Curling Dictionary
BACKLINE
The line at the back of the house. Rocks completely beyond the line are out of play.
BONSPIELS
Curling tournaments that usually have 16 to 32 teams and are played over a weekend.
BROOM
Also sometimes called a brush; the instrument used to sweep the ice. Brooms with synthetic heads are most common.
BURNED ROCK
A shooting team’s rock that has been fouled (touched by a player or equipment) while in motion. It is removed from play.
CENTERLINE
The line dividing and running the length of the sheet of ice. Runs perpendicular to and intersects with the tee-line (see below).
CURL
A turn of the rock’s handle upon release which makes the rock curve as it travels down the ice.
DELIVERY
The release of the curling stone by the shooter, also called the throw.
DRAW
A throw where the rock stops in the house. Contrast with a takeout and a guard below.
END
Similar to an inning in baseball. One end is complete when all 16 rocks (eight per team) have been thrown. A game usually consists of eight ends, although Championship and Olympic games are 10 ends.
FREE GUARD ZONE
A rule that states no guards can be knocked out of play until after the 4th rock of the end has been thrown. The rule increases the number of rocks in play, which increases the strategy and complexity of the game. It was created to liven up the game after teams began taking an early lead and then proceeded to knock all of their opponents' rocks out of play for the rest of the game.
FREEZE
A difficult shot where the thrown rock stops against the front of another rock. The thrown rock is "frozen" because it is difficult to remove - hitting it will not move it but instead the other rock.
GRIPPER
One shoe in each pair of curling shoes has a slippery teflon sole the curler slides on when throwing. The gripper is the removable sole that covers the bottom of the shoe when not throwing. Many Olympic curlers do not use grippers, and slide even when sweeping.
GUARD
A rock between the hog line and the house. They are primarily used to protect a rock in the house from an easy take out.
HACK
A rubber foothold from which curlers deliver the rock. It is about 125 feet from the scoring area.
HAMMER
The last rock of each end, significant because the team with the hammer has a strategic advantage. A coin toss determines who gets the hammer in the first end; all other ends it goes to the team that did *not* score the previous end. If neither team scores, the hammer remains with the same team.
HANDLE
The part of the stone held by the player.
HEAVY ICE
When the ice is “slow” and the rocks have to be thrown harder.
HIT & ROLL
A shot designed to take out an opponent’s rock and then roll the shooter to a designated spot, such as behind a guard.
HOG LINE
Located 21 feet from each tee-line. A rock must be released before the near hog line, and travel beyond the far hog line, or it is removed from play.
HOUSE
The round scoring area, 12 feet in diameter, with concentric circles of four and eight feet in diameter inside.
HURRY
A common sweeping command shouted by the skip or shooter to tell the sweepers to sweep. Other popular sweeping commands include: SWEEP, HURRY HARD, HARD, YES, NOW.
KEEN ICE
When the ice is “fast” and requires less weight to throw the rock.
LEAD
The player who delivers the first two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s lead.
NARROW
A rock delivered inside the intended line of delivery. The opposite of this term in curling is wide, meaning the rock was thrown outside the intended line of delivery. A curler’s goal is to be "on the broom", as skip's use their brooms to indicate where the thrower should aim.
PEEL
A shot thrown to remove one or more guards from play.
PORT
An opening or gap teams try to draw or slide through.
RAISE
A shot that moves a guard into the house. Synonym with promote.
RINK
A curling team, which consist of four players, the skip, third (vice-skip), second, and lead. All players are involved in every shot, with one shooting, two sweeping, and one calling strategy. Two rinks play against each other. The rink is traditionally named after the skip’s last name, such as Shusters’ Rink. In some events, a team name is used instead.
ROCKS
Also known as stones, are made of rare, dense, polished granite. Each rock weighs 42 pounds.
SCORING
Only one team scores per end - the team with the rock(s) closest to the center of the house, and it earns one point for each rock. The team with the highest score at the end of a game wins. The maximum score in each end is eight, which is very rare. Typically, one to three points are scored per end.
SECOND
The player who delivers the second two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s second.
SHEET
The 150-ft. long ice playing area. The sheet’s design allows play in both directions.
SKIP
Player who holds the broom as a target for shots by the other three players. Skips are team strategists and must judge the amount of curl to call the proper shots. Skips usually throw the last two rocks of each end.
SLIDER
A flat pad with a slippery, teflon bottom that allows a non-curling shoe to be worn while throwing, as throwing requires sliding one foot on the top of the ice.
STRAIGHT ICE
When the ice is not curling much. The opposite of this is swingy ice.
SWEEPING
Players sweep to make the rock travel farther or to keep it from curling too much. Good sweepers can increase the distance a stone travels by more than 10 feet. Sweeping creates a thin film of water under the rock that allows it to glide easier. Two players sweep each shot, and sometimes skips sweep as well when nearing the house.
SWINGY ICE
When the ice is curling a lot. The opposite of this is straight ice.
TAKEOUT
A throw that removes another rock from play.
TEE-LINE
The line that goes across the house and through the button. Runs perpendicular to and intersects with the centerline.
THIRD
Also known as the vice or vice-skip; the player who delivers the third two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s third. The player who holds the broom for the skip, who assists the skip with game strategy, and who is typically responsible for determining the score at the end of each end.
WEIGHT
Weight refers to the amount of force when a rock is thrown. A rock with too much weight is heavy, while a light shot is too slow.
WIDE
A rock delivered outside the line of delivery. The opposite of this is narrow, a rock delivered inside the line of delivery.
