosed area for pitchers to warm up in during a game.

ブルペン

baseball: enclosed area for pitchers to warm up in during a game

Their bullpen is worn out after yesterday's doubleheader where both games went 12 innings.

(baseball) The relief pitchers of a team collectively.

vaihtosyöttäjät

baseball: relief pitchers of a team collectively


double play

double plays (plural)
double-play (alternative)

It was a 6-4-3 double play.

(baseball, softball) A defensive play in which two outs are recorded.


triple play

There has only been one unassisted triple play recorded in the World Series.

(baseball) A defensive play in which three outs are recorded.

triple eliminació

(baseball) a play where three outs are recorded


twin killing

By grounding to the shortstop, the twin killing ended the inning.


wheelhouse

wheelhouses (plural)
wheel house (alternative)
wheel-house (alternative)

From wheel + house. Sense 3 (“(baseball) a pitch location which is favourable to the hitter”) references the fact that a vessel is controlled from its wheelhouse (sense 1.2), and sense 4 (“a person’s area of authority or expertise”) is a figurative use of sense 3.

The pitch was right in his wheelhouse, and he hit a grand slam.

The ball was up in my wheelhouse, and I got round on it, got the meat of that Ritchie Ashburn bottle bat solidly on the ball. I'll never in my life hit a ball any better.

1997, Bryan L. Jones, “Baseball”, in Mark Twain Made Me Do It & Other Plains Adventures, Lincoln, Neb., London: University of Nebraska Press, →ISBN, page 74:

The next pitch was close to my wheelhouse so I just let 'er rip. I got ahold of it and shot it to left field on the line.

2007, Alan Schwarz, “Ken Griffey Jr.: On Going Deep with His Father”, in Once upon a Game: Baseball’s Greatest Memories, Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 60, column 1:

Here is the ball, in my wheelhouse. I slide my hips out of the way, put myself in place to hit the coldie of a lifetime.

2009, Andre Agassi, Open: An Autobiography (A Borzoi Book), New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →ISBN, page 215:

(Canada, US, baseball, by extension from sense 1.2) A pitch location which is favourable to the hitter.


hot corner

en-noun

hot corner (countable and uncountable, plural hot corners)

Because many hard-hit balls are hit there

Jones plays the hot corner.

Jones plays hot corner.

(baseball, countable, uncountable, usually with "the") Third base.


maiden over

(cricket) An over in which no runs are scored.


maker's name

from the placement of the manufacturer's logo

(cricket) the front blade of a cricket bat


cricket bat

(cricket) a bat, traditionally made from willow, used to play cricket


Mankad

Named after the Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad.

(cricket) A run out of the non-striker by the bowler before bowling the ball if the non-striker leaves their crease too early; thought by some to be unsporting behaviour, but is within the rules of the game.


Mankad

en-verb

Mankad (third-person singular simple present Mankads, present participle Mankading, simple past and past participle Mankaded)

Mankads (present singular third-person)
Mankading (participle present)
Mankaded (participle past)
Mankaded (past)

(cricket) To run a player out by this means.


match referee

(cricket) an administrative official who decides on any penalties for bad conduct etc


medium pace

(cricket) describing a style of bowling, intermediate in speed between spin and pace, in which the bowler uses swing or seam to take wickets


mid off

en-noun

mid off (countable and uncountable, plural mid offs)

(cricket) a fielding position, about 70° forward of square on the off side, between cover and the bowler's wicket


mid on

mid on (countable and uncountable, plural mid ons)

(cricket) a fielding position, about 70° forward of square on the leg side, between midwicket and the bowler's wicket; a fielder at this position


middle stump

(cricket) the stump in the middle of the batsman's wicket


middle order

(cricket) the batsmen who bat in positions 5 to 7; often the poorer batsmen, the wicket-keeper and the bowlers who can bat best


midwicket

midwicket (countable and uncountable, plural midwickets)

(cricket) A fielding position, about 40° forward of square on the leg side, between square leg and mid on.


minefield

minefields (plural)
mine field (alternative)

(cricket) A pitch that has dried out and crumbled and on which the ball is bouncing and spinning unpredictably.


double switch

They did a double switch after the eighth so that Jones could bat second in the ninth.

