The following is a glossary of terms used in dominoes. Besides the terms listed here, there are numerous regional or local slang terms. Terms in this glossary should not be game-specific, i.e. specific to one particular version of dominoes, but apply to a wide range of domino games. For glossaries that relate primarily to one game or family of similar games, see the relevant article.

A

; Ace : The end of a #tile, tile marked with one spot. A 'one'.''Domino Glossary''
at domino-play.com. Retrieved 26 December 2020. ; arm : A single straight line of #tiles, tiles within the #tableau, tableau. McLeod specifies that it only has one #open end, open end.

B

; back : The broad surface of a #tile, tile with no #pip, pips or #bar, bar. They may be entirely blank or have a design which is the same on every tile.''Glossary of Domino Terms''
at pagat.com. Retrieved 26 December 2020. The reverse side of a #tile, tile. ; banker : Also called the #house, house, the person responsible, in a banking game for distributing #chip, chips, keeping track of the stakes and paying winners at the end. A dealer against whom the punters bet. ; banker's set : The 3–2 domino, so called because, if #set, set in a #scoring game, scoring game, it cannot be scored on. ; bar : The line dividing the face of a tile into two halves. Also divider or centre line. ; bid : The number of points a player undertakes to achieve if they win the auction in bidding games. The winning bidder names trumps and leads. ; bidding game : #game, Game in which there is an auction where players #bid, bid the number of #trick, tricks they hope to take. The winning bidder announces #trumps, trumps and sets the first #tile, tile ; blank : A #tile, tile half with no #pip, pips. Also #pale, pale, #white, white or #zero, zero. ; block # To play a #tile, tile whose #suit, suit an opponent cannot follow. # Alternative name for #tile, tile. # Alternative name for a #block game, block game. # Alternative name for a #blocked game, blocked game. ; block game : Domino game in which the aim is to play #tile, tiles to the #layout, layout in order to #block, block opponents so that they cannot play. Unlike #point game, point games, block games are scored at the end of a #round, round. ; blocked game : A situation in which no player is able to play or draw from the #boneyard, boneyard. ; blocking game : A #game, game in which scores are calculated at the end of a #hand, hand and not after individual #play, plays. The aim is to #block, block an adversary and be first to #domino, domino. ; bones : See #tiles, tiles. ; boneyard : Pool of face down, spread (unstacked) #tile, tiles from which players draw. Also #pool, pool, #reserve, reserve or #stock, stock. ; bricks : See #tiles, tiles. ; buy : See #draw, draw.

C

; card : Technical name for the pieces in a #domino set, domino set. See #tiles, tiles. ; card game : Domino game in which the #tiles, tiles are used like playing cards. ; centre line, center line, centre, center : See #bar, bar. ; chip out : To play the last #tile, tile of your #hand, hand. ; count # The amount of gains at any stage of a game. # To reckon or score the game. ; Cribbage board : Scoring equipment comprising a wooden board with holes and pegs used for keeping score in Cribbage but also used for dominoes. ; cut [a suit] : To play all of a #suit, suit except the #double, double, leaving the player with the double unable to #domino, domino. ; cut in : To take turns in playing when five or more players want to participate in a four-hand game.

D

; deck : See #domino set, domino set. ; Deuce : The end of #tile, tile marked with two spots. A 'two'. ; divider, dividing line : See #bar, bar. ; domino # To play all the #tiles, tiles in a hand, usually ending play for the #round, round. Hence 'dominoed' or 'dominoer'. # An individual piece in a #domino set, domino set. According to John McLeod (card game researcher), John McLeod, however, this popular usage is incorrect. ; domino set : A complete batch of #tiles, tiles, each one occurring exactly once, that is used to play one or more #domino game, domino games. Sets vary in size; for example, a double-six set has 28 tiles and a double-eight set has 45 tiles. Also #deck, deck or #pack, pack. ; dominoes : Plural of #domino, domino. "Dominos" is incorrect. ; door : Last unplayed #tile, tile of a #suit, suit (whose play closes the door). ; dot : See #pip, pip. ; double, doublet, double domino : A #tile, tile on which both ends have the same #pip, pip value e.g. a tile with two sixes is a "double six". ; double-six dominoes, double-six set, double 6s, double six : #domino set, Domino set made up of 28 #tile, tiles with all the combinations from 0 to 6. ; double-eight dominoes, double-eight set, double 8s, double eight : #domino set, Domino set, common in Austria, made up of 45 #tile, tiles with all the combinations from 0 to 8. ; double-nine dominoes, double-nine set, double 9s, double nine : #domino set, Domino set made up of 55 #tile, tiles with all the combinations from 0 to 9. ; double-twelve dominoes, double-twelve set, double 12s, double twelve : #domino set, Domino set made up of 91 #tile, tiles with all the combinations from 0 to 12. ; double-fifteen dominoes, double-fifteenset, double 15s, double fifteen : #domino set, Domino set made up of 136 #tile, tiles with all the combinations from 0 to 15. ; doubles game : A four-handed, partnership game. ; doublet : See #double, double. ; draw : To transfer a #tile, tile from the #boneyard, boneyard to the #hand, hand. ; draw game : Domino game in which players #draw, draw #tile, tiles from the #boneyard, boneyard during play, but only score at the end of the #round, round.

