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English language idioms derived from baseball

[edit] B

  • ballpark: in the ballpark, ballpark figure, and out of the ballpark — "Ballpark" has been used to mean a broad area of approximation or similarity, or a range within which comparison is possible; this usage OED dates to 1960. Another meaning, "sphere of activity or influence", is cited in 1963. "In the (right) ballpark", meaning "within reasonable bounds" dates to 1968. A "ballpark figure" or "ballpark estimate", one that is reasonably accurate, dates to 1967.[1]

"'They said Itanium would never be their fastest 32-bit processor, but it would be in the ballpark. The original x86 hardware execution mechanism wasn't in the ballpark. It was barely in the parking lot around the ballpark,' Brookwood said.' — Stephen Shankland, "Intel plans Itanium course correction", The New York Times, 23 April 2003

"Patrick Wiles, a vice president of First Pioneer Farm Credit in Riverhead, said the 'ballpark figure' for prime vineyard land on the North Fork is $50,000 to $60,000 an acre, 'assuming the development rights have been sold.'" — Howard G. Goldberg, "Long Island Vines; Macari Price: $9.5 Million", The New York Times, 18 July 2004

  • batting 1000 or batting a thousand — Getting everything in a series of items right. In baseball, someone with a batting average of one thousand (written as 1.000) has had a hit for every at bat in the relevant time period (e.g. in a game). AHDI dates its non-baseball usage to the 1920s.[2] May also be used ironically when someone is getting everything wrong.

"But Boston Scientific also needs to hope that a rare event does not become magnified, he said. 'It has to be pretty much batting a thousand for a time,' he said." — Reed Abelson, "After a Recall, Boston Scientific Tries to Assure Wary Investors", The New York Times, July 27, 2004

  • big league(s), used as a noun ("You're in the big leagues now") or an adjective ("big-league lawyer"). OED cites "big league" as specifically American major-league baseball, and cites its first use in 1899; the non-baseball use appears in 1947.[3] Contrast bush league, below.

"For a listener who last heard the New Haven Symphony in the mid-60's, in a game but scrappy performance of Britten's 'War Requiem,' its concert on Friday evening was a happy surprise. Under its music director, Michael Palmer, it sounded for the most part like a big-league band, at home in a big-league setting." — James Oestreich, "New Haven Symphony Orchestra Carnegie Hall", The New York Times, 25 January 1994

  • brush back — To subvert or threaten verbally. In baseball, a nickname for any pitch intended to establish a pitcher's command of the inside portion of the strike zone, usually involving throwing a pitch at or near a hitter who may be covering that portion of the strike zone. Its baseball usage is cited in many dictionaries (AHD4, M-W, etc), but its transition to the vernacular has yet to be cited or dated.

"The Washington Times' George Archibald reports that Gerald A. Reynolds, assistant secretary for civil rights in the Department of Education, has sent a long overdue brush-back letter to college and university officials concerning their odious and oppressive campus speech codes." — David Limbaugh, "Targeting speech codes on campus", The Washington Times, August 19, 2003.

  • bush-league — amateur, unsophisticated, unprofessional. From the baseball term for a second-rate baseball league and therefore its players (as in bush-league pitcher etc). OED cites its first baseball use as 1906, non-baseball in 1914.[4] Contrast big league, above.

"Kinsley, who does come off as the stereotypical Los Angeles-hating East Coast wonk, said recently that because L.A. is the second biggest city in the country, 'it's really bush league to care about where the writers are from.'"— Catherine Seipp, "Afflict the Comfortable: Chicks on their laptops", The National Review, March 24, 2005

[edit] C

  • cat bird seat, cat-bird seat or catbird seat — an advantageous or superior position or situation. AHDI alludes to the catbird's habitual high perch.[5] Popularized by sportscaster Red Barber, it first appeared in print in a 1942 short story by James Thurber; Barber is quoted as saying he first heard it during a poker game years before.[6][7].

"Clearly, friends say, he is relishing his sudden ascent from Democratic reject in Connecticut to Senate kingmaker in Washington. 'He is just sitting there in the catbird seat, and it must be delicious for him,' Ms. Collins said." — Mark Leibovich, "Enter, Pariah: Now It’s Hugs for Lieberman", The New York Times, 15 November 2006

  • Charley horse — sudden stiffness or cramp in the leg. Of unknown etymology; CDS cites its first use c. 1887 as baseball slang; OED states such cramps occur "especially in baseball players" and cites this usage to 1888[8]

"Tried on more than 1,400 patients for almost two years, it has proved effective for many kinds of pain in the muscles and around joints — charley horse, tennis elbow, stiff neck, torticollis ('wryneck'), whiplash injury, muscular rheumatism, and muscle pain resulting from slipped disks." — "Brave New Soma", Time, 8 June 1959

