balkline
|balk-line|
/ˈbɔːklaɪn/
line marking a restricted (balk) area on a billiards table
Etymology
'balkline' originates from English, specifically the words 'balk' and 'line', where 'balk' came from Old English 'balca' meaning 'ridge, beam' and 'line' came from Old English 'līn' meaning 'line, mark'.
'balk' appeared in Middle English as 'balke'/'balke' and developed senses including 'ridge' and 'obstruction'; in the late 19th century the compound 'balkline' was formed to name the lines drawn on billiards tables and, by extension, the game played with those lines, eventually becoming the modern English word 'balkline'.
Initially, 'balk' meant 'ridge' or 'beam', but in billiards it came to mean 'an area where repeated scoring is restricted'; 'balkline' originally referred to the lines marking that area and later also to the specific game using those lines.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a set of marked lines on a carom billiards table that define 'balk' (restricted) areas where certain scoring sequences are limited.
The balkline on the table limited how many successive points he could score from the same area.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a form of carom billiards (balkline billiards) played on a table marked with balklines; named after the lines that regulate scoring.
He specializes in balkline and has competed in several international balkline tournaments.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/05 20:20