E

; end # One of the two sides on the #face, face of a #tile, tile, divided by the central #bar, dividing line, that is marked with a #suit, suit. # The surface of a #tile, tile furthest from the centre, a tile having two ends, two sides a #face, face and a #back, back. # That half of a tile in a line of tiles that may be played upon (also "open end"). ; exposed tile : #tile, Tile that has been turned face up by mistake, usually incurring a penalty.

F

; face : The broad surface of a #tile, tile that displays the #pip, pips and #bar, bar. ; following domino : Any #tile, tile that plays or scores after a previous score.

G

; game # A session at dominoes played between two or more players to a given set of rules. # A series of #hand, hands resulting in a player or partnership making a winning score. See also #round, round, #hand, hand and #match, match. ; go domino : See #go out, go out. ; go out : To be first to play one's last remaining #tile, tile in a matching or scoring game.

H

; hand # The set of #tiles, tiles that belong to each player, not usually held in the hand, but placed on edge on the table facing him or her.''Glossary of Domino Terms''
at domino-games.com. Retrieved 26 December 2020. # The cycle of rounds played with those tiles as part of a game. See also #round, round, #game, game, #match, match. # Same as #round, round. ; head : The best #piece, piece in a player's #hand, hand. ; heavy : High-numbered. A 'heavy' #tile, tile or tile #end, end is one with a high number of #pip, pips. The half of a tile with the greater number of pips is the heavy end. Some games start with the player who holds the heaviest tile setting it first. ; hit the deck : To be forced to draw from the #boneyard, boneyard (aka deck) because you have no playable #tile, tiles.

J

; jam : To play the last #tile, tile of a #suit, suit and leave that suit exposed at all #end, ends of the #tableau, tableau, thus #blocked game, blocking the game.

K

; kicker : In scoring games, a domino that will score 1 point more than the previous play. These are all the 5s and the 6-1. ; knock : See #pass, pass.

L

; lay piece : A #piece, piece that is not of the #trump suit, trump suit. ; lay suit : A #suit, suit that is not #trump suit, trumps. ; layout : See #tableau, tableau. ; lead # The first #play, play made by the player who is #on set, on set. # The player who directs the play for his team. # The first #piece, piece played in a given #hand, hand. ; leader # Player who #set, sets the first #tile, tile. # A #double, double played in a matching or scoring game when a player has no matching #tiles, tiles in his #hand, hand. ; light : Low-numbered. A 'light' #tile, tile or tile #end, end is one with a low number of #pip, pips. The half of a tile with the fewer pips is the lighter end. Some games start with the player holding the lightest tile leading. ; lighthouse : A #double, double in the #hand, hand with no matching tiles in the same hand. Played first it is a "lighthouse set". ; line : A #layout, layout that has two #open end, open ends, as opposed to an #arm, arm which only has one. ; line of play : An #arm, arm or #line, line of #tile, tiles which is open for #play, play. Dominoes may be joined to it ''with'' the line of play or ''across'' the line of play.

M

; make, make the dominoes. : See #shuffle, shuffle. ; make domino : See #go out, go out. ; man overboard : Said when a player has no matching #tile, tiles and is forced to #hit the deck, hit the deck i.e. draw from the #boneyard, boneyard. ; match # Series of #game, games needed for a player or team to win. See also #round, round, #hand, hand, and #game, game. # To play a #tile, tile such that adjacent #end, ends have the same #spot, spot value. ; matching game : A #game, game in which players must play a #tile, tile, one #end, end of which matches an #open end, open end of the #tableau, tableau. ; men : See #tiles, tiles. ; misdraw : To under- or overdraw the number of #piece, pieces to which you are entitled.

O

; off set # To be forced to #draw, draw when #on set, on set, thus going off set. ; on set # To be first to play. # To be first in the order or play to go out. ; open end : The #end, end of a #tableau, layout not connected to any other #tile, tile. Subsequently played tiles may only be placed on this end. ; orphan : Seventh #tile, tile of a given #suit, suit left in a player's #hand, hand that cannot be played because all matching #tile, tiles have been #covered, covered. ; overdraw : To #draw, draw more than the specified number of #bone, bones for one's #hand, hand or draw from the #boneyard, boneyard when able to play, which is normally illegal.

