end line

IPA/ˈend ˌlaɪn/
IPA/ˈend ˌlaɪn/

end line — noun

1. the back boundary stripe of the end zone in American football, which sits 10 yar

1.名詞B2
釋義

the back boundary stripe of the end zone in American football, which sits 10 yards beyond the goal line and runs the full width of the field to mark the farthest limit of the scoring area

例句

Connor caught the ball and crossed the end line for a touchdown.

collocation: cross the end line

A safety is called when a player is tackled behind his own end line.

scenario: safety behind end line

反義詞
  • goal line

    the line 10 yards closer to midfield that marks the start of the end zone

用法筆記

The end line runs the full width of the field at the back of the end zone, which sits 10 yards behind the goal line. A touchdown is scored when a player carries or catches the ball across this line.

常見錯誤

The player ran past the goal line and scored a touchdown.' (confusing goal line with end line).
The player ran past the end line and scored a touchdown.
💡The goal line is the front of the end zone; the ball must reach the end line for the score to count.

2. in basketball, either of the boundary lines running across the width of the cour

2.名詞B1
釋義

in basketball, either of the boundary lines running across the width of the court at its far ends, beyond which the ball is out of play and where inbound passes are thrown after a basket or a timeout

例句

The shooter stepped on the end line as she released the ball, so the basket did not count.

rule: stepping on end line while shooting negates the basket

After a basket, the inbound pass is thrown from behind the end line.

grammar: from behind the end line

同義詞
  • baseline

    a common alternative term for the end line in basketball

反義詞
  • sideline

    the lines running the length of the court, perpendicular to the end lines

用法筆記

In basketball, the end line is also commonly called the baseline. It runs perpendicular to the sidelines and is used for inbound passes after a basket or a timeout. This sense covers basketball only — the same term in tennis is treated as a separate sense.

3. the boundary line at each end of a tennis court, running perpendicular to the si

3.名詞B1
釋義

the boundary line at each end of a tennis court, running perpendicular to the sidelines, behind which a player stands to serve and which marks the deepest limit of the playing area during a rally

例句

The tennis player stood behind the end line to serve the ball into the far court.

tennis serve position: behind the end line

Mei-Lin ran back to the end line to return a deep lob from her opponent.

同義詞
  • baseline

    the standard and more common term for this line in tennis

反義詞
  • net

    the center divider of the court, opposite the end line in tennis

  • sideline

    the lines that run the length of the court, perpendicular to the end line

用法筆記

In tennis, this line is almost always called the baseline. This sense applies only to tennis and similar racquet sports such as badminton or pickleball — in basketball the same term is covered under a separate sense.

4. in sports with a rectangular playing area such as volleyball and lacrosse, the b

4.名詞B2
釋義

in sports with a rectangular playing area such as volleyball and lacrosse, the boundary line at each end of the field or court that signals where the ball goes out of play, distinct from the named end lines of basketball, tennis, and American football

例句

The volleyball server stood behind the end line and served the ball into the far court.

volleyball serve rule: server must stay behind the end line

In lacrosse, a player who catches the ball behind the end line must return it to play from that spot.

同義詞
  • baseline

    used interchangeably with end line in volleyball and tennis, but less common in lacrosse and field hockey

反義詞
  • sideline

    the lines running the length of the field, perpendicular to the end line

  • midline

    the center line that divides the field or court in half

用法筆記

This sense covers rectangular-field sports that use 'end line' as the standard boundary term but are not covered by senses 1–3 (American football, basketball, tennis). In volleyball, the end line is the back boundary line behind which servers must stand.

常見錯誤

The soccer ball crossed the end line, so the referee awarded a goal kick.
The volleyball landed just past the end line.
💡Soccer uses 'goal line' not 'end line'; the correct term 'end line' is used in volleyball and lacrosse.