(baseball) A replacement of two players simultaneously, typically so that a fielder can hit in the pitcher's spot in the batting order.


double up

en-verb

double up (third-person singular simple present doubles up, present participle doubling up, simple past and past participle doubled up)

doubles up (present singular third-person)
doubling up (participle present)
doubled up (participle past)
doubled up (past)

Jones snared the liner and then stepped on the bag to double up the runner.

(baseball, transitive) To get the second out in a double play, typically referring to getting an out by beating a runner back to a base (often by throwing) after a fly ball has been caught


blown save

Our bullpen has too many blown saves.

(baseball) A failure to convert a save opportunity to a save.


webbing

en-noun

webbing (countable and uncountable, plural webbings)

He caught the ball in the webbing.

(baseball) The part of a baseball mitt between the forefinger and thumb; the web.


empty base

They have to pitch to the slugger because there are no empty bases.

(baseball) A base without a runner on it.


intentional walk

intentional walk (plural intentional walks)

Jones was given an intentional walk in order to face Smith.

(baseball) The intentional pitching of four balls (bad pitches), or of a fourth ball, in order to give the batter a walk (for example, so as to avoid the risk of a home run).


intentional walk

en-verb

intentional walk (third-person singular simple present intentional walks, present participle intentional walking, simple past and past participle intentional walked)

intentional walks (present singular third-person)
intentional walking (participle present)
intentional walked (participle past)
intentional walked (past)

(baseball, nonstandard) To intentionally walk; to give a batter an intentional walk.


intentional pass

en-noun

intentional pass (plural intentional passes)

Jones was issued an intentional pass in order to face Smith.


free pass

Smith was issued a free pass after Jones' double.


full count

Since the maximum number of balls before a walk is three, and the maximum number of strikes before a strikeout is two, neither number can increase without ending the at-bat.

Full count, two outs, bottom of the ninth, the bags are jammed, 2-2 tie…

(baseball) An at-bat with a count of three balls and two strikes.


first base

first base (countable and uncountable, plural first bases)

The runner took his lead off first base.

(singular only, baseball) The base after home plate in a counter-clockwise path around a baseball infield.


second base

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The runner slid into second base with a double.

(baseball) The base opposite home plate in a baseball infield.


third base

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The runner reached third base with a stand-up triple.

(baseball) The base after second base in a counter-clockwise path around a baseball infield.


fair ball

It's a... fair ball; it rolls into the corner; Jones is stretching for two; the throw — safe!

(baseball, softball) A ball which has been hit between the first base and third base lines


foul ball

It's a foul ball, up four rows of seats.

(baseball) A batted ball that lands in foul territory.


big fly

The first baseman hit a big fly to left.


four-seamer

The pitcher had a blazing four-seamer.


heavy sink

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His two-seamer has some heavy sink.

(baseball) The motion of a sharply diving sinker pitch.


nelson

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Nelson (cricket)
Nelson hold

Cricket sense: origin disputed; supposedly from the belief that Lord Nelson had one eye, one arm and one leg.
Wrestling sense: Back-formation from full nelson.

(cricket) A score of 111, sometimes considered to be unlucky.


new ball

(cricket) A cricket ball never previously used in a match; a replacement new cricket ball taken by the captain of the bowling side at certain specified times during an innings.


nightwatchman

nightwatchmen (plural)
night watchman (alternative)

(cricket) A batsman who is sent in to bat higher than his usual position near the end of a day's play (when light is poor), in order to protect better batsmen.


no ball

(cricket) A ball delivered by a bowler in violation of any of the various laws; the extra run then credited to the batting side; the signal, with an arm outstretched, then made by the umpire.

tuku hē

a ball not delivered in accordance with regulations for the game.


no ball

en-verb

no ball (third-person singular simple present no balls, present participle no balling, simple past and past participle no balled)

no balls (present singular third-person)
no balling (participle present)
no balled (participle past)
no balled (past)

tukunga hē

a ball not delivered according to the rules of the game.

