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Gay; brisk; merry; galliard. Chaucer.

To play for a stake or prize; to use cards, dice, billiards, or other instruments, according to certain rules, with a view to win money or other thing waged upon the issue of the contest; to gamble.

A rope or tackle for hoisting or lowering yards, sails, flags, etc. [Written also halliard, haulyard.]

To drive into a hole, as an animal, or a billiard ball.

A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand. Mace bearer, an officer who carries a mace before person in authority.

To keep account of; to enumerate and register; as, to mark the points in a game of billiards or cards.

One who keeps account of a game played, as of billiards.

A false stroke with a billiard cue, the cue slipping from the ball struck without impelling it as desired.

To caress; to fondle, as a nurse does. A. Trollope. To nurse billiard balls, to strike them gently and so as to keep them in good position during a series of caroms.

ct or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play.

One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into which the balls are driven.

The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a snare; also, the receptacle for the stakes.

nces; haphazard; as, a scratch team; a scratch crew for a boat race; a scratch shot in billiards. [Slang] Scratch race, one without restrictions regarding the entrance of competitors; also, one for which the competitors are chosen by lot.

h something which serves the purpose of a shoe; to tip. The sharp and small end of the billiard stick, which is shod with brass or silver. Evelyn.

An old English game; -- called also lawn billiards.