bricole

American

[bri-kohl, brik-uhl] / brɪˈkoʊl, ˈbrɪk əl /

noun

Billiards. a shot in which the cue ball strikes a cushion after touching the object ball and before hitting the carom ball.
an indirect action or unexpected stroke.

bricole British

/ brɪˈkəʊl, ˈbrɪkəl /

noun

billiards a shot in which the cue ball touches a cushion after striking the object ball and before touching another ball
(in ancient and medieval times) a military catapult for throwing stones, etc
(esp formerly) a harness worn by soldiers for dragging guns or carrying stretchers
an indirect or unexpected action

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bricole

1515–25; earlier, rebound off a court wall (in tennis), catapult < Middle French < Italian briccola, probably, with suffix substitution, < Langobardic *brihhil- that which breaks; compare Middle High German brechel-, derivative of brechen to break

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023