Definition of Wild ball

The placement of the balls, especially the cue ball, relative to the next planned shot. Also known as shape.

This is the portion of the cue you would be holding if there was no wrap or grip present. This is the position where the best gripping power can be generated, and is situated below the forearm and above the butt. This portion is often covered with a wrap, but other times left bare to create a simple seamless style.

A denigrating slang term for the mechanical bridge.

This is an attempt where one player answers the other players successful shot or run with a successful shot or run.

Also string off. Chiefly British; Obsolete: Same as string or lag.

This is a toned down masse shot. The cue is elevated a little and will curve a little in the direction the spin is applied. This is used to sneak around difficult shots.

A particular shot where the object ball hits or grazes another object ball on the way to its pocket or toward hitting yet another object ball.

To bungle a shot in a manner that leaves the table in a fortuitous position for the opponent. Contrast sell the farm.

The triangular device, generally plastic, used to group the balls in a pyramid form prior to the beginning of a game.

A shot that has a positive outcome for the player, although it was not what the player intended. Examples of flukes include an unexpected pot off several cushions or other balls having missed the pocket aimed for, or perhaps a lucky safety position after having missed a pot. Compare fish and slop; contrast mark (sense 3) and call. It is customary to apologise to one's opponent if one does this.

Same as foul

This a shot that hits the object ball at the nine ball to see if you can get lucky by sinking the nine ball in any pocket. (also see Cheese the Nine and Rolling the Cheese).

This is when, after playing an opponent for a while you both break even as far as money exchange, and the only person to get paid is the house for use of their table.

A player of cue sports.

This is a blemish added to the table in order to help execute a shot; these marks are not allowed and result in a foul.

This is the raised portion on the side of the table; the cushions are essentially rubber bumpers covered in the table cloth.

To create contact with the cue ball or an object ball.

This word is used as slang to define a player as amateur or recreational.

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.

This is a kind of cue made of four pieces of wood, the butt sleeve, the points, the handle, and the forearm, with each piece pinned, doweled, and glued together.

The first shot in a game - aimed at a set of racked balls.
To execute the first shot in a new game.
In snooker this term can be use to indicate a series of successive shots completed by a single player.

A British term (especially in snooker) for the splitting of a group of balls when another ball is sent into them, typically with the intent of deliberately moving them with the cue ball to develop them.

To enter the loser bracket in a double elimination tournament, or otherwise slip in standing in other tournament formats (i.e., to lose a game/frame/round/match, but still remain in the competition).

To disguise the level of one's ability to play in various ways such as using a lemonade stroke; intentionally missing shots; making an uneven game appear "close"; purposefully losing early, inconsequential games. Sandbagging is a form of hustling, and in handicapped leagues, considered a form of cheating. See also dump and on the lemonade.