carom

Or car·rom

[kar-uhm]

noun

1. Billiards, Pool.,  a shot in which the cue ball hits two balls in succession.

2. any strike and rebound, as a ball striking a wall and glancing off.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a carom.

2. to strike and rebound.

carom

/ ˈkærəm /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): cannon. billiards

   1. a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another

   2. the points scored by this

Word History and Origins

Origin of carom¹

1770–80; by false analysis of carambole (taken as carom ball ) < French < Spanish carambola, special use of fruit name; carambola

Word History and Origins

Origin of carom¹

C18: from earlier carambole (taken as carom ball ), from Spanish _carambola

Example Sentences

If in some ways “The Waterfront” feels assembled off the shelf, there’s enough activity that some viewers, possibly a lot of them, will dig in just to see how this thing caroms into that.

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It carried to the foul pole, struck it, then caromed back onto the field.

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LAFC’s rebuilt midfield struggled to slow Minnesota’s speedy attackers in the early going but was bailed out when Kelvin Yeboah’s left-footed shot struck the right post and caromed across the goalmouth in the 13th minute.

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The ensuing free kick from the 20-yard line was made off the ground, not on a tee, and the ball caromed laterally out of bounds without touching a player, resulting in a five-yard penalty.

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Matt Chapman walked on a full-count fastball that caromed off catcher Smith’s glove for a passed ball that allowed Wade to score for a 1-0 Giants lead.

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Related Words

• glance 
• ricochet 
• skim