verb
Very common
york
yawk
York (verb) means In cricket, to bowl a yorker — a ball aimed to bounce right at the batsman's feet. Example: “The bowler yorked him for a duck in the final over.”
verb
1
In cricket, to bowl a yorker — a ball aimed to bounce right at the batsman's feet.
"The bowler yorked him for a duck in the final over."
"He yorked the batsman with a perfect delivery."
"If the bowler yorks you early, your innings will be short."
How to use york
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA cricket term meaning to bowl that tricky low, fast ball aimed at the batsman's feet.
When to use it
Cricket jargon — rarely used outside the sport.
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- yorks
- Past tense
- yorked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bowler _____ him for a duck in the final over.
Etymology
Formed as a back-formation from the noun "yorker."
Frequently asked questions
What does “york” mean?
The word “york” means in cricket, to bowl a yorker — a ball aimed to bounce right at the batsman's feet. In plain terms, a cricket term meaning to bowl that tricky low, fast ball aimed at the batsman's feet.
How do you pronounce “york”?
“York” is pronounced yawk (/jɔː(ɹ)k/ in IPA).
How do you use “york” in a sentence?
Here is “york” used in a sentence: “The bowler yorked him for a duck in the final over.”
What part of speech is “york”?
“York” is a verb.
Is “york” a common word?
“York” is a very common word in modern English.
What does it mean to 'york' a batsman?
To york a batsman is to bowl a yorker, a delivery pitched right at their feet, at the base of the stumps. Because it lands so far up, the batsman has almost no time to bring the bat down, so a good yorker often sneaks under it and hits the stumps.
What is a yorker in cricket?
A yorker is the delivery produced when a bowler 'yorks' the batsman: a fast, full ball that pitches on or very near the batsman's feet. It is one of cricket's hardest balls to hit and is prized for taking wickets, especially in the closing 'death' overs of a limited-overs match.
What is the difference between a yorker and a full toss?
Both are pitched very full, but a yorker bounces just as it reaches the batsman's feet, making it dangerous and hard to hit. A full toss does not bounce at all before reaching the batsman, which usually makes it easier to strike. A yorker that goes wrong often becomes a full toss.
Why is a yorker so effective?
A yorker gives the batsman almost no time to react and aims straight at the stumps or toes, so a slight misjudgement means being bowled or trapped. It is especially valuable at the death, when batsmen swing hard, because it is very difficult to hit for boundaries. Accuracy makes it lethal.
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