Definition of Lag

This refers to the cluster of balls remaining in a similar position to where they were within the break

Chiefly Australian: Same as a force follow shot.

A form of doubles play in which the two team members take turns, playing alternating shots during an inning (i.e. each team's inning consists of two players' alternating visits, each of one shot only, until that team's inning ends, and the next team begins their alternating-shot turn.) Effective scotch doubles play requires close communication between team partners, especially as to desired cue ball position for the incoming player. Like "english", "scotch" is usually not capitalized in this context. The term is also used in bowling, and may have originated there.

This is your pocket for sinking balls in a one pocket game.

This is the imaginary line that a ball would need to follow in order for it to result in an effective bank shot.

Same as cheating the pocket. Principally used in snooker.

The International Pool Tour is a professional sports tour created in 2005 by Kevin Trudeau and hosted by Rebecca Grant. It aims to elevate pool (pocket billiards) to the level of other modern sports.

Also nurse shot, nursery shot. In carom games such as straight rail, balkline and cushion caroms, where all the balls are kept near each other and a cushion, and with very soft shots, can be "nursed" down a rail on multiple successful shots that effectively replicate the same ball setup so that the nurse shot can be repeated again (and again, etc.). Excessive use of nurse shots by players skilled enough to set them up and pull them off repeatedly at will is what led to the development of the balkline carom billiards game variations, and repetitive shot limitation rules in English billiards. A clear example of why: In 1907, Tom Reece scored a record break of 499,135 consecutive points over a period of five weeks, without a miss, using the cradle cannon nurse shot.

Chiefly American, and largely obsolete: Same as referee.

This is when you strike a cue ball off center to gain control on the movement on the cue ball.

A ball positioned near a pocket so that a particularly positioned object ball shot at that pocket will likely go in off it, even if aimed so imperfectly that if the warrior was absent, the shot would likely result in a miss. Usually arises when a ball is being banked to a pocket.

One-on-one game play.

This is a ball that is positioned near your pocket that can be used to kiss off of when sinking another object ball.

Same as solids, in New Zealand. Compare little, small, reds, low, spots, dots; contrast overs.

A geometric form, usually aluminum, wooden or plastic, used to assist in setting up balls in games like eight-ball, nine-ball, and snooker. The rack allows for more consistently tight grouping of balls, which is necessary for a successful break shot. In most games a triangle-shaped rack capable of holding fifteen balls can be employed, even if the game calls for racking less than a full ball set, such as in the game of nine-ball. For further information, see the Rack (billiards) main article.
In some games, refers to a single frame.

A shot where the shooter was trying to make the shot but misses. However, the result of the missed shot ends up being a very good defensive play.

An imaginary line drawn from the desired path an object ball is to be sent (usually the center of a pocket) and the center of the object ball.

This playing to a number less than eight in a game of one pocket.

This refers to a ball that is positioned close to a rail, offering a shot where the cue must hit the rail and the ball almost simultaneously, this position can also offer a defensive shot where the cue ball can be hidden between that object ball and the rail.

This shot is a minimally calculated distressed shot which makes it evident to the opponent you no longer have any hope to winning the game.

A form of Carom billiards for the masters of the game. Played the same way with two cue balls and a single object ball. Except, in between hitting the opponent's cue ball and the object ball your cue ball must bounce off of three rails (this game is played with an unpocketed specially sized table).

The horizontal plane directly in the center of the cue ball, which when hit exactly by the cue tip should impart no follow or draw.

All-Africa Pool Association. The AAPA is a member of the WPA.

A British term for a pot that requires very fine contact between cue ball and object ball. See also feather.