Glossary of Curling - F

F

Fall

A defect in the ice which causes stones thrown in that area to curl negatively

Falling

As the stone is sliding down the sheet, it curls negatively, i.e., the opposite direction than it's supposed to

Finish

The amount of sideways movement in the last 3 meters (10 feet) or so of a rock's path; can be used as a verb ("it needs to finish") or a noun ("there's lots of finish in that spot")

Flash

To completely miss an attempted takeout; the rock passes through the house without touching any rocks at all

Fourth

The player throwing the last two rocks for a team; since the skip almost always throws the last two rocks, this term is rarely used

Free-Guard Zone

Area between the hog line and the tee line, excluding the house. Evolved from the Moncton Rule.

Free-Guard Zone Rule

The rule that states that an opponent's rock resting in the free-guard zone cannot be removed from play until the first four rocks of an end have been played

Freeze

A precise draw weight shot where a delivered stone comes to rest against a stationary stone, making it nearly impossible to knock out

Front end

A team's lead and second, considered as a unit

Front-house weight

Delivery speed required for a stone to come to rest in the front half of the house

Front of the House

The portion of the house closer to the hog line

Front ring

Synonymous with top 12

Frost

Buildup that can occur on ice surfaces when there is excessive humidity in the air; tends to makes stones stop faster and curl less

Fun Spiel

Bonspiel oriented to recreational/fun play, often shorter duration games, and may have unusual formats