english

Etymology

Uncertain. It is speculated to relate either to people from England introducing the technique for billiards or bowling in the United States, or perhaps from a particular person with the surname English.

noun

1. Spinning or rotary motion given to a ball around the vertical axis, as in billiards or bowling.
   You can't hit it directly, but maybe if you give it some english.
   There was a magical way of putting English on the dice to result in a six. 2005, S. Moran, Bronx Boy: Book One of The Zombie Island Trilogy, page 179
2. (by extension, figurative) An unusual or unexpected interpretation of a text or idea, a spin, a nuance.
   Some drop science, while I'm dropping english. 1988, Andre Romelle Young (lyrics and music), “Express Yourself”, in Straight Outta Compton, performed by Dr. Dre, Ruthless Records
   Preston Sturgis in his Sullivan’s Travels (1942) put some english on the idea in a bit about a filthy, defeated, white chaingang that is invited to a rural black church for an evening of old movies. 1993, Thomas Cripps, Making Movies Black, page 94