massé

[ ma-seyor, especially British, mas-ee ]

noun

, Billiards.

1. a stroke made by hitting the cue ball with the cue held almost or quite perpendicular to the table.

massé

/ ˈmæsɪ /

noun

1. billiards a stroke made by hitting the cue ball off centre with the cue held nearly vertically, esp so as to make the ball move in a curve around another ball before hitting the object ball

Word History and Origins

Origin of massé¹

1870–75; < French: literally, hammered, i.e., struck from above, straight down, equivalent to masse sledge hammer ( Old French mace; mace ¹ ) + -é -ee

Word History and Origins

Origin of massé¹

C19: from French, from masser to hit from above with a hammer, from masse sledgehammer, from Old French mace mace ¹

Example Sentences

They pulled up in unmarked cars and on motorcycles, appearing en masse out of the darkness.

From The Daily Beast

The Internet cool kids are, of course, rallying against Swift en masse.

From The Daily Beast

But if word of the mission reached the city, there was a risk that the hostages would be executed en masse.

From The Daily Beast

For women who are attacked en masse, this new reporting system will save substantial time and energy.

From The Daily Beast

Editors were apoplectic, and they showed it by quitting en masse, leaving Mays to pick up the pieces.

From The Daily Beast

The company, expecting a scene, rose en masse to their feet, while those in the inner room crowded to the front.

From Project Gutenberg

On more than one occasion they have taken up some cause en masse, and have gathered in thousands, determined to have their way.

From Project Gutenberg

The experience of human affairs when looked at en masse, must be in accordance with it if true, or repugnant to it if false.

From Project Gutenberg

The result of such desultory visits would be exactly what has been noticed, but erroneously attributed to immigration en masse.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he speaks of the inhabitants as being, 'taken en masse, steeped to the eyelids in immorality.'

From Project Gutenberg