Descriptionary

block a defensive move by one or more players to block passage of the ball over or near the net.

bump pass another name for a forearm pass, a ball played underhand off the pressed-together forearms.

candy cane a hard, sizzling jump serve that hooks.

contacted ball a ball that touches or is touched by a part of a player's clothing.

crosscourt serve a serve made to the opponents' right-hand sideline.

dig an underhand save close to the floor, used to retrieve or play off a spike; a spiked ball that is saved and passed.

digging saving and passing a powerfully spiked ball.

digging lips slang term for digging someone's best spike or shot repeatedly.

dink a deceptive variation of the spike in which the ball is not smashed with the hand but flicked over blockers by the fingertips.

dive diving to retrieve a ball before it touches the floor and scores.

double block two defenders rising up at the same time to block a spike or other shot.

English spin on the ball.

facial a ball that is spiked into someone's face. Also known as getting mudpacked.

fault a violation of the rules.

floater a ball struck in such a manner as to avoid giving it spin; the result is a ball that when struck may float left or right, rise or drop, or follow an erratic trajectory.

forearm pass a bump pass. foul a violation of the rules.

line serve a serve made down the opponent's left sideline.

lollipop slang term for a soft serve easily returned by the opposition.

mudpacked, getting see facial.

netting touching the net while the ball is in play; the offending team loses possession of the ball or loses a point.

off-speed spike a spike struck deceptively soft to throw the blockers' timing off.

overhand pass the standard pass executed with both hands held at head height or above.

seam the open space between two serve receivers, or any vulnerable area between players.

service area where the ball is served, specifically both right rear corners of the court at end lines and extending 6 feet back.

serving rotation the rotation of servers on each new possession of the ball, the players moving clock­wise into their new positions.

set an overhand pass that places the ball into good position for a teammate to spike over the net.

setter the player whose primary function it is to set the ball to the spiker.

side out the transfer of the serve to the defensive team after the offensive team fails to score a point.

sizzling the pits spiking the ball directly into a blocker's armpits.

spike a ball that is struck powerfully into the oppo­nent's court.

spiker the player who executes the spike.

thrown ball any ball that is judged to be thrown instead of struck, a foul violation.

windsurfing

abeam at right angles to the board. aft toward the stern.

apparent wind the wind felt by the windsurfer, not the true wind one would feel if standing still.

backing wind a wind that is changing direction in a counterclockwise manner.

beam reach a wind blowing from abeam at 90° to the board's course.

bearing away sailing away from the wind.

beating sailing a zigzagging course to windward close-hauled.

bow the front or nose of the board.

break the point where a wave breaks.

camber the degree of curve or fullness in a sail.

carve to cut a turn at high speed.

cavitation when the small fin or fins at the back of the board fail to grip the water, causing the stern to slip and slide sideways.

cleat a hook or fitting on which line is secured.

clew the outside corner of a sail; it attaches to the end of the wishbone.

clew-first to sail with the outside corner of the sail pointed into the wind, used in freestyle and as a means of changing course.

close-hauled sailing as close to the wind as possible.

close reach the wind blowing slightly forward of abeam.

cross seas waves or current that strikes the board from abeam.

daggerboard the large, removable center fin that prevents the board from sliding sideways. See storm daggerboard.

donkey kick a method of kicking the back of the board down to facilitate launching or jumping off a wave.

dry suit a neoprene suit to protect the wearer from cold water and hypothermia.

duck tack to duck under the rig, as opposed to walking around it, when tacking.

eye of the wind the exact direction from which a wind is blowing.

fin a skeg or daggerboard.

following seas waves or current moving toward the board from behind.

foot the bottom of the sail.

freestyle the performance of stunts on the board. In noncompetition, also known as hotdogging.

freshening wind a wind growing in strength.

fresh wind a wind of 17 to 21 knots.