body english
Definition
Noun: 1. A motion of the body by a player as if to make an object already propelled go in the desired direction: A physical gesture, twist, or lean made after releasing a ball or other object, in a subconscious or conscious attempt to influence its path. It is an expressive, non-verbal action that does not physically affect the object but reflects the player's hope or intention for its movement.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- After releasing the bowling ball, he used a lot of body English, leaning sharply to the left, willing it to hit the remaining pin.
- The golfer watched her putt and applied some body English, twisting her hips as if to guide the ball into the hole.
- You could see his body English as the basketball rolled around the rim; he was practically dancing on the free-throw line.
Advanced Usage
- "To put (some) body English on (something)": This phrasal verb describes the act of performing these guiding motions.
- He really put some body English on that shot, but it still missed.
- The term humorously personifies the body's movement as a form of "English" (in the sporting sense of spin or intentional deflection), implying the player is trying to "talk to" or command the ball with their body.
Variants and Related Words
- English (noun, sports): In contexts like billiards or pool, "English" refers to the spin intentionally imparted to a ball to affect its rebound or path. "Body English" is a related, metaphorical extension where the attempts to apply this influence after the fact.
- Gesture (noun): A broader term for a movement of part of the body to express an idea or meaning.
Synonyms
- Guiding motion
- Physical urging
- (Expressive) body language (in this specific sporting context)
Related Idioms
- To will something to happen: This idiom captures the mental intention behind "body English."
- She wasn't just putting body English on the dice; she was willing them to show a seven.
Noun
-
a motion of the body by a player as if to make an object already propelled go in the desired direction
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