The line at the back of the house. Rocks completely beyond the line are out of play.
BONSPIELS
Curling tournaments that usually have 16 to 32 teams and are played over a weekend.
BROOM
Also sometimes called a brush; the instrument used to sweep the ice. Brooms with synthetic heads are most common.
BURNED ROCK
A shooting team’s rock that has been fouled (touched by a player or equipment) while in motion. It is removed from play.
CENTERLINE
The line dividing and running the length of the sheet of ice. Runs perpendicular to and intersects with the tee-line (see below).
CURL
A turn of the rock’s handle upon release which makes the rock curve as it travels down the ice.
DELIVERY
The release of the curling stone by the shooter, also called the throw.
DRAW
A throw where the rock stops in the house. Contrast with a takeout and a guard below.
END
Similar to an inning in baseball. One end is complete when all 16 rocks (eight per team) have been thrown. A game usually consists of eight ends, although Championship and Olympic games are 10 ends.
FREE GUARD ZONE
A rule that states no guards can be knocked out of play until after the 4th rock of the end has been thrown. The rule increases the number of rocks in play, which increases the strategy and complexity of the game. It was created to liven up the game after teams began taking an early lead and then proceeded to knock all of their opponents' rocks out of play for the rest of the game.
FREEZE
A difficult shot where the thrown rock stops against the front of another rock. The thrown rock is "frozen" because it is difficult to remove - hitting it will not move it but instead the other rock.
GRIPPER
One shoe in each pair of curling shoes has a slippery teflon sole the curler slides on when throwing. The gripper is the removable sole that covers the bottom of the shoe when not throwing. Many Olympic curlers do not use grippers, and slide even when sweeping.
GUARD
A rock between the hog line and the house. They are primarily used to protect a rock in the house from an easy take out.
HACK
A rubber foothold from which curlers deliver the rock. It is about 125 feet from the scoring area.
HAMMER
The last rock of each end, significant because the team with the hammer has a strategic advantage. A coin toss determines who gets the hammer in the first end; all other ends it goes to the team that did *not* score the previous end. If neither team scores, the hammer remains with the same team.
HANDLE
The part of the stone held by the player.
HEAVY ICE
When the ice is “slow” and the rocks have to be thrown harder.
HIT & ROLL
A shot designed to take out an opponent’s rock and then roll the shooter to a designated spot, such as behind a guard.
HOG LINE
Located 21 feet from each tee-line. A rock must be released before the near hog line, and travel beyond the far hog line, or it is removed from play.
HOUSE
The round scoring area, 12 feet in diameter, with concentric circles of four and eight feet in diameter inside.
HURRY
A common sweeping command shouted by the skip or shooter to tell the sweepers to sweep. Other popular sweeping commands include: SWEEP, HURRY HARD, HARD, YES, NOW.
KEEN ICE
When the ice is “fast” and requires less weight to throw the rock.
LEAD
The player who delivers the first two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s lead.
NARROW
A rock delivered inside the intended line of delivery. The opposite of this term in curling is wide, meaning the rock was thrown outside the intended line of delivery. A curler’s goal is to be "on the broom", as skip's use their brooms to indicate where the thrower should aim.
PEEL
A shot thrown to remove one or more guards from play.
PORT
An opening or gap teams try to draw or slide through.
RAISE
A shot that moves a guard into the house. Synonym with promote.
RINK
A curling team, which consist of four players, the skip, third (vice-skip), second, and lead. All players are involved in every shot, with one shooting, two sweeping, and one calling strategy. Two rinks play against each other. The rink is traditionally named after the skip’s last name, such as Shusters’ Rink. In some events, a team name is used instead.
ROCKS
Also known as stones, are made of rare, dense, polished granite. Each rock weighs 42 pounds.
SCORING
Only one team scores per end - the team with the rock(s) closest to the center of the house, and it earns one point for each rock. The team with the highest score at the end of a game wins. The maximum score in each end is eight, which is very rare. Typically, one to three points are scored per end.
SECOND
The player who delivers the second two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s second.
SHEET
The 150-ft. long ice playing area. The sheet’s design allows play in both directions.
SKIP
Player who holds the broom as a target for shots by the other three players. Skips are team strategists and must judge the amount of curl to call the proper shots. Skips usually throw the last two rocks of each end.
SLIDER
A flat pad with a slippery, teflon bottom that allows a non-curling shoe to be worn while throwing, as throwing requires sliding one foot on the top of the ice.
STRAIGHT ICE
When the ice is not curling much. The opposite of this is swingy ice.
SWEEPING
Players sweep to make the rock travel farther or to keep it from curling too much. Good sweepers can increase the distance a stone travels by more than 10 feet. Sweeping creates a thin film of water under the rock that allows it to glide easier. Two players sweep each shot, and sometimes skips sweep as well when nearing the house.
SWINGY ICE
When the ice is curling a lot. The opposite of this is straight ice.
TAKEOUT
A throw that removes another rock from play.
TEE-LINE
The line that goes across the house and through the button. Runs perpendicular to and intersects with the centerline.
THIRD
Also known as the vice or vice-skip; the player who delivers the third two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent’s third. The player who holds the broom for the skip, who assists the skip with game strategy, and who is typically responsible for determining the score at the end of each end.
WEIGHT
Weight refers to the amount of force when a rock is thrown. A rock with too much weight is heavy, while a light shot is too slow.
WIDE
A rock delivered outside the line of delivery. The opposite of this is narrow, a rock delivered inside the line of delivery.