SPORTS
ADJECTIVES
1704 ► GAMEFUL fond of field sports → obs.
1926 ► IN THE BAG of a prizefight, horse race, or similar sporting event: illicitly prearraned by the paying of bribes or other trickery; fixed → Amer. sl.
M20. ► SHAMATEUR pert. to shamateurs (see SPORTS – nouns, person)
1969 ► HORSESHIT in sports: inept; unskilful; clumsy → US sl.
NOUNS
– ABSO a definite winner, usually used in a sporting context …1900s sl.
– ALIBI in sports: an excuse for not performing well …1914 US sl.
– BAGEL in sports: a zero; loss; shutout …1976 Amer. sl.
– BAGEL JOB in sports: a zero; loss; shutout …1976 Amer. sl.
– BARN BURNER in sports: a very close game with an uncertain outcome to the end …Bk2004
– BIG D in sports: defense …1979 US sl.
– BIGS a major sports league …1973 US sl.
– BLINDER an excellent performance in a sport …1950 Brit. sl.
– BULGE a lead, describing team standings …1951 US sl.
– CARPET an artificial grass playing surface …1978 US sl.
– CELLAR, THE last place in league standing according to games won …1907 Amer. sports usage, orig. baseball
– CERT in sports: a sure winner, as a racehorse …a1889 US sl.
– D in sports: defense …1967 US sl.
– FANCY, THE the world of professional boxers; followers of prizefighting; hence, rowdies or sporting and gaming enthusiasts collectively …1807 sl., orig. boxing usage
– HOSPITAL PASS in team sports: a dangerously made pass which allows the opposition a good chance at defense …1984 Aust. sl.
– MONKEY ON YOUR BACK in sports: the inability to beat a certain opponent; most commonly used in tennis …1988 US sl.
– NOD, THE one’s choice; esp. an expert’s choice to win a race or sports contest, or a sport team manager’s choice of a player to play in a specific game …Bk1974 Amer. sl.
– NONG a poor performance in a sporting event …1903 Aust. sl. rare
– O in sports: offensive play; the offense …1980 sl.
– PADDOCK a playing field, esp. for cricket …1839 Aust. sl.
– POINT-SHAVING the illegal practice, esp. on the part of athletes, of controlling the score of a game, match, series, etc., so that professional gamblers will have to pay less to the bettors or will win for themselves …1971 sports & gambling usage
– POINT-SPREAD the difference between the handicapping points added or subtracted for various teams in football and basketball betting …1973 sports & gambling usage
– RABBITRY a state of being a poor player. esp. in golf or tennis …1920s sl.
– RAPS sports, games, merrymakings …BK1905 Eng. dial.
– SCORCHER in sports: an extremely hard shot or hit …1900 sl.
– SCOTMAN’S GRANDSTAND a vantage point overlooking a sports-ground, permitting viewing with little or no payment …1993 NZ sl.
– SHUT-OUT a game in which one team does not score …Bk1974 Amer. sl.
– SHUTTING OUT a game in which one team does not score …Bk1974 Amer. sl.
– SIN BIN in sporting: an enclosure where errant players have to sit for a predetermined period of time, as in ice hockey; the penalty box …c1946 sl., orig. US
– W in sports: a win …1970 US sl.
– YANKEE TOURNAMENT a sporting contest in which everyone plays everyone else …1961 Aust. sl.
– YARD SALE in snow-based sports: the result of an accident in which equipment is deposited over a wide area …1995 US sl.
NOUNS, PERSON
– ACTIVE in sports: a player on a team who is eligible to play in a given game or season …1931 chiefly baseball and American football usage
– ACTOR an athlete who is good at pretending he has been hurt or fouled, esp. a baseball player who very convincingly mimes the pain of being hit by a pitch … Amer. sl.
– BALLER one who enjoys playing sport, esp. basketball …1990s US college sl.
– BALLHAWK in sports, esp. baseball: a fielder who is skilled in catching or gaining possession of a ball …1920 US sl.
– BALLHEAD an athlete; someone obsessed with ball games; perhaps a stupid one …Bk2006 US sl.
– BARRACKER one who barracks (jeers at opponents or interrupts noisily); a noisy partisan in a contest, originally in football; a rooter …1892 Aust.
– BENCH BOSS in sports: a coach, esp. one who also plays on the team …1909
– BENCH COACH in sports: orig. a person who coaches a team by does not play for it, as distinguished from a player-coach …1905
– BENCH PLAYER in sports: a player who is not in the team’s starting line-up; a substitute, reserve …1888 orig. US
– BENCH-WARMER a sports player who does not get selected to play; a substitute in a sports team …1892 US sl.
– BIG LEAGUER a player in a big league; a prominent or high-profile sports player …1887
– BIRD DOG in sports, a talent scout …1934 Amer. colloq.
– DARK HORSE a person or team, esp. in sports or politics, that seems very unlikely to win but might nevertheless do so …1842 sl.
– DEAL a sports star …1970s African-American sl.
– DISHER OF DIAMOND DIRT a baseball sports-writer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
– DOPESTER someone who collects information on, and forecasts the result of, sporting events, elections, etc….1907 sl., orig. US
– FANCY BLOKE a member of the sporting world …M19 sl.
– FANCY-MAN a man who is a patron of gambling, boxing, horse racing, etc. …1852 Amer. sl.
– FLAT-TRACK BULLY a sportsperson who dominates inferior opposition, but who cannot beat top-level opponents …colloq.
