Definition

Noun: A table game in which players use short cues to strike balls, aiming to knock them into holes on the playing surface. These holes are guarded by wooden pegs (often called "skittles" or "mushrooms"). A central rule of the game is that players incur penalties, typically the loss of points or the end of their turn, if they knock over these guarding pegs during play.

Usage

Bar billiards is an uncountable noun referring to the game itself. It is used to specify this particular type of table game, often found in pubs and social clubs. - The pub has a bar billiards table in the corner. - We spent the evening playing bar billiards.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe related items.
  • a bar billiards tournament, bar billiards rules, a bar billiards cue

Variants and Related Words

• Bar billiard: Occasionally used as a singular form to refer to a single game or match (e.g., "Let's have a bar billiard"), though "bar billiards" is the standard term for the game.
• Skittles: A common name for the guarding pegs used in the game.
• Table Skittles: A related, but distinct, game involving skittles on a table.

Synonyms

• Bagatelle: A historical table game with a similar concept of using a cue to propel balls into scoring holes, often considered a precursor.
• (Note: "Pool," "snooker," and "billiards" are not direct synonyms, as they are different cue sports without the defining feature of guarded holes and penalties for knocking over pegs.)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To pot a ball: In the context of bar billiards, this means to successfully knock a ball into one of the holes.
  • He won 200 points by potting the white ball in the top hole.
• To foul / To commit a foul: The act of knocking over a guarding peg, resulting in a penalty.
  • She fouled by knocking over the black skittle and her turn ended immediately.

Noun

1. a table game in which short cues are used to knock balls into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over