Some common, and some not so common, words used in the pool and snooker world. Hope it helps!

# A

- **Angle Shot**: A shot where the player aims at an angle to pocket the ball.
- **Apparent Ball**: The ball that appears to be the target when looking at a shot.
- **Arc**: The curved path a ball takes when struck.

# B

- **Backspin**: A shot that imparts spin on the cue ball in the reverse direction of its shot path, causing it to roll back after hitting the object ball.
- **Bank Shot**: A shot where the cue ball or an object ball is hit into a cushion before going into a pocket.
- **Break Shot**: The first shot of the game that breaks the rack of balls.
- **Bust**: When a player fails to make a legal shot after the break.

# C

- **Center Pocket**: The middle pocket on the pool table.
- **Chalk**: A substance applied to the tip of the cue to increase friction and improve grip on the cue ball.
- **Cut Shot**: A shot in which the cue ball strikes the object ball at an angle, causing it to go into a pocket.

# D

- **Deflection**: The change in direction of the cue ball after striking an object ball or coming into contact with a cushion.
- **Draw**: A shot that imparts backspin to the cue ball, making it return toward the player's position after striking an object ball.
- **Double Hit**: A foul where the cue strikes the cue ball more than once in a single shot.

# E

- **English**: Side spin put on the cue ball, affecting its path after it strikes an object ball.
- **Eight Ball**: The black ball that must be pocketed last to win the game in 8-ball.

# F

- **Foul**: An infraction of the rules, resulting in a penalty or loss of turn.
- **Frozen Ball**: A situation where the cue ball and an object ball are touching.
- **Free Ball**: A ball that the player can treat as an object ball for a shot due to a foul.

# G

- **Game Ball**: The ball that must be pocketed to win the game, specifically the eight ball in 8-ball.
- **Ghost Ball**: A theoretical concept used to visualize where to aim in order to make a shot.

# H

- **Hustler**: A player who pretends to be less skilled in order to deceive and win money from unsuspecting opponents.

# K

- **Kick Shot**: A shot where the cue ball is banked off a cushion to hit an object ball.
- **Kitchen**: The area behind the head string, which is sometimes called the Balkline. Where you break from.
- **Knock Off**: A shot that mistakenly causes an object ball to go in a pocket that was not intended.

# M

- **Miss**: Failing to hit the intended ball or pocket any ball when it was necessary to do so.
- **Motion**: The action of the balls rolling on the table after a shot.

# N

- **No Shot**: A call made by the referee indicating that the player's stroke was illegal or that there was no valid hit on the ball.
- **Nine Ball**: A different variation of pool played with nine balls.

# O

- **Object Ball**: The ball that a player is attempting to strike or pocket.
- **Open Table**: A situation where there are no designated groups of balls (stripes or solids) after the break.

# P

- **Pocket**: The holes in the table where balls are aimed to be sunk.
- **Position Play**: The strategy of positioning the cue ball for the next shot.

# R

- **Rack**: The arrangement of the balls before a game begins.

# S

- **Safety**: A defensive shot where the player tries to leave the cue ball in a challenging position for the opponent.
- **Scratch**: When the cue ball is pocketed during a shot, resulting in a foul.
- **Side Pocket**: The pockets located on the sides of the pool table.
- **Sink**: To pocket an object ball.

# T

- **Table**: The flat surface on which the game is played.
- **Tap**: A gentle stroke of the cue ball.

# W

- **Win**: Successfully pocketing the eight ball after legally pocketing all of one’s own balls in 8-ball.
- **Wet Cloth**: A condition of the table cloth that affects the speed and roll of the balls.

# X

- **X-Break**: A type of break shot technique.

This glossary provides an overview of the fundamental terms and phrases commonly used in 8-ball pool. Enjoy your game!