deck tennis

American  

noun

1. a game played on a small court, usually on the deck of a ship, in which a ring, generally of rubber or Manila rope, is alternately thrown and caught, using only one hand, by two opponents standing on opposite sides of a net.

---

deck tennis British  

noun

1. a game played on board ship in which a quoit is tossed to and fro across a high net on a small court resembling a tennis court

---

Etymology

Origin of deck tennis

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

There were bouts of deck tennis and shuffleboard, and�for the Princesses�a giddy series of tea parties in the midshipmen's "gun room," with charades and some earnest discussion of swing bands.

From Time Magazine Archive

At "Woodley," his baronial estate in Washington, he tramps for an hour before breakfast, plays deck tennis for an hour before dinner, plays croquet with obvious condescension when oldsters like Secretary Hull are his guests.

From Time Magazine Archive

We played considerable bridge, deck tennis and shuffleboard.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the Channel steamer he kept asking questions and was finally persuaded to play deck tennis with Tutor Parrott.

From Time Magazine Archive

But it took deck tennis and the tropics to make the tank popular.

From The Log of the Empire State by Shaffer, Geneve L. A.