Descriptionary

power player a player who uses powerful serves and drives to win a game, as distinguished from a touch player.

punch volley a volley made by partially swinging or punching the racket.

put away to execute a kill shot.

rally a long exchange of shots between opponents before someone finally fails to make a return.

serve and volley to serve then quickly rush the net for a return volley.

service a serve.

service box slang for service court.

service break winning a game against the server.

service court either of the 13%-foot by 21-foot rect­angular boxes on both sides of the court in which the ball must land when served.

service line the line marking the boundaries of the service boxes.

set a scoring unit, specifically the first six games won by one player by a margin of two.

set point a point that will win a set if the leading player scores.

sidespin a sideways spin imparted on the ball by a sideways slice of the racket.

singles court the court area measuring 78 feet by 27 feet.

slam a smash.

slice hitting under and across a ball to impart it with underspin and sidespin.

slow court a court surface that produces high, rebounding balls, as in clay.

smash a powerful, overhead stroke.

sphairstike the original name for tennis, as coined by its inventor.

spin ball rotation producing a curved flight path and an unpredictable bounce.

spin it in to serve a ball with spin.

stop volley a soft volley that barely drops over the net, used when the opponent is in the backcourt.

straight sets consecutive wins.

sudden death a tie-breaker game.

sweet spot the middle of the racket face; the opti­mum hitting surface.

tennis elbow painful condition characterized by inflammation of the tendons around the elbow, caused by twisting and general overuse of elbow in tennis.

throat the neck of the racket handle, just below the head.

topspin forward rotation imparted on a ball by brushing the racket face up and over the ball.

touch player a finesse or control player, as distin­guished from a power player.

umpire the official seated in a high chair at one end of the net; he keeps the score and makes rulings.

underspin backward rotation imparted on a ball by brushing the racket face down and under the ball.

volley to hit the ball in the air, before it bounces on the ground.

Wimbledon the tennis championships held in Wim­bledon, England.

thoroughbred racing

(Also see horses in animals and insects)

acey deucey a riding style to facilitate balance during turns in which the right stirrup is shorter than the left.

across the board betting on one horse for win, place, and show.

aged a horse seven years of age or older.

airing an exercise run. Also, a race in which the horse runs only at exercise speed.

also-ran a horse that did not finish in the money.

alter to castrate.

ankle boot a protective leather or rubber bootie for the fetlock.

ankle cutter a horse that strikes and cuts a fetlock with the opposite hoof while running.

apprentice a student jockey.

armchair ride a victory won without having to prod the horse.

baby a two-year-old.

baby race a 2- to 4-furlong race for two-year-olds. back to slow down.

backstretch the straightaway at the far side of the track.

bangtail a bobbed or shortened tail.

barrel the torso of a horse.

barrier the starting gate.

bear in to move toward the inside rail.

bear out to move to the outside of the track, espe­cially during a turn.

bend a turn in the track.

bit the mouth bar to which the reins are secured.

blanket finish a very close finish.

blind switch the position of being blocked by other horses in front and the decision to either drop back and go around them or wait for an opening.

blinkers the eye pieces that partially block a horse's vision, used to keep concentration focused on the track to the front.

blowout a brief workout to warm up a horse before a race.

boat race a fixed race. bobble to stumble.

bolt to run off in a panic, as when some horses see the starting gate.

boot to kick the horse to make it run faster.

Boots and Saddles the bugle call accompanying the horses entering the track for post parade.

bottom the horse assigned to the outside post position.

break in the air to leap upward instead of out at the starting bell.

break maiden to win the first race of one's career, pertaining to either jockey or horse.

brittle feet hooves that chip easily.

bucked shins inflamed shins, due to stress.

bull ring a small track.