BACKBOARDS: The boards behind the back at either end of the playing area.
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.
BURYING A STONE: Placing a shot behind a guard so no part of the rock shows from other end.
BUTTON: The circle at the centre of the house.
CENTER LINE: A line drawn from one hack to the other, passing through the tee at both ends of the ice.
COUNTER: Any stone in the rings or touching the rings which is a potential point.
COME AROUND: A shot that curls around a guard.
CURL: The amount a rock bends while travelling down the sheet of ice.
DOUBLE TAKEOUT: A stone that removes two of the opponents stones from play.
DRAW: Although a draw is normally into the house, any rock where the speed will make it stop between hog line and back line.
DRAW WEIGHT: The momentum required for a stone to reach the house or cirlces at the distant end.
EIGHT-ENDER: An end in which a team has scored the maximum possible number of points.
END: A portion of a curling game that is completed when each team has thrown eight stones and the score has been decided.
FREE GUARD ZONE: The area at the playing end, between the hog line and the tee line, but excluding the house.
FREEZE: A draw that finishes touching or nearly touching another rock.
FRONT END: The lead and second player on a curling team.
GUARD: A stone that is placed in a position so that it may protect another stone.
HACK: The foot-holds at each end of the ice from which the stone is delivered.
HAMMER: The team that has the ‘hammer’ gets last rock.
HEAVY: A rock delivered with a greater force than necessary.
HEAVY ICE: Opposite of fast or keen ice. Heavy ice requires a stone to be thrown with more than normal weight.
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.
KEEN ICE: When little effort is required to deliver the rock. Also known as fast ice.
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.
LOSE HANDLE: A stone that loses its initial rotating motion during its travel down the rink. This occurs when not enough rotation is put on the stone at release or could also occur if the rock hits debris on the ice.
NARROW: A rock delivered inside the intended line of delivery (between the skip’s broom and the target).
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.
PEBBLE: A fine spray of water applied to a sheet of curling ice before commencing play.
Peel: A heavy weight take out, often the thrown stone and the targer are removed from play.
RAISE: When one stone is bumped ahead by another.
PORT: An opening between two or more rocks that is wide enough to allow a stone to pass through.
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: What happens when the team that does not have last rock scores a point or points.
SWEEPING: The action of moving a broom or brush back and forth in the path of a moving stone.
TAKE OUT: Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone.
TEE: The center point of the house.
TEE LINE: The line that passes through the centre of the house parallel to the hog line and backline.
THIRD, VICE, 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.
VICE-SKIP: See third.
WEIGHT: The amount of force given to the stone during the delivery.