english en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
Uncertain. It is speculated to relate either to people from England introducing the technique for billiards or bowling in the United States, or perhaps from a particular person with the surname English.
Meanings
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(Canada, US, uncountable) Spinning or rotary motion given to a ball around the vertical axis, as in pool, billiards or bowling; spin, sidespin.
There was a magical way of putting English on the dice to result in a six.
2005, S. Moran, Bronx Boy: Book One of The Zombie Island Trilogy, page 179:You can't hit it directly, but maybe if you give it some english.
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(broadly, figuratively, uncountable) An unusual or unexpected interpretation of a text or idea, a spin, a nuance.
Some drop science, while I'm dropping english.
1988, Andre Romelle Young, “Express Yourself”, in Straight Outta Compton, performed by Dr. Dre, Ruthless Records:Preston Sturgis in his Sullivan’s Travels (1942) put some english on the idea in a bit about a filthy, defeated, white chaingang that is invited to a rural black church for an evening of old movies.
1993, Thomas Cripps, Making Movies Black, page 94:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | alternative, dated, rare | lexicographic | |
| English | US, alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
side (spinning motion) · spin (spinning motion) · sidespin (spinning motion)
Translations (8)
es inglés (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · ro english (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · ce ингалс (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · ta ஆங்கிலம் (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · sw zunguka (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · pl angielski (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · hi अंग्रेज़ी (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis) · fi sivukierre (spinning or rotary motion around the vertical axis)