– FOOTBALLOPHILE a football sports-writer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
– FRESH MEAT a new member on a sports team …1908 US sl.
– GALACTICO a skilled and celebrated footballer (soccer), esp. one bought by a team for a very large fee; a football superstar; so, a pre-eminent figure in any field, esp. sport …2003
– GAME-CHANGER in sports: a player who decisively affects the outcome of a game …1962 orig. US
– GAMER in sports: a person, esp. an athlete, known for consistently making a strong effort; a player who performs better in actual games than in practices …1977 colloq.
– GAME STEALER in a sporting contest: a player who scores late in the game, bringing about an unexpected victory for his side that appeared certain to lose …1771
– GAMESTER a player of any game; a participant in or enthusiast for a sport or pastime …1562
– GAMESTRESS a female gamester or gambler ; a woman skilled in games or sports …1651
– GENERAL MANAGER in American sport: a member of the administration of a sports team responsible for player-related matters such as contracts and trades …1927
– GLOOPER a player who seems suck to the playing surface, hoping the ball will come right to him …1981 US sl.
– GLUE POT a player who seems stuck to the playing surface, hoping the ball will come right to him …1981 US sl.
– GLUTTON in sports: a person who takes a deal of punishment before he is satisfied …1809 sl.
– GROUNDHOG in sports: a groundskeeper …1971 Amer. sl.
– HORSE in sports: a strong offensive player …1980 Amer. sl.
– JACK A BONEY one who plays for both sides in a game …Bk1902 Eng. dial.
– JACK ON BOTH SIDES one who plays for both sides in a game …Bk1902 Eng. dial.
– MONEY PLAYER in sports and gambling: one who performs well under the pressure of intense competition …1922 Amer. sl.
– MORNING GLORY in sports: an initially promising but ultimately disappointing competitor …1909 US sl.
– MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in sports: the best or most successful player of a team during a season, series, or single match …1891 orig. baseball, chiefly Amer.
– MUFFIN at games: a constant misser of a shot or ball …1895 Brit. colloq.
– NAIL a well-built male, esp. a sportsman …1990s US college sl.
– NORM an average citizen viewed as a non-participant in any kind of physical exercise while addicted to watching spectator sports on television …Aust. sl.
– PACEMAKER in sports: a competitor who sets the pace for one or more other competitors in the race …1884
– PACER in sports: a pacesetter in a race …1893
– QUICK-GO in sports: a player who does not last very long on a team …1972 US sl.
– RABBIT a poor performer at any game, especially cricket, golf, or tennis …1904 sl.
– RABBIT in sports: a track-team member who sets a fast pace to induce competition to spend energy early in a long-distance race, to the advantage of a teammate …1925 US
– RABBITRY in a sport, poor players considered collectively …1930s sl.
– SACKETMAN one who carries a sack, or a sportsman’s game-bag …1845 Sc.
– SCRUBBER in sports: a second-rate player or competitor …1974 Aust. & NZ sl.
– SHAMATEUR a sportsman or sportswoman who makes money from sporting performances and appearances while officially retaining amateur status …L19 derogatory
– SIMON PURES amateurs in the realm of sport; sarcastic, and perhaps ironic usage …c1920 Aust. sporting usage
– SKATE a second-rate sportsman …L19 US sl.
– SKIPPER the captain of a sports team …1830 sl.
– SPORTS HACK a sports-writer …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
– STICKOUT an outstanding sportsman or sportswoman …1942 US sl.
– VARMENT; VARMINT a sporting amateur with the knowledge or skill of a professional …1812 sl., now Eng. dial.
NOUNS, PERSON – OTHER
1999 ► BEAT REPORTER in baseball: a journalist who writes about a particular subject on a daily basis; spec. a sportswriter who covers a major-league team on a daily basis → baseball usage (Bk.)
2004 ► WAG the female partner of a male celebrity, esp. a sportsman → Brit. sl.
VERBS
– BAGEL in sports: to shut out …1986 Amer. sl.
– BENCH to take someone out of active play in a sporting event …20C Amer. sl.
– CRACK in sports (of a racehorse or human competitor) : to lose a lead as a result of loss of stamina …1880 Amer. sl.
– CREAM to beat the opposite team in a sporting event …M20 US sl.
– FAN in various sports: to fail to hit the ball, puck, etc. …1970 Amer. sl.
– GO IN THE BAG of a competitor in a sporting event: to lose deliberately …1942 Amer. sl.
– HORSE-COLLAR in sports: to render scoreless; to shut out …1973 US sl.
– KILL in handball, racquetball, and squash: to hit the ball so low on the front wall that it cannot be returned …1970 US sl.
– LAM in sports: to strike (a ball) hard …a1890 US sl.
– OPEN ONE’S ACCOUNT in sports: to begin one’s scoring tally; also, to register one’s first victory …1846
– SATCHEL to pre-arrange the outcome of a contest, race, or fight …20C US sl.
– SHOW HAIR of a sportsman: to play aggressively and well …1960s US sl.
– SHUT DOWN to defeat someone or a team in a sporting contest …Bk1974 Amer. sl.
– SHUT OFF to defeat someone or a team in a sporting contest …Bk1974 Amer. sl.
– SHUT OUT in sports, to hold an opposing team scoreless …c1880 Amer. sl.
– SIN-BIN to consign a player to the sin-bin …Aust. sl.
– TAILGATE to eat and drink clustered in a parking lot before a sports event …1995 US sl.
Lexicophilia 