snooker English · revision 1224

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsnuːkə(ɹ)/, /ˈsnʊkɚ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is uncertain.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is perhaps an allusive use of earlier British military slang ''snooker'' “newly joined cadet” (1872), applied to the raw play of a fellow officer.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) An often-told story says the game was invented in India by British officers, and credits the name to Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A game played with balls on a billiard table, combining pool and pyramids (1889).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to leave an opponent unable to hit the required ball directly, is also from 1889.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) From this came the general sense to put someone in an impossible position (1915),^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and to dupe or hoodwink (1925 in Merriam-Webster).^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1872 – a newly joined cadet.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1889 – the game; verb, to block a player.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1915 – verb, to balk or baffle.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1925 – verb, to dupe.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A form of [[pool]] played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of other colours.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A position in which the [[cue ball]] cannot be played directly at a permitted ball.^(Wiktionary)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To trap someone in a situation where every choice is bad.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To fool or [[dupe]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In snooker, to leave an opponent unable to take a direct shot.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[billiards]]

+ * [[pool]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}