  • cover one's bases; cover all the bases — Ensure safety. In baseball, a player covers a base by standing close to it, ensuring a runner can not reach it safely. Mentioned but not dated by Oxford University Press[9]

"Arson investigators sifted through the rubble of an Airdrie Stud barn today, but failed to determine the cause of a fire that killed 15 thoroughbred broodmares and yearlings Saturday night. The horses were worth more than $1 million, according to Brereton Jones, owner of the 3,000-acre stud farm. 'We don't have any reason to believe it was arson, but you just want to be sure you cover all the bases,' he said." — Associated Press, "Fatal Barn Fire Still A Mystery",, The New York Times, 7 January 1985

  • curve, curveball, as in "she really threw me a curveball" — A surprise, often completely and totally unexpected. The curveball is a pitch in baseball designed to fool the batter by curving unexpectedly. AHDI dates this usage to the mid-1900s.[10]

"Because of my personal story, I'm very interested in illness. One thing we discovered as a family is that when you're thrown a curveball like cancer or multiple sclerosis, often people don't know what to do first." Meredith Vieira, quoted by Jeff Chu, "10 Questions for Meredith Vieira", Time, 27 August 2006

[edit] F

  • foot in the bucket — To act timidly or cowardly. A batter who steps away from home plate with his leading foot (usu. in fear of being struck by a pitched ball) instead of a straight-ahead stride is said to "step in the bucket."[citation needed]

[edit] G

  • get to first base — To succeed in the initial step of something, such as getting a job interview or asking someone out on a date. Among American youth, it refers to kissing someone on a date. OED cites the first usage in 1938, the latter in 1962.[11] Similarly, to get to second base and to get to third base vaguely refer to more sexual acts, usually some form of making out, though some people may have very specific definitions of what each term means. Finally, to reach home means to have sex.

"Rather, he focused on the federal deficit, 'the most dire fiscal problem that this country has ever faced,' and suggested that careerism in politicians is to blame for the fact that 'as a working government, we cannot get to first base in solving' that problem." — David S. Broder, "All That Can Be Said for Term Limits", The Washington Post, 1 May 1996

  • go to bat for (someone) — To give assistance to; defend. AHDI dates this usage to the early 1900s, the original meaning to bat as a substitute (see Pinch-hit, below), but transferred to a more general use of helping out one's team.[12]

"Democratic donor Denise Rich, who was persuaded to go to bat for her former husband in spite of a bitter divorce, had been bargaining with prosecutors for weeks in an attempt to work out an immunity deal." — Viveca Novak, "U.S. Attorney White Keeps the Iron Hot", Time, 14 April 2001

[edit] H

  • hardball, play hardball — (Be or act) tough, aggressive. Refers to the comparison between balls in baseball and softball. Baseball is generally considered the more difficult game. As a synonym for baseball, OED dates this use to 1883; its non-baseball use appears in 1973[13]

"Hauser would like to extend its three-year contract with Bristol-Myers, becoming a supplier of the material for semi-synthetic Taxol. 'I think this is just tough bargaining,' said Deborah Wardwell of Dain Bosworth Securities. 'It seems to suggest hardball tactics.'" — Milt Freudenheim, "Bristol-Myers Won't Renew Hauser Pact", The New York Times, 10 January 2007

  • hit it out of the park or knock it out of the park — To achieve complete or even a spectacular success; compare home run, below. A home run is automatically scored when a batter strikes the ball with such force as to hit it out of the stadium or playing field.

"11:55 AM: Kerry stumbled over the question of whether God is on America's side. But Edwards hit it out of the park with his anecdote about Abraham Lincoln saying America is on God's side. He is the more nimble debater and conversationalist." — Katherine Q. Seelye, "The Democratic Presidential Debate", The New York Times, 29 February 2004

  • home run — A complete success (opposite of strike out); often used in the verb phrase "hit a home run". OED cites this usage to 1965[14].

"HGTV caught on quickly, and is now carried in 90 million homes. The Food Network has been a home run as well, luring viewers interested in cooking." — Geraldine Fabrikant, "Scripps Is in Search of Its Next Food Network", The New York Times, 14 August 2006

[edit] I

  • "It ain't over till it's over!" — A famous quotation from baseball player Yogi Berra[15]; one of many yogiisms. In sports, it means that a game isn't over until time expires, the final out is registered, etc., and that the players need to stay mentally focused until the game is officially over. The term comes into play when a team has a large lead but then starts to let their guard down, especially when there is time left for the losing team to rally (and possibly win the game). The original and self-evident adage, misstated by Berra, is "The game is not over until the last man is out."

