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Glite Dictionary
string line

string line

8.9
An invisible or marked line on a pool table behind which cue balls are placed at game start
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : línea de referencia
  • Place the cue balls behind the string line.

Examples

  • The referee marked a string line on the table.

  • At the start of the game, players must place their cue balls behind the string line on the billiard table.

  • After a foul, the player had to place the cue ball behind the string line.

  • The referee placed the balls behind the string line before the match began.

  • You must ensure both cue balls are behind the string line at the game's start.

  • The referee called a foul when the player did not keep the cue balls behind the string line during the break shot.

  • Before beginning the match, the players carefully adjusted the string line to ensure accurate ball placement.

Synonyms

line
vsstring line
∞ 1.1

A long thin rope or wire used to carry things

refers to a game boundary rather than a physical rope
balkline
vsstring line
  • Specialized
9.9

A marked line on a billiard table behind which players put the cue ball at the start

is sometimes imaginary rather than always physically marked
baulk-line
vsstring line
  • Jargon
9.9

A line across a billiard table behind which players place the cue ball at the start of a game

is often written without a hyphen or with different spelling

Surface Forms

string line singular
string lines plural

Morphology

string + line

The compound is directly compositional: 'string' (a thin cord) plus 'line' (a mark or division) yields a line formed or marked by a piece of string. A B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer it denotes a line made or indicated with string (the specific billiards use is a domain detail but the basic meaning is transparent).

Etymology

String line comes from the simple practice of stretching a string across a billiard table to mark a line where the cue balls were placed. That's why today string line means the line behind which the cue balls are placed at the 'start of a game'.