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dedans

American  
[duh-dahn] / dəˈdɑ̃ /

noun

(used with a singular verb)
  • dedans
    plural
  1. a netted winning opening of rectangular shape at the service side of the court.

  2. the body of spectators behind this opening at a court-tennis match.


dedans British  
/ dədɑ̃ /

noun

  1. real tennis the open gallery at the server's end of the court

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of dedans

1700–10; < French: (the) inside, Middle French (adv. and preposition), Old French dedenz, equivalent to de of (< Latin dē ) + denz in (< Late Latin deintus, equivalent to Latin dē- de- + intus inside (adv.))

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A single dynamic target, which the player serving the ball has to defend at all times, is called the dedans.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2018

The ball rocketed through the air toward Basto’s side of the court, right into the glowing dedans!

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2018

Instead, perhaps the Association should have questioned the probability of him hitting the dedans at that very moment, which was quite unlikely and might have raised concerns that someone had manipulated its movement intentionally.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2018

Courts are 110 ft. long, 38 ft. wide, with a net-covered recess behind the server's court called a dedans, in which the spectators sit.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was used as a prison, as is shown by the verse of Regnier: "Qu'un barisel vous mit dedans la tour de Nonne."

From Walks in Rome by Augustus J. C. Hare

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