"In spite of last winter's nice snowpack and a wet summer, here's the bad news about New Mexico's drought: It ain't over till it's over, and it ain't over." — Staci Matlock, "Experts: No end in sight for New Mexico drought", The New Mexican, October 9, 2005

  • "It's like déjà vu all over again!" — Another famous (attributed) yogiism[16]. It's a redundant way of saying "Here we go again!" It has come into general circulation in the language to describe any situation which seems to be observably repeating itself.

"Kay told CNN he is worried because he's hearing some of the same signals about Iran and its nuclear program that were heard as the Bush administration made its case for the war in Iraq. 'It's déjà vu all over again,' Kay said." — David Kay, former U.S. chief weapons inspector (quote), "Kay, Carter urge caution on Iran", CNN.com, February 9, 2005

[edit] K

  • knock the cover off the ball — to succeed beyond expectation. Derived from the act of hitting the ball exceptionally hard, so as to make the leather covering come off. Possibly derived from the poem Casey at the Bat.

"In the last two quarters, we knocked the cover off the ball...We exceeded analysts expectations on Wall Street and our own guidance in both quarters." — Joel Ronning, CEO Digital River, quoted by Rob Wright, "Digital River Sees Revenue Climb", VarBusiness, 29 January, 2004

[edit] L

  • "late innings" — see "ninth inning".
  • left field, as in "that insult really came out of left field" — Unusual, unexpected, or irrational. AHDI dates this idiom back to the mid-1900s; it also states that the precise allusion is disputed, but a number of theories exist.[17] Rumored to originally describe fans who came to Yankee Stadium to see Babe Ruth (a right fielder) but who bought tickets for the wrong side of the field. Another legend is that the phrase originates from Chicago's old West Side Park which had a mental hospital located behind left field. Visiting players came to refer to something as odd to be 'out in left field.' The flaw in that story is that Cook County Hospital was behind third base, not left field.

"Depp's performance came out of left field in The Curse of the Black Pearl; nobody had ever thought of channeling Keith Richards and Pepé Le Pew before." — Kent Williams, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (review), Isthmus: The Daily Page, no date.

[edit] N

  • "Nice guys finish last" — Attributed to baseball manager Leo Durocher[18] in 1946; according to Durocher's 1975 autobiography, he was misquoted: "Take a look at them. All nice guys. They’ll finish last. Nice guys. Finish last."[19] Sometimes taken to mean that people sometimes fail at something, even when someone is working hard, playing by the rules and success seems well-deserved; or even that such fair play will actually result in the loss. The latter sense is often used as a justification or rationalization for immoral or unfair behavior. This may also refer to the dating world, in which some believe women prefer men who may not treat them as well as a "nice guy."[citation needed]

"'It is not a matter of being a Goody Two-Shoes,'" he says. "'It is a matter of being practical. The notion that nice guys finish last is not only poisonous but wrong. In fact, the contrary is true. Unethical conduct is always self- destructive and generates more unethical conduct until you hit the pits.'" Michael Josephson, quoted by Ezra Bowen, "Looking to Its Roots", Time, 25 May 1987

  • ninth inning — An expression that an event or process is near the end. Referring to a trend in market expansion, a financial analyst may say "We're in the eighth or ninth inning." During a seemingly never-ending crisis, an analyst might remark "No Ninth Inning for Credit Crisis."[1] The president of an academic association may title his farewell column to the members "A Ninth-Inning Farewell".[2]

"'We're in the late innings for U.S. small-cap stocks,'" said Richard Bernstein, chief investment strategist at Merrill Lynch & Co."[3]

[edit] O

  • off base — Unawares or by surprise, usually in the phrase "caught off base"; OED dates to 1935. Meaning misguided, mistaken, or working on faulty assumptions, this usage dates to 1940. Both these uses derive from the situation of a runner being away from a base and thus in a position to being put out (1872).[20]

"The absence of any sharp new angle, any strong new drive in Mr. Roosevelt's messages reflected the fact that he and his Cabinet (only Messrs. Hull. Murphy, Woodring, Edison and Ickes were at hand) had been caught off-base with the rest of the world by the Hitler-Stalin deal, the sudden push for Poland." — "Off-Base", Time, 3 September 1939

"Lotte Ulbricht replied that Madame Yang was way off base. No one was demanding that oppressed nations live happily with their oppressors, she said, and added that Russia was, as always, 'wholeheartedly behind the revolutionary struggles of colonial peoples.'" — "The Women's Club (Marxist Model)", Time, 5 July 1963

  • out of left field — See left field.