(cricket, of a bowler) To bowl a no ball.

(cricket, of an umpire) To call and signal a no ball.


no result

(cricket) The result of a one-day match in which a side fails to complete their innings, or to bat the minimum number of overs, because of bad weather.


non-striker

(cricket) The batsman standing at the bowler's end of the pitch.


number eleven

(cricket) The batsman who bats last; usually the worst batsman in the side.


obstruct the field

obstruct the field (third-person singular simple present obstructs the field, present participle obstructing the field, simple past and past participle obstructed the field)

obstructs the field (present singular third-person)
obstructing the field (participle present)
obstructed the field (participle past)
obstructed the field (past)

(cricket) To get out by deliberately obstructing a fielder in order to prevent him from making a catch or run out, or from gathering the ball (very rare).


off break

(cricket) A normal ball bowled by a off spin bowler, moving from off to leg (for a right-handed batsman).


off drive

off drives (plural)
off-drive (alternative)

(cricket) A type of batsman's shot played by swinging the bat vertically and hitting the ball along the ground in the direction of mid off.


off drive

off drive (third-person singular simple present off drives, present participle off driving, simple past off drove, past participle off driven)

off drives (present singular third-person)
off driving (participle present)
off drove (past)
off driven (participle past)
off-drive (alternative)


on drive

(cricket) a type of batsman's shot played by swinging the bat vertically and hitting the ball along the ground in the direction of mid on.


off stump

(cricket) The stump on the off side of the batsman's wicket.


leg stump

(cricket) The stump on the leg side of the batsman's wicket.


old ball

(cricket) A cricket ball that has been used in a previous match, or used in the current match for more than 30 overs.


on strike

(cricket, of a batsman) Due to face the next delivery from the bowler.


one-day cricket

(cricket) A form of cricket, played on one day, in which each side bats only once. Each side's innings finishes when either their allotted number of overs has been completed, or all ten wickets have been lost.


one-day international

en-noun

one-day International (plural one-day internationals)

one-day International (canonical)
one-day internationals (plural)

(cricket) A one-day match played between teams representing the Test nations.


one-day match

(cricket) a game of cricket played on one day; each side batting once


one short

(cricket) The act of a batsman, running between the wickets, failing to ground himself or his bat behind the popping crease before turning for another run; the umpire's signal indicating this (the run does not count).


open the attack

en-verb

open the attack (third-person singular simple present opens the attack, present participle opening the attack, simple past and past participle opened the attack)

opens the attack (present singular third-person)
opening the attack (participle present)
opened the attack (participle past)
opened the attack (past)

(cricket) Of a bowler: to bowl one of the first two overs.


open the face

open the face (third-person singular simple present opens the face, present participle opening the face, simple past and past participle opened the face)

opens the face (present singular third-person)
opening the face (participle present)
opened the face (participle past)
opened the face (past)

(intransitive, cricket) To turn the face of the bat outwards in order to hit the ball on the off side.


striker

lyöjä

someone or something that hits someone or something else

Olympiakos had barely been in the Arsenal half but should have levelled in the 14th minute. A low corner was not dealt with and the ball fell to the feet of striker Rafik Djebbour, who saw his close-range effort brilliantly cleared from the goalline by Arteta.

2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer) One of the players on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals.

(cricket) The batsman who is currently facing the bowler and defending his wicket.

lyöjä

cricket: batsman currently facing the bowler


overpitch

overpitch (third-person singular simple present overpitches, present participle overpitching, simple past and past participle overpitched)

overpitches (present singular third-person)
overpitching (participle present)
overpitched (participle past)
overpitched (past)

/ˌəʊ.və(ɹ)ˈpɪt͡ʃ/

(transitive, cricket) To bowl (the ball) so that it bounces closer to the batsman than a good length, allowing the batsman to hit it easily.


over rate

(cricket) The average number of overs completed per hour.


pitch count

His pitch count is up to 110; he will probably be pinch-hit for next inning.

