Below is a rather large list of dart terms both common and obscure. I have compiled this list from a number of periodicals and from word-of-mouth. If you know of a term that is not listed, just email me and let me know.
- # Count/# Mark – The number of scoring darts in cricket (ie. an 8 count/mark would be 2 triples and 1 double, a 5 count/mark could be 1 triple and 2 singles/two doubles and 1 single/1 triple and 1 double)
- Ace(s) – The double one in ’01
- Arrows – Slang for darts
- Bag O’ Nuts – Scoring 45 points in a throw
- Barn Dart – The third dart of a throw that hits the target you were aiming at that the first two darts missed
- Barrel – The metal portion of the dart (where you grip the dart)
- Bed – A section of a number
- Bed & Breakfast – Scoring 26 points in one throw when hitting a single 20, a single 1 and a single 5 (a British term)
- Black Hat – Hitting 3 double bulls in one throw
- Black Dog – The double bull
- Bombs/Bombers – Very large or heavy darts
- Bones – When you have a double 1 left to win the game (usually displayed on the board with an ‘X’)
- Break – Winning a game when your opponent threw first.
- Bull – The center most part of the board, the area is divided into two sections (the single & double bull)
- Bull Out – Winning a game with a double bull
- Bull Up – Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
- Bust(ed) – Scoring too many points when trying to finish an ’01 game
- Chalk(ing) – Keeping score
- Chips – Scoring 26 points in a throw
- A ‘Classic’ – Scoring 26 point in a throw by hitting a single 5, single 20 and a single 1
- Cork (noun) – The bullseye
- Cork (verb) – closest to bull within scoring surface. used for determining the 1st player in a match.
- Cracked – Hitting a single when aiming at a double
- Dead – Describes hitting the exact amount required
- Diaper Dart – When a dart misses what it was aimed at and accidently scores well on another target.
- Diddle for the Middle – Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
- Dirty Darts – Derogatory slang for questionable tactics (like scoring excessive points in Cricket)
- Downstairs – The lower portion of the dartboard
- Double Bull/Cork – The center portion of the bullseye
- Double In (DI) – Hitting the double area of a number to start a game of ’01
- Double Out (DO) – Hitting the double of a number to win a game of ’01
- Double Top – The double 20
- Dust – Dart lands outside the scoring area
- Eights – Slang for the 18s in Cricket
- Easy In/Out – Not having to hit a double to start a game of ’01 (in) or having to hit one to end it (out)
- Fallout – Slang for hitting a scoring dart while missing the number you were throwing at (like hitting the 16 in Cricket when you were really aiming at the 19)
- Fat – The largest porting of a number (the area between the double and triple ring)
- Fives – Slang for the 15s in Cricket
- Flight – The ‘feathers’ of the dart which makes the dart more aerodynamic
- Freeze Rule – In team 301 play (soft-tip), a player may go out and win only if their partners score is equal to or less than the combined scores of the opposing team. It can apply to all team ’01’ games.
- Galed – Termed used when playing any dart game and being shutout of points.
- Game On – A call for silence at the start of the game
- Game Shot – The winning shot
- Good Group – A compliment for tight, accurate throwing
- Grand Slam – Hitting the T5, T20 & T1 in one throw (contributed by Derek Prather)
- Hail Mary – The third dart that miraculously scores a high treble where the first two combined scored low
- Happy Meal – A score of 69
- Hattrick – Scoring all three darts of a turn in the bull
- High Ton – Scoring between 151-180 points in a game of ’01
- Hockey – The throw line
- Hummer Spot – The center most hole in the bullseye on a soft-tip board
- Leg – A game in a match, as “the best of five legs”, in which each leg is an entire game
- Little/Small – The single bed between the bull and the triple
- Lizzard – In Wichita Ks. We call the double one out the lizzard out, if you hit it going out your team mates all chip in for a shot of you fav. drink, and if you hit the highest lizzard out which is T20 T20 D1 you get a free shot for the rest of the season. (contributer did not leave a name)
- Low Ton – Scoring between 100-150 points in a game of ’01
- Madhouse – Double 1 or 1 double 1 to win a game of ’01
- Matador – A thrower that hits bulls. 🙂
- Mugs Away – The losers go first in the return game
- Nines – Slang for the 19s in Cricket
- Oche – The throw line (pronouced ‘ockey’)
- Patriot – hitting a needed trip or bull with your first dart
- Pie – Any of the numbered segments on the dartboard
- Point Mongering – Derogatory term for shooting excessive points, usually in Cricket
- Premature Projection – When you get excited and throw out of turn
- ‘Right There’ – Phrase used when a thrower just misses what he/she was aiming at (around here it’s said quite sarcastically)
- Robin Hood – Sticking one dart into the back of another in the board
- Round – Any 3 dart turn
- Round of 9 – Throwing three triples in one turn
- Route 66 – Scoring 66 points in a throw
- Score Whore – Same as “Point Monger/Dirty Darts”
- Scud – Same as “Fallout”
- Sergeant – Used in the game of Rotation – scoring three successive numbers in the three darts of a throw to win a free turn
- Sevens – Slang for the 17s in Cricket
- Shaft – The portion of the dart that holds the flight
- Shanghai – Hitting a triple, double, and single of the same number in the same throw
- Shooting for the Cork/Bull – Throwing at the bull to decide which player will throw first
- Single In (SI) – Starting a game of ’01 without having to hit a double first
- Single Out (SO) – Ending a game of ’01 without having to hit a double
- Sixes – Slang for the 16s in Cricket
- Spider (Web) – The dartboard wire assembly which forms the beds
- Splash/Splashing – Throwing two darts at a time to determine partners before a game. Both darts must score and that score is calculated. The people throwing the highest and lowest scores are partners, the next to highest and next to lowest are partners and so on.
- Splitting the 11 – Throwing a dart between the digits of the 11 on the number ring
- Straight Nine – Hitting the T20, T19 & T18 in the first turn of Cricket.
- Straight On – Starting a game of ’01 without having to hit a double
- Straight Off – Ending a game of ’01 without having to hit a double
- Sunset Strip – Scoring 77 points in a throw
- Three in a Bed – Throwing all three darts in the same number
- Ton – Scoring 100 points in a throw
- Ton # – Scoring 100+ points in a throw (Ton 40 would be 140 points)
- Tops – The double 20
- Trombones – Scoring 76 points in a throw
- Trophy Darts – A compliment for tight, accurate throwing
- Two & 6 – Scoring 26 points in a throw
- Two Fat Ladies – Scoring 88 points in a throw
- Upstairs – The upper portion of the board
- Wet Feet – Having 2 or 3 feet across the throwing line
- White Horse – Scoring three triples in Cricket (in some leagues, it has to be 3 different scoring triples)
- Wilson – missing all 3 darts in Cricket (a flatline)
- Wiring – Bouncing a dart off a wire
- Woody – Dart lands outside the scoring area.