I Never Knew There Was a Word for It - Adam Jacot De Boinod [122]
before the triumphant arrival at the green:
frog hair the well-cut grass that divides the fairway from the green itself and is of a length and smoothness somewhere between the two
steamy a short shot or a putt that passes over or through the green
stiff a shot that stops so close to the hole that it must be impossible to miss the putt
TOUCHÉ
Fencing, by contrast to all of the above, originated on the Continent and so has a language with a very European feel:
mandritta (Tudor–Stuart 1595) a cut from right to left
passado (Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost 1588) a motion forwards and a thrust
volt (1692) to leap with both feet in the air by your opponent’s left shoulder
appel a tap or stamp of the foot, serving as a warning of one’s intent to attack
derobement an evasion of the opponent’s attempt to take or beat the blade while keeping the sword arm straight and threatening the opponent
TOUR DE FRANCE
Since their invention in France in 1860, bicycles have been eagerly embraced by our Gallic neighbours. So it’s hardly surprising that cycling is a sport with French jargon:
musette a small cotton shoulder bag containing food that’s handed to riders during a race
domestique a member of a professional cycling team, whose job is to ride solely for the benefit of the team and team leader, instead of their own glory
lanterne rouge the overall last-place rider in a stage race (from the red light found on the back of a train)
But as soon as things start going wrong, we’re back to good old English:
bonk a cyclist’s feeling of being devoid of energy
sag wagon the vehicle that carries bicyclists that have withdrawn from the event (due to injury, bicycle malfunction, tiredness etc.)
HEY DUDE!
Surfers follow the waves; and though you can find something to ride on in Newquay, they’re altogether bigger, better and harder to stay on in Big Sur and Bondi …
shark biscuit (Australian slang c.1910) a novice surfer
hang five (US 1960s) to ride with the toes of one foot hooked over the front of the board
knots the bruises and cuts gained from battling the waves and his board (a surfer’s status mark)
grubbing falling off your board while surfing
frube a surfer who does not catch a wave for the whole time they are in the water
hodad (1962) a show-off who hangs around surfing beaches, boasting of his exploits and trying to pick up girls, who has rarely, if ever, tried to surf
cowabunga! (Australian slang 1954) a shout of elation on surfing down a superb wave
COLORADO CLIFFHANGER
Climbing terms, likewise, come from mountainous places:
gingich (Scotland 1716) the chief climber or leader in climbing rocks
flash (Canada 1995) to climb a wall successfully on the first try
dynoing (Colorado 1992) leaping to a distant or out-of-reach hand hold
hang-dogging (Colorado 1992) a derogatory term for inexperienced climbers who hang on the rope while attempting feats beyond their ability
TROLLING AND YUMPING
Every sport, indeed, has both specialized terminology and also the kind of insiders’ slang that makes seasoned practitioners feel quietly different, whether that be …
Rowing …
gully-shooting (b.1891) pointing oars upwards when rowing
gimp seat seat number 3 in an eight-person boat (often regarded as having the least responsibility)
blip-o! (late 19C) a derisive cry at a boat’s coxswain colliding with anything
Tennis …
ketchepillar (early 16C) a tennis player
nacket (1833) a tennis ball-boy
Gymnastics …
coffee grinder a manoeuvre from a squatting position on the floor involving a circle of the leg while keeping both hands on the floor
fliffis a twisting double somersault performed on the trampoline
fly-away a horizontal-bar dismount method with a backward somersault
Billiards …
feather to run the cue backwards and forwards across the bridge between finger and thumb prior to making a shot
english the spin imparted to the ball
cocked hat a shot