[edit] P

  • pinch-hit — to act as a substitute or stand-in for someone, especially in an emergency. In baseball, sometimes a substitute batter would be brought in, especially at a crucial point in the game. OED gives the first possible non-baseball use in 1931, and the first definitive non-sport use in 1957.[21]

"In April 2005, after Mr. Jennings took leave of World News Tonight, as the program was then known, to be treated for lung cancer, Mr. Gibson was one of several anchors (including Ms. Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas) who pinch-hit for him until his death in August 2005, and then continued to rotate in and out of Mr. Jennings’s empty chair for four months." — Bill Carter and Jacques Steinberg, "With Anchors Still Settling In, NBC Feels Pressure at the Top", The New York Times, 1 March 2007

  • play ball — To get going, or to start. Before every baseball game, the umpire traditionally shouts "play ball" in order to start the game.[4] AHDI dates this usage to the late 1800s.[22] An alternate meaning, "to cooperate", is not explicitly connected to baseball by ADHI, but is so derived by the Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms.[23]

"'Eight U.S. attorneys who did not play ball with the political agenda of this administration were dropped from the team,' said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois." — Laurie Kellman, "Gonzales losing Republican backing", The Toronto Star, 15 March 2007

[edit] R

  • rain check — a ticket given to a spectator at an outdoor event providing for a refund of his entrance money or admission at a later date, should the event be interrupted by rain; an assurance of a deferred extension of an offer, especially an assurance that a customer can take advantage of a sale later if the item or service offered is not available (as by being sold out); or a (sometimes vague) promise to accept a social offer at an unnamed later date. The latter two meanings derive from the first, which OED states was first used in 1884; its first written entry into non-baseball usage is cited as 1930.[24]

"To deal with frustration among holiday shoppers hunting for its Wii game console, Nintendo Co. and retailer GameStop Corp. are launching a rain check program." — Tribune wires, "Nintendo Wii for Christmas? Shopping advice", Chicago Tribune, 19 December 2007

  • rhubarb — A heated argument or noisy dispute; especially, between players on a playing field. Originally the word traditionally muttered by actors in a play to provide background noise. Online Etymology Dictionary attributes the "loud squabble on the field" usage to broadcaster Garry Schumacher in 1938,[25] while OED and CDS both credit sportscaster Red Barber at a baseball game in 1943. OED's first non-baseball cite is 1949.[26]

"If the theater people won their point, it was not much of a point to win. The entire rhubarb, after all, was about nothing but money." — "Dear Me, the Sky Is Falling", Time, 7 June 1963

  • right off the bat — immediately; without any delay. OED dates this term to 1914 in Maclean's, a Canadian magazine. An older term, "hot from the bat" dates to the 1888 play Meisterschaft by Mark Twain.[27]

"'It was very clear right off the bat that the loss of Cdk5 made them have a much stronger associative memory,' Professor Bibb said." — Reuters, "Turning Off Suspect Gene Makes Mice Smarter", The New York Times, 29 May 2007

[edit] S

  • "Say it ain't so, Joe!" — An expression of disbelief. A reference to the Black Sox scandal of 1919, when the Chicago White Sox lost the World Series on purpose. When Shoeless Joe Jackson was implicated in the scandal, an apocryphal story says that a young fan approached him and said, "Say it ain't so, Joe!"
  • screwball — Eccentric, zany, or crazy; OED dates this usage to 1933.[28] The screwball is a rarely used pitch (because of its effect on the arm) that is intended to behave erratically — it "breaks" in the opposite direction a curveball would break.
  • second-guess (v.) — to anticipate the actions of another through guesswork, or outguess; conversely, to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone), usually after the results of those actions or decisions are known. Verb back-formed from second-guesser, a spectator who criticizes the actions of a team or the decisions of the umpire;[29] guesser was baseball slang for an umpire, thus such a spectator considered himself a "second umpire". OED dates second-guesser to 1937, second-guess in its predictive sense to 1941, and its critical sense to 1946.[30]
  • southpaw — A left-handed person. Originally, according to OED, it meant the left hand itself (1828), then by extension to a left-handed pitcher (1891), then in non-baseball usage (referring to a cat, 1955); the final transition to a non-athletic left-handed person in general makes its print appearance in 1970.[31] Traditional (though unprovable) explanation of origin: to avoid the sun shining into the eyes of a batter during the afternoon, every ballfield was built with center field aligned east or northeast of home plate. Thus, a right-handed pitcher's throwing hand would throw from the north side of the pitcher's mound, and a left-handed pitcher from the south; accordingly, a left-hander was called a "southpaw".[citation needed]
  • step up to the plate, or shortened to step up — To rise to an occasion in life. Refers to when a player must approach home plate to take a turn at batting. OED cites baseball usage in 1875, general usage in 1919.[32]
  • strike, as in "strike out", "three strikes, you're out", "a strike against you", "he was born with two strikes against him", etc. — In baseball, a strike is when the batter swings at and misses a pitch, or when the pitch crosses the strike zone without the batter swinging. A batter with three strikes is out and stops batting. The word strike has crept into common English usage to mean a failure or shortcoming. When a person has "gotten three strikes" and "struck out", they have failed completely. The "three strikes laws" refer to more severe punishments for criminals with a third conviction. Someone seeking romance with another person may "strike out" and fail to impress on a first meeting. See also A swing and a miss.
  • switch-hitter — Slang for bisexual (OED, 1960). Refers to players who are capable of hitting as a left-handed or right-handed batter (OED, 1948).[33]

