billiards
/ˈbɪliədz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbɪljərdz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbi(l)-yərdz/ (ame, mw)
billiards — noun
1. an indoor game in which competitors use a long stick called a cue to strike hard
an indoor game in which competitors use a long stick called a cue to strike hard balls on a cloth-covered table, trying to knock them into any of the pockets at the sides or to hit other balls for a tactical advantage.
The twins spent the afternoon playing billiards in their grandfather's basement.
collocation: playing billiards
Carlos took careful aim and shot the cue ball into the cluster of reds.
action sequence: take aim + shoot cue ball + into target
After work, Wei and his colleagues often play a few games of billiards at the sports bar.
The old billiards table in the community centre had faded green cloth and worn pockets.
Nadia learned to play billiards from her uncle when she was twelve years old.
- pool
Pool specifically refers to pocket billiards with sixteen balls (fifteen object balls plus the cue ball), played on a smaller table. More common in US English.
- snooker
Snooker is a specific variant of billiards played on a larger table with twenty-two balls (fifteen reds and six colours plus the cue ball). Different rules and scoring.
文法句型
play billiards
a game of billiards
billiards is…
用法筆記
Billiards is an uncountable noun and always takes a singular verb (e.g. 'Billiards is popular in Europe', NOT 'billiards are popular'). In everyday conversation, many English speakers use 'billiards' and 'pool' interchangeably, though technically pool is one type of pocket billiards played with sixteen balls.