Ultimate Lingo

Are you new to the game of Ultimate? Have you heard some terms used on the field and not sure what they mean, or do you want to get a head start before you get out on the field for the first time - hopefully this page helps. Itemized below is a list of slang or lingo that is unique to this unique game.
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Away - denotes the side of the field opposite to where your team has piled its gear on the sideline. To force away would be to force the thrower to throw toward the away side of the field. [see also home, force]

Backhand - a standard throw; a right-handed player places their thumb on top of disc, curls fingers underneath, extends arm to left side of body. [see also flick]

Brick - the rule allowing the receiving team to start from the middle of the field at the point where the disc went out of bounds (or a point ten yards upfield from the goal line they are defending if the disc landed out of bounds through the endzone). The thrower must call "brick" before the disc hits the ground. [also called middle(1); see pull]

Clear - to run out of the passing lanes in order to avoid clogging after an unsuccessful cut.

Cup - in a zone defense when two or more defensive players mark the thrower and move with the disc when it is thrown. [see mark, zone]

Cut - a run by a receiver to shake her/his defender.

D abbreviation for defense (the team without possession of the disc).

Disc - this is the "Frisbee" used in Ultimate with an official weight of 175 grams.

Disc In - called by the marker or player to signal that the disc is in play.

Drop - when a defender falls back to cover the deepest cutting receiver, leaving the thrower or another receiver to be covered hopefully by another defender. [see switch]

Dump - (1) to pass the disc backwards OR (2) an offensive player positioned as to receive a dump pass.

Flick - a throw similar to skipping a stone across water where the thrower holds the disc with the thumb on top of the disc and the first two or three fingers underneath. [also forehand; see backhand]

Force - when a defensive player positions in such a way as to allow the thrower to only be able to throw the disc to one part of the field. The direction you want them to throw is the direction of the force. [see away, home, middle]

Forehand same as flick.

Give-N-Go - when two players pass the disc back and forth repeatedly as they move forward.

Go through - called out to advise a player not to pick up the disc off the ground after a turnover but to run forward and allow the disc to be picked up by a player further back. [also called push]

Hammer - an overhead throw with a forehand grip in which the disc is released at an angle so that it flattens out and flies upside down.

Handler (1) one of a team's primary throwers OR (2) in a standard zone offence, one of the three players who swing the disc from one side of the field.

High Release - a backhand throw held and released over the thrower's head; very difficult to block.

Home - the side of the field where your team has piled its gear. To force home would be to force the thrower to throw toward the home side of the field. [see away, force]

Huck - a long throw, equivalent to a long bomb in football.

Layout - the act of diving while running in order to catch a disc out of your ordinary reach.

Line-force - to force the thrower to only throw along the sideline that the thrower is standing at.

Look off - when the thrower does not throw the disc to an open receiver.

Man-on - defensive strategy where each player picks one player from the opposing team to defend against during the point.

Marker - the defense player that covers the thrower within three meters.

Middle (1) same as brick OR (2) the centre area of the field. ("Let's force middle") [see away, force, home]

O abbreviation for offense (the team with possession of the disc).

Pancake - a catch made with both hands coming together in a clapping motion on the top and bottom of the disc simultaneously. [also called alligator catch]

Pick - an intentional or unintentional block (like basketball) where a player gets between you and the player you are covering -- not allowed.

Pivot foot - the stationary foot (left for right handers and right for left handers) that a thrower pivots around in order to throw around the marker. [see travel]

Point (1) the single value of each score OR (2) the play up until the score ("Wow, that was a long point").

Pull - the long (hopefully) throw that begins the possession after each point [also called throw-off].

Punt - a long throw with no realistic receiver, used to escape bad field position.

Read - the art of judging the precise landing spot of the disc through observation of angle of the disc, speed, direction of travel and wind effect in order to perfect a catch or block. ("Nice read!").

Roller - a disc thrown so that it lands on its edge on the ground and rolls. Effective pull in windy conditions. [see pull]

Run through - what you shout to tell another player to run past the disc without picking it up.

Spirit - the spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. "Win-at-all-costs" behavior is contrary to spirit.

Stack - offensive strategy in which all the players line up down the middle of the field and alternately make cuts out of the stack to be open receivers.

Stall count - the defensive player counts out loud to ten while marking the thrower. The offensive player must throw the disc before the first utterance of the word ten otherwise it's a turnover.

Strip - when a defensive player knocks or takes the disc out of an offensive player's hands.

Swing - (1) to pass the disc laterally OR (2) a player positioned to receive a swing pass.

Switch - when two defenders exchange the offensive players that they are marking (typically on the fly).

T-O abbreviation for turnover. Possession changing to the opposing team during play.

Throw-off - See pull.

Thrower - the person with possession of the disc.

Thumber - a throw similar to the hammer but the disc is held with the thumb underneath.

Travel- an illegal movement by the thrower when a player moves his/her pivot foot or takes unnecessary steps after the catch or changes directions while slowing down. [see pivot foot]

UP! - called aloud by defensive players to alert teammates that the disc is in the air.

Zone - a defensive strategy characterized by one or more players on the defensive team not marking a specific player on the opposing team, but an area of the field.

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