[edit] T

  • three strikes law — from the phrase "Three strikes and you're out"; pertaining to laws passed in the United States that mandates minimum penalties for three convictions for serious criminal offenses ("strikes").[34] In baseball, a player is retired ("out") from his turn at bat if he gets three strikes.
  • took the collar — from the phrase for failing to get any hits, it can be used to indicate failure at something. Referring to the competition between two newspapers, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News: "The News, you recall, took the collar as the 'failing newspaper' when the two sought Justice Department approval in 2000 to merge their business operations".[5]
  • touch base, as in "we'll touch base at the meeting" — To ensure everyone has the same information. In baseball, a player who is touching a base is not in danger of being put out. May also be a military term. Another explanation is that a player briefly touches each of the bases when he runs around after hitting a home run; therefore "touching base" is briefly checking in (this is more similar to the meaning in the above example).

[edit] W

  • whole new ball game / brand new ball game ; whole 'nother ball game — In common usage, a "whole new ball game" or "brand new ball game" signifies a drastic turn of events, a completely altered situation. In baseball, an announcer says "it's a whole new ball game" when the trailing team ties the score or takes the lead, usually after being behind by several runs. AHDI traces this to the 1960s.[35] A "whole 'nother ball game" signifies something completely unrelated, different, or irrelevant.
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  • 工作学习 / 外语学习 / English language idioms derived from baseball
    • good stuff. 60% are totally new to me!
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛batting 1000: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      big league: would know in writing but not in speaking
      brush back: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      brush league: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      cat-bird seat: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      charley horse: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      curveball: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      foot in the bucket: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      go to bat for sb: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      knock it out of the park: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      hit a home run: should have been familiar in both writing and speaking
      knock the cover off the ball: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      left field: total surprise in both writing and speaking
      ninth inning: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      pinch-hit: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      rhubarb: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      right off the bat: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      southpaw: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      switch-hitter: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking
      take the collar: unfamiliar in both writing and speaking更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
      • 40% is pretty good. Impressive
        • well, i am an old timer now.
    • HEY, I LIKE THAT. BASEBALL IS THE MOST TRANDITIONAL SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. SHOULD HAVE BIG IMPACT IN CULTURE.
      • I would agree
    • [ZT]NBA英语
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛NBA英语


      Air ball:"三不沾",投出的球什么都没碰到。
      Alley-oop:"空中接力"。一个运动员把球抛向空中,另一个队员在空中
      接住球把球扣入篮筐。
      Arena:比赛场;竞技场。比如Seattle的主场名叫Key Arena。
      Assist:助攻(缩写:Ast.)。
      Backboard:篮板。注意不是basketboard。
      Backcourt:后场。一支球队本方的半场为后场,即这支球队所要防守的那
      半场。
      Backdoor paly:篮球基本战术之一。当一个队员在罚球弧周围接到球时,
      另一个动员立刻从弱侧切入篮下,接队友的传球投篮得分。
      Baseline:底线。球场两端的边界线。
      Basket:篮筐。也作ring,还有一种通俗的说法是hoop。
      Bench:替补队员。
      Block shot:盖帽(缩写:Blk.)。
      Boo:嘘声(n);发出嘘声(v)。球迷发泄不满的一种方法。
      Bounce pass:击地传球。
      Box out:抢篮板球挡人,即抢篮板球时站在对手和篮之间,用身体挡住防守队员的动
      作。
      Brick:(v)球打在篮筐或篮板上被崩出来。许多公牛队的球迷在客队罚球时
      都手执一块上写"Brick"的牌子在罚球队员的眼前不停的晃动,扰乱他的视
      线,以达到干扰罚球的目的。
      Buzzer beater:比赛结束前的最后一投。buzzer是比赛用的蜂鸣器。
      Captian:队长。队长是场上惟一有资格与裁判讨论规则和判罚的人。
      Coach:教练。比如Head coach是主教练,Assistant coach是助理教练。
      Coast-to-coast:从球场的一端到另一端(n)。例如:coast-to-coast pass。
      Conference:联盟。NBA分东、西两个联盟(Eastern Conference和Western
      Conference),每个联盟都有自己的logo。
      Commissioner:总裁。NBA的现任总裁是David Stern。
      Court:球场;赛场。home court主场。
      Crossover:交叉运球过人。是Tim Hardaway的商标动作。
      Cut:切入。
      Debut:首次上场。
      Defense:防守。当客队进攻时,我们经常能听到主场的球迷在体育馆音效师的带领下高
      喊"Defense! Defense!"。
      Deny the ball:绕前防守。
      Disqualification:被罚下场(缩写:DQ.)。
      Division:赛区。NBA共有四个赛区,每个联盟下属两个赛区。
      Double-double:两双,即两项技术统计指标达两位数。
      Double-team:双人夹击。
      Double dribble:两次运球。
      Downtown:三分线以外。
      Draft:选秀,即NBA每年一度的纳新大会。
      Dribble:运球(vt,n)。
      Duo:原义是二重唱,在篮球中专指双人组合。
      Fadeaway shot:后仰投篮。也作fadeaway jumper。
      Fake:假动作(n);做假动作(v)。
      Fast break:快攻;快速突破。
      Finals:总决赛。Semifinals半决赛。
      Field goal:投篮(总称),包括两分球的投篮也包括三分球的投篮(缩写:FG.)。
      Finger roll:低手上篮时手指拨球的动作。
      Flagrant foul:没有必要或动作过大的犯规。
      Foul:犯规。个人犯规是personal foul;全队的累计犯规叫team foul。
      Foul trouble:(n)一个队员由于受到犯规次数的约束而带来的麻烦,比如说这个队员的
      法规次数已接近6次,再犯一次或两次规就将被罚下场。
      Free agent:自由人。合同的期满的运动员和新人都是自由人,自由人的去留不受球队
      约束。
      Free throw:罚球(缩写:FT.)。
      Frontcourt:前场。对手的半场为前场,即本方队员攻击的那半场。
      Give-and-go:基本战术配合之一,进攻队员将球传给另队友--give,然后向篮下切入,
      再接队友的回传球上篮(或扣篮)得分--go。也就是我们常说的"
      传切配合"。
      Gunner:经常投篮的投手。
      Hand-checking:a:一种防守技术,即用手接触对方的身体来跟踪对手的位置。
      也作hand-check。b:防守犯规的一种。防守队员用手阻挡进攻队员的走位。
      不能张开双臂阻挡防守队员的移动,合法的hand-checking技术只允许用手接
      触对方的身体来跟踪对手的位置,但手部不允许加力,也不允许阻碍对手的
      视线。
      Hang time:滞空时间,即运动员投篮时在空中停留的时间。
      High post:罚球弧的周围。
      Hook shot:钩手投篮,有时也直接用"hook"表示。
      Illegal defense:非法防守。联防防守即为非法防守。
      Injury list:伤员名单。如果某个队员受伤不能参加比赛,根据NBA的规定必须要将其
      列入伤员名单(伤员名单是公开的),以示对球迷的负责。
      Jam:扣篮。one-handed jam单手扣篮;two-handed jam双手扣篮。著名歌星
      Michael Jackson和Michael Jordan合作拍过一部MTV,名字就叫"Jam"。
      Jersey:运动员的背心,也作uniform。有些为球队做出过巨大贡献的运动员退役时他的
      jersey也跟随他一起退役,他的jersey被高悬在球队主场的天花
      板上,这意味着以后其他运动员不能再使用这件jersey上的号码了。
      Jump ball:跳球;争球。
      Jump shot:跳投。也作jumper。
      Lane:罚球区,也作free throw lane。篮球刚发明的时侯罚球区是细长的,其宽度比罚
      球弧的直径还要短,形状就象把钥匙,所以也称之为the key。
      Layup:上篮。
      Ligament:韧带。cruciate ligament,十字韧带,膝关节中的韧带,是运动员最容易受
      伤的部位,分anterior cruciate ligament和posterior cruciate
      ligament。
      Locker room:更衣室。
      Lottery:确定选秀顺序的过程。以前是通过掷硬币决定,因其不确定性所以称之为