(baseball) The number of throws that a pitcher has delivered in a game.


cup of coffee

Based on the idea that the player was only there long enough to have a cup of coffee.

I was up for a cup of coffee once; those were the best six days of my career.

(ice hockey, baseball, slang) The situation where a minor league player comes up to the major league team for a short period of time.


defensive indifference

The play was scored as defensive indifference.

(baseball) An official scoring judgement in which a runner is not credited with a stolen base because the team playing the field did not try to stop the steal. This typically occurs late in a game when the fielding team is winning by at least two runs.


dinger

The starting pitcher gave up three dingers.

He should know, he fanned 2597 times — far more than any other man — but made millions hitting 563 dingers.

1989 June, John Holway, “Strikeouts: The High Cost of Hitting Home Runs”, in Baseball Digest:

Then as you're taking his picture, say something about the thirty dingers he's going to hit this season. You get that little extra smile on his face.

1997, Hank Davis, Small-Town Heroes: Images of Minor League Baseball, University of Nebraska Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 264:

For you youngsters out there, hitting 50 dingers in the pre-steroid craze days of the early 90s was an actual accomplishment; the only questionable substance Fielder was putting in his body were McRib sandwiches.

2008, Mike Stone, Art Regner, The Great Book of Detroit Sports Lists, Running Press, published 2008, →ISBN, page 209:


can of corn

The phrase, first attested in 1896, refers to the practice of a grocer using a long stick to push a can of goods off a high shelf. (See Seattle Post Intelligencer - Sports Answer Guy article)

He hits a can of corn to left.

(baseball, idiomatic) An easily caught fly ball.


extra innings

And we go to extra innings.

(baseball) Additional innings needed to break a tie.


early innings

We have an early innings deficit to make up.

(baseball) The first, second, and third innings.


perfect game

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(baseball) A game in which every batter on one team is retired without reaching base.


no-hitter

Not many pitchers can say they threw two no-hitters in their career.

A record three of the no-hitters have come against Cleveland, with Zach Plesac having started all three games for the Indians.

2021 August 10, Benjamin Hoffman, “Brewers’ Combined No-Hitter Breaks Record for the Most in a Season”, in The New York Times:

It was the 18th no-hitter in franchise history, the 10th since the team moved to San Francisco and first since Chris Heston no-hit the New York Mets in 2015.

2024 March 8, C. Trent Rosecrans and Andrew Baggarly, “Giants’ Blake Snell throws first no-hitter of career in win over Reds”, in The New York Times:

(baseball) A game in which no batter on one of the teams got a hit.


two-bagger

Jones got a two-bagger in the first.

(baseball, slang) A double (a two-base hit).


four-bagger

Jones popped a four-bagger into the upper-deck in the fifth.


back to back jack

en-noun

back to back jack (plural back to back jacks)

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Smith, Jones... back to back jacks in the sixth chasing the starter.

(baseball) Two home runs hit by consecutive batters


strike zone

That umpire often compresses the strike zone late in the game.

(baseball) The area through which if a pitched ball passes, it will be called a strike, typically from the batter's knees to the belt and the width of home plate.


passed ball

Jones let a passed ball get behind him.

(baseball) A play where the catcher fails to stop a normally playable pitch and a runner advances.


wild pitch

Jones uncorked a wild pitch, which went to the screen.

(baseball) A play where the pitcher throws a non-catchable pitch and a runner advances.


pitch out

The pitch out enabled the catcher to throw out the runner.

(baseball) A pitch which was intentionally thrown outside to the catcher who stands up with the pitch for the purpose of enabling the catcher to throw out a runner.


pitch out

en-verb

pitch out (third-person singular simple present pitches out, present participle pitching out, simple past and past participle pitched out)

pitches out (present singular third-person)
pitching out (participle present)
pitched out (participle past)
pitched out (past)

Jones pitched out twice to no avail.