P

; pack : See #domino set, domino set. ; pale : See #blank, blank. ; partie : A session of dominoes equivalent comprising a series of #game, games. ; partner : The one joined with you in playing against your opponents. ; pass : To forgo playing because one does not have a playable #piece, piece and is unable to #draw, draw. Also knocking or renouncing. ; peg # The pin or marker used to score, usually on a cribbage board. Also #spilikin, spilikin. # To score e.g. "pegging five". ; pieces : See #tiles, tiles. ; pigeon : A rookie player who loses easily. ; pile : See #boneyard, boneyard. ; pips : The dots on the #face, face of a #tile, tile. Also spots. ; point game : Domino game where players score points as they go and not at the end of a #round, round as in #block game, block games or #draw game, draw games. ; pool # The stakes. # The dish or container for such stakes. # Alternative name for the #boneyard, boneyard. ; pose : To play the first #tile, tile that begins the #layout, layout at the start of a #hand, hand. Also #set, set. ; president : The player in a position to #go out, go out first.

R

; renege : To fail to play when able and required by the rules of the #game, game. ; renounce : See #pass, pass. ; repeater : A #piece, piece that will score the same as the previous #play, play. ; reserve : See #boneyard, boneyard. ; revoke : To play the wrong suit. ; rocks : See #tiles, tiles. ; round : Cycle of play during a #game, game in which each player places a #tile, tile on the table, #draw, draws from the #boneyard, boneyard, passes or performs some other action when it is his turn. See also #hand, hand, #game, game and #match, match. ; round game : #game, Game in which every player plays for himself or herself. ; row : A line of #tiles, tiles placed face up and side to side on the table. See also #train, train. ; rubber : The best two of three games.

S

; scoring game : A #game, game in which players score during #play, play as well as at the end of a #hand, hand. ; second set : The player who is in position to #go out, go out second. ; set # To place a #tile, tile on the table. # The first #tile, tile of the #hand, hand played. Also #lead, lead. # A player who does not make his bid has been 'set'. ; shake : See shuffle. ; shuffle : To randomly rearrange or mix up the face-down #tiles, tiles at the start of a #round, round and before the players pick up their #hand, hands. ; side # One of the two teams in a partnership #game, game. # One of the two longer edges of a #tile, tile; as opposed to the two #end, ends, the #face, face or the #back, back. ; singles, singles domino, single domino : A #tile, tile with different ends i.e. not a #doublet, doublet. ; singles game : A two-hand game or a four-hand game not played in partnership. ; sleeper : An undealt #tile, tile in a #block domino, block domino game - a #boneyard, boneyard tile that cannot be #draw, drawn. ; spilikin : A small peg of bone, wood, ivory, etc., used for taking the score at Cribbage and other games. Also #peg, peg."Spilikin"
in Hunter, Robert (1895). ''Lloyd's Encyclopedia'', Vol. 6, London: Lloyd, p. 527. ; spinner # The first #double, double played during a game in e.g. Sniff (domino game), Sniff or certain variants of All Fives (domino game), All Fives. # A metal pin or nail head in the centre of a #tile, tile #face, face that enables the tiles to be #shuffle, shuffled more readily. # A #double, double that is usually turned at right angles to the line of play and enables #arm, arms to be developed from both #end, ends as well as the open #side, side. However, some games permit a double to be played inline or crosswise. It becomes a spinner once it has been played on opposite sides or ends. ; spots : See #pips, pips. ; star : A #layout, layout which has more than two #open end, open ends. ; stock : See #boneyard, boneyard. ; stone : See #tile, tile. ; suit # All the #tile, tile halves of equal rank e.g. the fours, the sevens, etc. # The denomination of #tile, tile #end, end.

T

; tableau # The array of face up #tiles, tiles on the table upon which plays in the #game, game are made. Also layout or table. # The arrangement of tiles, which may be face up and/or face down, in solitaire domino games. ; tiles : The individual pieces of a #domino set, domino set. Also bones, bricks, cards, men or rocks. ; train : A line of #tiles, tiles placed face up and #end, end to end on the table. ; tree : A #layout, layout in which every #double, double may start a new branch. ; Trey : The end of a #tile, tile with 3 #pips, pips. ; trick : In #bidding game, bidding games, the set of #tiles, tiles comprising one tile played by each player that is won by the player who played the winning tile. ; trump, trumps, trump suit # The #suit, suit named by the winner of an auction in #bidding game, bidding games that automatically beats other tiles. # Alternative name for #double, double.

U

; underdraw : A #misdraw, misdraw in which one #draw, draws too few #tiles, tiles for one's #hand, hand.

W

; white : See #blank, blank. ; widow : The remaining #tile, tile or tiles after players have #draw, drawn their #hand, hands. Usually used in #bidding game, bidding games instead of the term #boneyard, boneyard.

Z

; zero : See #blank, blank.

References

Literature

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External links

''Domino Glossary''
at domino-play.com.

at domino-games.com.

at pagat.com.
''Glossary of Domino Terms''
at dominorules.com (copy of those by Kelley). {{Domino games Glossaries of gaming, Domino terms Domino games, Glossary Domino terms, Wikipedia glossaries using description lists