BACKLINE
The line across the ice at the back of the house. Stones which are over this line are removed from play.
BITER
A stone that just touches the outer edge of the circles.
BLANK END
An end in which no points have been scored.
BONSPIEL
A curling competition or tournament.
BRUSH
A device used to sweep the ice in the path of a moving stone.
BURNED STONE
A stone in motion touched by a member of either team, or any part of their equipment. Burned stones are removed from play.
BUTTON
The circle at the center of the house and smallest ring in the house. It is two feet in diameter, also called the "pot".
COUNTER
Any stone in the rings or touching the rings which is a potential point.
CURL
The amount a rock bends while travelling down the sheet of ice.
DRAW WEIGHT
The momentum required for a stone to reach the house or cirlces at the distant end.
END
A portion of a curling game that is completed when each team has thrown eight stones and the score has been decided. Similar to an inning in baseball. Only one rink (team) can score per end.
FREE GUARD ZONE
The area between the hog line and the tee line, excluding the house. Rules state that an opponent's rock cannot removed from this zone until after the first four rocks of the end have been thrown.
GUARD
A stone that is placed in a position so that it may protect another stone.
HACKS
The foot-holds at each end of the ice from which the stone is delivered.
HAMMER
The last shot of the end.
HEAVY
A rock delivered with a greater force than necessary.
HIT
A take-out. Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone.
HOG LINE
A line 10 meters from the hack at each end of the ice.
HOGGED STONE
A stone that does not reach the far hog line. It must be removed from play.
HOUSE
The rings or circles toward which play is directed consisting of a 12-foot ring, 8-foot ring, 4-foot ring and a button.
IN-TURN
The rotation applied to the handle of a stone that causes it to rotate in a clockwise direction and curl for a right-handed curler.
LEAD
The first player on a team to deliver a pair of stones for his/her team in each end.
OUT-TURN
The rotation applied to the handle of a stone that causes it to turn and curl in a counter-clockwise direction for a right-handed curler.
PEEL
A hard takeout designed to remove guards.
PEBBLE
Water droplets applied to the ice before a game that reduce the resistance between the surfaces of the ice and stone. Considered the most important factor of 'good ice', pepple affects the curl and the speed of the ice. When the pebble gets broken down, the ice speed slows and rocks curls more. The surface of pebbled ice looks like it has dimples, like an orange.
RAISE
When one stone is bumped ahead by another.
ROLL
The movement of a curling stone after it has struck a stationary stone in play.
SECOND
The curler who delivers the second pair of stones for hi/her team in each end.
SHEET
The specific playing surface upon which a curling game is played.
SHOT ROCK
At any time during an end, the stone closest to the button.
SKIP
The player who determines the strategy, and directs play for the team. The skip delivers the last pair of stones for his/her team in each end.
SPARE
An alternate player or substitute.
SLIDER
Slippery material placed on the sole of the shoe, to make it easier to slide on the ice.
STEAL
Scoring a point without the last rock advantage
SWEEPING
The action of moving a broom or brush back and forth in the path of a moving stone. Sweeping has two effects:
1. A stone that is played too short (too slow) can be made to go further through sweeping (but not faster). An example: The skip asks for the stone to be delivered into the house, but the player delivers it with not enough weight (energy); without sweeping it will be a guard. The two sweepers sweep the stone, and if they sweep hard, the stone arrives in the house. A team effort.
2. The curl can also be suppressed. When a stone gets swept, it curls less than it would without sweeping. This is a way to adjust the trajectory of the stone.
"SWINGY" ICE
A condition in which the ice causes the rocks to curl a lot.
TAKE OUT
Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone.
TEE LINE
The line that passes through the centre of the house parallel to the hog line and backline.
THIRD, VICE-SKIP OR MATE
The third player on a team to throw two stones in each end. Generally this player acts as the skip when the skip is delivering his/her stones and assists with shot selection decisions.
WEIGHT
The amount of force given to the stone during the delivery.
