Glossary of Curling Terms

A

Alternate
A registered, non-playing member of the team who is eligible to substitute for one of the competing players.

Away End
The end of the sheet to which the first stone of a game is delivered.

B

Back Board / Bumper
Material (e.g. foam or wood) placed at the end (perimeter) of each sheet of ice.

Back House Weight
The speed given to a stone at delivery so that it will just reach the back of the house.

Back Line
A line at the back of the house, extending across the width of the sheet, which is parallel to and located 1.829 m. (6 ft.) from each tee line.

Back of the House
The area within the house that lies between the tee line and the back line.

Biter
A stone that just touches the outer edge of the outside circle of the house.

Blank End
An end resulting in no score for either team.

Bonspiel
A curling competition or tournament.

Brush (Broom)
A device used by players to sweep/clean the ice in front of a moving stone.

Button
The small circle at the center of the house.

Burned Stone
A stone in motion touched by a player or any part of a players equipment.

C

Center Line
The line dividing the playing surface down the middle. It joins the midpoints of the tee lines and extends 3.658 m. (12 ft.) beyond the center of each tee line.

Circles
See definition: House.

Come Around
A shot that curls behind another stone.

Counter
Any stone in or touching the house and is considered a potential point.

Curl
The curved path of a stone as it travels down the sheet of ice.

D

Delivering End
The end of the sheet from which the stones are being delivered.

Delivery
The motion a player makes when playing a curling stone.

Delivery Stick
A device which attaches to the handle of the stone and acts as an extension of the arm/hand during the delivery process.

Double Takeout
A stone that removes two of the opponents stones from play.

Draw
A stone which stops inside or in front of the house.

Draw Raise
A stone that bumps another stone into the house.

Draw Weight
The momentum required for a delivered stone to reach the house at the playing end.

E

End
A portion of a curling game that is completed when each team has thrown eight stones and/or the score has been decided.

Extra End
An additional end played to break a tie at the end of regulation play.

F

Free Guard Zone
The area at the playing end, between the hog line and the tee line, but excluding the house.

Freeze
A form of a draw shot that stops directly up against another stone.

Front House Weight
The momentum required for a delivered stone to reach the front part of the house at the playing end.

Front End
The first two players on a team that deliver the first 4 stones in each end.

G

Guard
A stone that is placed in a position so that it may protect another stone.

H

Hack
The foot-hold at each end of the ice which is used by a player to start the delivery of a curling stone.

Hack Line
A small line 0.457 m. (1 ft. 6 in.) parallel to the tee line, at each end of the center line.

Hack Weight
The momentum required for a delivered stone to reach the hack at the playing end.

Handle
 The part of a curling stone that a player grips in order to deliver.

Hammer
A term used to describe the stone which will be the last stone delivered in that end.

Heavy
A stone delivered with a greater speed than necessary.

Hit
 A take-out. Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone.

Hit and Roll
A stone that knocks an opponent's stone out of play, and then rolls to another position in play.

Hog Line
A line extending across the width of the sheet that is parallel to and located 6.40 m. (21 ft.) from each tee line.

Hogged Stone
A stone that is removed from play for the end, because after being delivered, it did not come to rest completely beyond the inside edge of the hog line at the playing end.

Home End
The end of the sheet from which the first stone of a game is delivered.

House
The area within the concentric circles at each end of the sheet.

Hurry
A command which instructs players to sweep harder.

I

Ice Surface
The complete ice area that is within the perimeters of the curling sheet.

In-turn
The rotation applied to the handle of a stone by a right handed curler which causes the stone to rotate in a clockwise manner.

L

Lead
The first player on a team to deliver two stones in each end.

M

Measuring Device
An instrument that determines which stone is closer to the center of the house (Tee), or whether a stone is in the house.

O

Out-turn
The rotation applied to the handle of a stone by a right handed curler which causes the stone to rotate in a counter-clockwise manner.

P

Pebble
The water droplets applied to a sheet of ice before commencing play. These droplets freeze, which then reduces the friction between the ice and the stones.

Peel
A shot designed to remove a guard.

Port
An opening, or gap, between stones.

R

Raise
A type of draw which bumps forward another stone.

Raise Takeout
A delivered stone hits a stationary stone, which then starts to move and it hits a third stone out of play.

Rock
See definition: Stone.

Roll
The sideways movement of a curling stone after it has struck a stationary stone.

S

Sheet
The specific ice surface upon which a curling game is played.

Shot (stone or rock)
At any time during an end, the stone closest to the tee.

Side Line
A line placed at the side (perimeter) of each sheet of ice.

Skip
The player who directs play for the team.

Slider
Slippery material placed on the sole of the sliding shoe, which makes it easier to slide on the ice.

Spare
See definition: Alternate.

Stone
Also known as a rock, a curling stone is made of granite and is delivered by the players in a curling game.

Sweeping
The action of moving a broom or brush back and forth in front of the path of a moving stone to clean or polish the ice surface.

T

Take out
Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone.

Tee
The exact center of the house.

Tee Line
A line extending across the width of the sheet that passes through the center of the house parallel to the hog line and backline.

Top of the House
The area within the house that lies between the hog line and the tee line.

V

Vice-Skip (Mate or Acting Skip)
The player who directs play for the team when it is the Skip's turn to deliver.

W

Weight
The amount of force/speed given to the stone during the delivery.

*Adapted from the World Curling Federation's A-Z of Curling Terminology.