(baseball, intransitive) To intentionally throw the ball outside to the catcher who stands up with the pitch for the purpose of enabling the catcher to throw out a runner


pitch around

pitch around (third-person singular simple present pitches around, present participle pitching around, simple past and past participle pitched around)

pitches around (present singular third-person)
pitching around (participle present)
pitched around (participle past)
pitched around (past)

Jones pitched around the slugger.

(transitive, baseball) To intentionally throw pitches which are slightly out of the strike zone, hoping that the batter will swing wildly at a pitch, but assuming that you will walk him


Red Sox

From red and sox (slang form of socks) - the footwear worn by the members of the team.

(US, baseball) The Boston Red Sox, an American baseball team.


in-between hop

Errors are more frequent when the play happens on an in-between hop.

(baseball) A bounce larger than a short hop and smaller than a long hop, often difficult to field.


front door

front doors (plural)
frontdoor (alternative)
front-door (alternative)

His front door slider is hard to handle.

(baseball) The path of a pitch which starts inside and then slides over the plate.


back door

backdoor (alternative)
back-door (alternative)

He has a nasty back door slider.

(US, baseball) The path of a pitch which starts outside and then slides over the plate.


part-time bowler

en-noun

part-time bowler (plural part-time bowlers)

(cricket) a batsman who has limited bowling ability; asked to bowl under special circumstances


partnership

partnership (countable and uncountable, plural partnerships)

/ˈpɑːtnəʃɪp/

/ˈpɑɹtnɚʃɪp/

(cricket) The period when two specific batsmen are batting, from the fall of one wicket until the fall of the next; the number of runs scored during this period,


pinch hitter

This year the Tigers are using pinch hitters 72 percent more often than the league average. They entered Thursday leading the league with 59 pinch-hit plate appearances. Tigers pinch hitters were batting .231, above the league average for pinch hitters of .217.

2023 May 26, Cody Stavenhagen, “A.J. Hinch is managing with confidence as the Tigers hang tight in the AL Central”, in The New York Times:

(baseball) A substitute batter; one who pinch-hits.

(cricket) An aggressive batsman brought on to score runs quickly, even at the risk of losing his wicket.


play in

en-verb

play in (third-person singular simple present plays in, present participle playing in, simple past and past participle played in)

plays in (present singular third-person)
playing in (participle present)
played in (participle past)
played in (past)

(cricket, reflexive, play oneself in) Of a batsman, to settle and become comfortable with the conditions at the beginning of his innings.

Zubar played in Doyle down the Wolves left and his ball into the box evaded several players before falling for Mujangi Bia to finally drive in a second past Neil Sullivan.

2011 January 18, “Wolverhampton 5 - 0 Doncaster”, in BBC:

Salah bamboozled Lisandro Martinez to play in Gakpo for another classy finish three minutes later before the Egyptian resumed his long-time role of United tormentor by getting on the scoresheet himself.

2023 March 5, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer, transitive) To pass (someone) the ball into an attacking position.


play on

play on (third-person singular simple present plays on, present participle playing on, simple past and past participle played on)

plays on (present singular third-person)
playing on (participle present)
played on (participle past)
played on (past)

(cricket, of a batsman) to hit the ball into his own wicket, thus being out bowled


popping crease

(cricket) Either of two white lines, each drawn on the pitch in front of a wicket, between which the batsmen run, and from where the bowler may legally bowl.


protected area

(cricket) the central, rectangular area of the pitch onto which the bowlers may not run during their follow through


put up the shutters

put up the shutters (third-person singular simple present puts up the shutters, present participle putting up the shutters, simple past and past participle put up the shutters)

puts up the shutters (present singular third-person)
putting up the shutters (participle present)
put up the shutters (participle past)
put up the shutters (past)

(cricket) To bat defensively in the last innings of a match in order to force a draw when winning is not possible.


fly ball

fly balls (plural)
flyball (alternative)

(baseball, softball) A batted ball that has been hit into the air above the outfield; a fly.


pop-up

(baseball) A pop-up ball: a ball that has been hit to a considerable height above the infield or the shallow outfield; a pop fly.


ground ball

(baseball) A batted ball that bounces one or more times on the infield; a grounder.