      "lottery"。
      Low post:三秒区内,篮筐两侧,靠近底线的那部分。
      Matchup:攻防上各个位置的对应关系(n)。
      Meniscus:半月板。膝关节中的一块软骨,也是运动员容易受伤的地方之一,我们经常
      会听到某个运动员因为半月板撕裂而上了伤员名单,几个月不能打球。
      Move:移动。这个词在NBA里出现的频率特别高,比如,一个漂亮的移动我们说"Great
      move!";后转身的摆脱我们称之为"Spin move"。
      MVP:Most Valuable Player,最有价值的运动员。
      Net:篮网。检验球是否入筐的标志,原Utah的David Benoit在扣篮时,球砸在自己的头
      上从篮筐中弹出,而且整个过程中球又没有触及篮网,结果进球
      被判无效。
      No-charge area:进攻有理区。根据去年的新规则在两个篮下各画定一以篮筐的中心为
      圆心,以4英尺为半径的半圆(虚线),此区域被称作进攻有理区,在
      进攻有理区里只有带球撞人而没有阻挡犯规(注:O'Neal修正案除外)。
      Offense:进攻。形容词形式是offensive(缩写:off.),可以修饰其它名词,例如
      offensive rebound就是前场篮板球(进攻篮板球)。
      Outlet pass:抢到篮球板后的第一传,一般都是隔场的长传。
      Overtime:加时赛,时间为5分钟。
      Palming:我们常说的"翻腕",运球违例动作,也作Carrying the ball。
      Pass:传球。
      Personal foul:个人犯规。
      Pick-and-roll:挡拆战术。篮球中的基本进攻战术之一,进攻队员给持球的队友作掩护
      英语叫"set a pick",然后掩护队员向篮下移动叫"roll",再接
      队友的传球,在无人防守的情况下投篮。Pick n' Roll是Malone和Stockton的看家本
      领。以pick为基础衍生出的战术还有pick-and-fade、pick-and-split
      等。
      Pick:掩护。
      Pivot:a:以一只脚为中枢脚转动身体改变方向的动作(n)。b:篮下,通常由中锋控制的
      区域。
      Playoff:复赛;季后赛,即常规赛结束后各联盟的前八名的淘汰赛。
      Point guard:组织后卫,也作控球后卫。
      Position:位置。NBA中运动员被分为三个位置--前锋、中锋、后卫。
      Power forward:大前锋,我国常称之为"二中锋"。二者略有不同,"二中锋"是基于
      中锋的位置,来源于"双中锋"战术,这是我们从苏联老大哥那
      里学来的;大前锋还是前锋,他们是队里的篮板能手和防守中坚。
      Press:紧逼(防守)。full-court press,全场紧逼;half-court press,半场紧逼。
      Pump fake:投篮的假动作。
      Quadruple-double:四双。即四项技术统计指标超过两位数。
      Quarter:节。一场NBA比赛分四节,每节12分钟。前两节称first-half,后两节称
      second-half。
      Rebound:篮板球(缩写:Reb.)。
      Refree:裁判。
      Rejection:盖帽。
      Reverse:反身的(a)。比如从底线切入后的反身扣篮是reverse dunk。
      Rookie:新人,即第一年在NBA打球的运动员。
      Run:连续得分。比赛中屏幕上会经常打出某支球队12-0 run in last 4 minutes,就是
      说这支球队在刚刚过去的4分钟内连得了12分,打了个12比0的小高潮。
      Salary Cap:工资上限。
      Score:得分。Scorer得分手。
      Screen:掩护,同pick。
      Season:赛季。
      Shot clock:24秒计时器。
      Sideline:边线。
      Sixth man:第六人,即第一个替补上场的队员。
      Slam dunk:重扣,特指双手持球高高跳起的使出吃奶力气的重扣:),也可以是单手的重
      扣,这里slam表示砰的一声,强调扣篮时发出的声音。也作Dunk。
      Squad:五人组,篮球队的非正式说法。
      Starting-lineup:开场阵容。
      Steal:断球;抢断球(缩写:Stl.)。
      Strong side:强侧。有球的一侧为强侧。(关于强侧与弱侧的具体定义请见《联
      防FAQ》)
      Substitutes:替补队员。
      Suspend:暂时中止运动员上场比赛;禁赛。
      Switch:换(防)。
      Team:夹击。(注:不一定是双人夹击,可以是多人夹击)
      Technical foul:技术犯规。
      Three-point shot:三分投篮。
      Three-pointer:三分球。
      Three-second violation:三秒违例。
      Tie:平局;打平。
      Timeout:暂停。NBA中有20秒的短暂停(20-second timeout)和100秒的长暂停
      (regular timeout)。
      Tip-in:补篮。
      Transition:由攻转守的过程。
      Traveling:走步违例,也作Walking。
      Triple-double:三双,即三项技术统计指标超两位数。
      Turnover:失误,(缩写:To.)。NBA中专门有一项数据统计叫assist/turnover,是用这
      个队员助攻数比上他的失误数,这项统计能准确的反映一个组织后卫
      是否称职。
      Uniform:制服。篮球运动员的制服当然是背心和短裤了,uniform有时也特指背心。
      Veteran:老运动员。NBA非常重视veteran,各球队都把自己的veteran视作一笔财富,
      veteran这个词在NBA出现的几率是非常高的。
      Weak side:弱侧。无球的一侧为弱侧。(关于强侧与弱侧的具体定义请见《联防FAQ》)
      Wide open:开阔(n),无人防守。大多数情况下战术配合的目的就是给队友制造wide
      open,以便从容出手。
      Zone:联防;区域防守。也作Zone defense。更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
    • [ZT]网球术语
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛网球术语


