hockey
hockey
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "hockey" is /ˈhɒki/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
Hoc-:
/h/: voiceless glottal fricative
/ɒ/: open back rounded vowel
/k/: voiceless velar plosive
-key:
/i/: close front unrounded vowel
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: hockey
Plural Noun: hockeys (less common, but grammatically possible when referring to different types or instances of the game)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A team sport played on a field or ice rink, in which two opposing teams use sticks to propel a ball (in field hockey) or a puck (in ice hockey) into the opposing team's goal.
Synonyms: ice hockey, field hockey, sport (general)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it's a specific sport; one could consider non-sport activities)
(Informal, often capitalized) A piece of equipment used in the sport of hockey, specifically the stick.
Synonyms: stick, hockey stick
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Examples of Use
Books: "The small town was obsessed with hockey, a passion that consumed their winters and brought the community together every Saturday night at the local rink." (Excerpt from The Boys of Winter by Wayne Curtis, published October 2005)
Newspapers: "The Maple Leafs' recent winning streak has energized the city, with fans flocking to see the team's dominant hockey play." (Report in The Globe and Mail, March 2024)
Online Publications: "How to choose the right hockey stick for your playing style: A comprehensive guide for beginners and experienced players alike." (Article on HockeyShot.com, November 2023)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Goon, Seann William Scott plays a bouncer who finds a new calling as an enforcer in a minor league hockey team. (Released January 2011)
Television: "Last night's episode of NHL on TNT featured an intense overtime period of hockey between the Bruins and the Avalanche." (Broadcast April 2024)
Video Games: "EA Sports NHL 25 will introduce new physics and a more realistic hockey experience for players." (Announced May 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"Did you catch the hockey game last night? It was a real nail-biter right down to the last minute." (Common conversation, ongoing)
"My kids are starting to get into hockey, so we're looking for a good youth league around here." (Parental discussion, ongoing)
10 Quotes Using Hockey
"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." (Wayne Gretzky)
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." (Wayne Gretzky)
"All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity." (Gordie Howe)
"Every day is a great day for hockey." (Mario Lemieux)
"I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out." (Rodney Dangerfield)
"Hockey is a tough game." (Bobby Orr)
"I never looked at hockey as work. Now that I'd finished playing, I had to go to work." (Bobby Orr)
"Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be." (Mario Lemieux)
"It's more fun to be playing hockey than doing anything else." (Connor McDavid)
"The importance of teammates is the thing I appreciate the most from those years. I was a lucky guy. There is nothing better than good teammates." (Phil Esposito)
Etymology
The word "hockey" has a bit of a mysterious past, but the most common idea is that it comes from the Old French word "hoquet." This word meant "shepherd's crook," which makes sense when you think about the curved stick used in the game – it looks quite a bit like a shepherd's staff used to manage sheep.
The first known use of the word "hockey" referring to a game like we know it appeared in a document from Ireland in 1527. It mentioned "the horlinge of the litill balle with hockie stickes or staves," which clearly describes a game played with sticks and a small ball, similar to early forms of both field and ice hockey. So, even back then, the word was linked to games involving a curved stick and a ball or similar object.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Hockey
Road hockey: An informal game of hockey played on a street or other paved area, often without skates.
Shinny hockey: Another term for informal, often pick-up, hockey, typically played on ice or a pond.
To get the puck in the net: (Figurative) To achieve a goal or succeed in an endeavor.
To go coast to coast: (Figurative, from hockey) To carry something or perform an action from one end to the other, often impressively.
Hat trick: (Borrowed from cricket, but very common in hockey) When a single player scores three goals in one game.
On thin ice: (Idiom, common in general English but strongly associated with ice sports) In a precarious or risky situation.
Stickhandling: (Figurative) Skillfully maneuvering or managing a situation, like a hockey player controls the puck.
Power play: (Figurative, from hockey) A situation where one side has a significant advantage, like a team in hockey with a numerical advantage due to a penalty.
To check someone: (Figurative, from hockey) To confront or challenge someone, often to slow their progress.
Drop the gloves: (Idiom, from hockey) To prepare for a fight or direct confrontation.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of hockey from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