(lacrosse) A loose ball that is on the ground during play.


grounder

From Middle English grounder, grownder, equivalent to ground + -er.


infield hit

Jones got an infield hit when the ball tipped off of the outstretched glove of the diving shortstop.

(baseball) When a batter reaches base with a ground ball that does not leave the infield or shallow outfield.


shortstop

The shortstop ranged deep into the hole to make the stop.

“Your father was the best baseball player anyone had ever seen.” Excited but halting, her voice ran on past all obstacles. “We watched him play shortstop, and my father said he was the best, and my brothers too. The Cardinals sent a man down to talk to him about one of their teams.” Like an ancient marineress, she would not let go. She meant the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm teams.

2016, Mike Westphal, Cloud of Expectation; Book One: The In America Series, Xlibris, →ISBN:

(baseball) The infield defensive player that stands between the second baseman and the third baseman.

interbase

baseball: defensive player between second and third baseman


first baseman

First basemen are usually left-handed.

(baseball) The infield defensive player that stands near first base.


second baseman

The second baseman started the 4-6-3 double play.

(baseball) The infield defensive player that stands between the first baseman and the shortstop, normally on the right field side of second base.


third baseman

The third baseman charged in to field the bunt.

(baseball) The infield defensive player that stands near third base.

kolmosvahti

baseball: defensive player near third base


at-bat

This is his third at-bat of the night.

He only had 220 at-bats this season because of injury.

(baseball) official at-bats. Batting opportunities minus walks, hit by pitches, and sacrifices


two-minute warning

en-noun

two-minute warning (plural two-minute warnings)

(American football) In the NFL, a timeout and warning given to the coaches with two minutes to go before the end of each half.


halfback

From half + back, in reference to position on the field of play; compare fullback.
In the sense of someone who moves to Florida and then to a more temperate climate, from moving "half way back"

(field sports) A player who occupies one of these positions.

(American football) An offensive back whose primary jobs are to carry the ball on running plays and to serve as a receiver or blocker on passing plays.

(Canadian football) A defensive back whose primary jobs are to cover the slotback on passing plays and prevent running plays from going to the outside.

(rugby) The player who feeds the ball into the scrum, and receives the ball as it emerges from the back of the scrum.


fly out

en-verb

fly out (third-person singular simple present flies out, present participle flying out, simple past flew out or (baseball) flied out, past participle flown out or (baseball) flied out)

flies out (present singular third-person)
flying out (participle present)
flew out (past)
flied out (past)
flown out (participle past)
flied out (participle past)

Jones flied out to right field.

(intransitive, baseball) To become out by hitting a fly ball which is caught.


fly out

fly outs (plural)
flyout (alternative)
fly-out (alternative)

A fly out was recorded on the scorecard.


field goal

field goals (plural)
drop-kick (alternative)
field-goal (alternative)

He kicked a 33 yard field goal just before the half.

Sure, Homer and Marge being caught naked in front of the town is funny, but why not make it total humiliation? Why not have Homer dragged ass-first over a church’s glass ceiling and force the pastor to give praise to God’s floors? Why not have Homer’s rear end block a game-winning field goal?

2016 January 24, Les Chappell, “TV: Review: The Simpsons (Classic), “Natural Born Kissers” (season nine, episode 25, originally aired 05/17/1998)”, in The Onion AV Club:

(American football, Canadian football) A kick of the ball through the uprights and over the crossbar (not after a touchdown). It scores 3 points.

He got six field goals in the first half, two from three-point land.

(basketball) A shot that is scored while the ball is in play (i.e. not a free throw).

(rugby) A goal scored where a ball that is in play but on the ground is kicked through the uprights and over the crossbar.