Glossary
Squash terms, in plain language.
A practical glossary of the court, scoring, calls, shots and formats a new player is most likely to encounter.
In short
Start with rally, let, stroke, tin, service box and T. Those six terms explain much of what happens in a first game.
Reviewed 5 September 2026
Coverage note
Some terms are official rules language; others are common coaching or club usage. Meanings and names can vary by country, discipline and context.
Court and scoring
- Rally
- The sequence of alternating returns beginning with a serve and ending when one player wins the point.
- Tin
- The low area across the front wall. A ball hitting it is down and the rally ends.
- T
- The central area where the short line meets the half-court line; a useful position from which to reach the next shot.
- Service box
- One of the two floor boxes used by the server.
- Out line
- The upper boundary around the court. A ball touching it is out.
- PAR
- Point-a-rally scoring: the winner of every rally scores a point.
Interference calls
- Let
- The rally is replayed without a point being awarded.
- No let
- The appeal is refused and the player who stopped loses the rally.
- Stroke
- The player whose swing or shot was unfairly prevented is awarded the rally.
- Clearing
- Moving away after a shot to give the opponent fair view, access, swing and freedom to play.
- Turning
- The striker follows or allows the ball to pass around the body before hitting it on the other side; special safety rules apply.
Common shots
- Drive
- A shot hit to travel deep along a side wall, also called a straight drive or length.
- Cross-court
- A shot sent diagonally from one side of the court towards the other.
- Drop
- A softly played attacking shot intended to land near the front wall.
- Boast
- A shot that reaches the front wall after first hitting a side wall.
- Volley
- Hitting the ball before it bounces on the floor.
- Lob
- A high, soft shot intended to pass over an opponent and die near a back corner.
Formats and people
- Singles
- One player against one player, normally on a standard singles court.
- Doubles
- Two players per team. Formal versions use rules and, in some countries, purpose-built wider courts.
- Squash 57
- A squash-court game using a larger racket and larger, bouncier ball. It was formerly called racketball in England.
- Marker
- The official who calls the score and announces decisions.
- Referee
- The official who decides appeals, interference and conduct matters.
- Hand-out
- A traditional call indicating that service has changed hands; scoring systems and local usage vary.
Facilities and access
- Glass court
- A court with transparent walls for viewing; it may be permanent or a temporary event installation.
- Practice wall
- A rebound wall or partial playing structure, not necessarily a full squash court.
- Outdoor court
- A court or adapted squash space exposed to outdoor conditions; this describes setting, not a single standard product.
- Pay and play
- Access without full membership, normally by booking and paying for a court or session.
Primary sources
Use these organisations for the current authoritative detail.