      网球场 tennis court 双手 double handed
      草地 grass,lawn 旋转 spin
      碎石 macadam 上旋 forward spin
      水泥 cement 下旋 backspin
      木板 wood 平击 flat
      沥青 asphalt 正手 forehand
      端线(底线) base line 反手 backhand
      发球线 service line 球感 ball sense
      中线 center line 腕 wrist
      双打边线 doubles side line 步法 foot work
      单打边线 single side line 收拍 wind up
      网 net 跟进,随挥 follow-through
      网柱 net post 膝 knee
      单打支柱 single net post 落地球 ground ball
      球网白边 band 削球 chip
      球网中带 strap 经典打法 classical guide
      单、双打边线间地带 alley 包卷打法 wrap-around
      前场 fore court 发球 service,serve
      后场 back court 侧旋球 slice
      左发球区 left service court 平击球(炮弹式) flat(cannon ball)
      在发球区 right service court 强烈旋转球 twist
      中点 center mark 美式旋转球 American twist
      单打场地 singles court 发球员 server
      双打场地 doubles court 接球员 receiver
      网球 tennis ball 接发球 receive
      球拍 racquet,racket 发球次序 order of service
      握拍法 grip 接发球次序 order of receiving
      东方式 eastern 第一发球 first service
      大陆式 continental 第二发球 second service
      西方式 western 上手发球 overhand service
      下手发球 underhand service 平局决胜制 tie-break
      换球 ball change 比分 point score
      抛球 toss 局、局比分 game
      截击、拦网 volley 盘、盘比分 set
      反弹球 half-volley 计分 match
      高压球 smash 0分 love(0)
      挑高球 lob 1分 fifteen(15)
      防御性 defensive 2分 thirty(30)
      进攻性 offensive 3分 forty(40)
      放小球 drop-shot 平 all
      球落点 placement 平分 deuce
      挑边 toss 发球方占先 advantage for server
      准备活动 warm-up 接发球方占先 advantage for receiver
      时间到 time 领先 lead
      准备比赛 ready 决胜局计分 scoring in tie-break
      比赛开始 play 比赛结束 finish
      轮 round 出界 out
      三盘两胜制 the best of 3 sets 界内 in
      五盘三胜制 the best of 5 sets 擦网 net
      重发球 let 延期比赛 postpone
      重赛 let 暂停比赛 suspension
      发球失误 fault 弃权 default
      脚误 foot-fault 罚分 point penalty
      两跳 not up 取消比赛资格 disqualify
      技术犯规 foul shot 妨碍(干扰) hinder
      球过网 over the net 发球直接得分 ace,A
      球穿网 through 发球两次失误 D
      更正 correction 盘点(盘决胜分) set point
      改判 overrules 赛点(一场比赛的决胜分) match point
      没看见 unsighted
      中断比赛 interruption更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
    • [ZT]足球英语
      本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛World Cup,世界杯
      FIFA(Federation Internationale de Football Association,国际足联
      football,soccer,association football,足球
      field,pitch,足球场
      midfield,中场
      penalty area,禁区
      goalkeeper,goaltender,goalie,守门员
      back,后卫
      left back,左后卫
      right back,右后卫
      centre half back,中卫
      half back,前卫
      left half back,左前卫
      right half back,右前卫
      forward,前锋
      centre forward,centre,中锋
      wingerwing,wing forward,边锋
      libero,自由人
      substitute,候补队员
      referee,裁判
      red card,红牌
      yellow card,黄牌
      The goal is disallowed,进球无效
      foul play,严重犯规
      kick-off,开球
      bicycle kick,overhead kick,倒钩球
      corner ball,corner,角球
      goal kick,球门球
      hand ball,手球
      header,头球
      penalty kick,点球
      free kick,任意球
      fair charge,合理冲撞
      close-marking defence,盯人防守
      deceptive movement,假动作
      slide tackle,铲球
      toshoot,射门
      mishit,未射中
      offside,越位
      to pass the ball,传球
      to break through,带球过人
      toseta wall,筑人墙
      a hat trick,帽子戏法
      time wasting tactics,拖延战术
      cheering squad,拉拉队
      locker room ,(运动员)休息室、更衣室
      nation team,国家队
      coach,教练
      Stop holding,不许拉人
      Stop pushing,不许推人
      Don't hold up the game,不要延误时间。更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net