Home / The plain-language glossary
THE RECREATIONAL PLAYER’S FIELD GUIDE
The plain-language glossary
26 terms to help you follow a game, lesson, or equipment conversation.
- Baseline
- The back boundary line at each end. Context →
- Centerline
- The line dividing the two service courts beyond each kitchen. Context →
- Court
- The marked playing rectangle, distinct from total site space. Context →
- Dink
- A controlled short shot typically exchanged near the net. Context →
- Doubles
- Two players on each team. Context →
- Drive
- A shot played with pace rather than a soft placement intention. Context →
- Drop
- A controlled shot intended to land short. Context →
- Drop serve
- A serve struck after releasing the ball and letting it bounce; special rules govern the release. Context →
- Fault
- A rule violation that ends a rally or produces the specified consequence. Context →
- First server
- The first service turn designation in a doubles rotation. Context →
- Groundstroke
- A stroke played after the ball bounces. Context →
- Kitchen
- The common name for the non-volley zone. Context →
- Lob
- A high shot intended to travel over an opponent. Context →
- Non-volley zone
- The seven-foot area next to each side of the net, including its boundary lines. Context →
- Open play
- A venue’s session for joining games under its local participation system. Context →
- Rally
- The exchange from serve until play ends. Context →
- Rally scoring
- A scoring family in which points are awarded for rally wins regardless of service; confirm the exact format. Context →
- Rating
- A defined system’s estimate or assessment; not interchangeable with a drill count. Context →
- Receiver
- The player who must return the serve. Context →
- Return
- The shot played in response to the serve. Context →
- Second server
- The second service-turn designation; also used for the opening exception. Context →
- Service court
- The diagonal receiving area beyond the kitchen. Context →
- Side-out
- The transfer of service to the other team. Context →
- Starting server
- The player who begins serving for a team in a game. Context →
- Two-bounce rule
- The serve and return must bounce before volleys begin. Context →
- Volley
- A shot struck before it bounces. Context →
Plain-language paraphrases, not the rulebook’s formal definitions. Use linked guides for sources, exceptions, and context. Source check: October 29, 2026; human review pending.