Ultimate
Frisbee
Lexicon
50 terms · 24 WFDF hand signals · throws · offence · defence · zone · positions · general
Official WFDF hand signals — 2025–2028 rules edition. Hold each signal for 5 seconds so all players can see it. Download PDF ↗
🥏Flick / Forehand / SidearmThrowThrow
A throw released from the forehand side of the body. For a right-handed thrower, the disc spins counter-clockwise. The most common throw for attacking the force side.
🔨HammerThrowThrow
An upside-down overhead throw. The disc travels in an arc and lands flat. Effective for throwing over defenders, especially in a zone.
🌀ScooberThrowThrow
An upside-down inside-out throw, released like a forehand but with the disc inverted. Used to skip the disc around a mark.
🚀HuckThrowThrow
A long throw, typically to a deep cutter running toward the end zone. High risk, high reward. The disc travels more than half the field.
🔁Around breakThrowThrow
A throw that goes around the outside of the mark, on the break side. Used to beat the force.
↙️IO break (inside-out)ThrowThrow
A throw that goes inside the mark and curves back to the break side. A common way to break the force without going fully around.
📩DumpThrow / ResetOffence
A short backwards or sideways pass to a handler behind or beside the disc. Used to reset the stall count and restart the offence.
↔️SwingThrowOffence
A wide lateral pass from one side of the field to the other. Used to shift the disc and attack from a new angle.
🔄PivotThrow / MovementOffence
The thrower steps around on one fixed foot to reach around the mark and open up new throwing angles. The pivot foot cannot move once established.
➡️Force (middle / sideline)DefenceDefence
The mark takes away one side of the field. "Force middle" pushes throws toward the centre. "Force sideline" pushes throws toward the nearest sideline.
🛑Straight up / Close / No huckMarkDefence
"Straight up" — mark takes away both sides equally. "Close" — called on a short count. "No huck" — a short count that specifically takes away the long throw.
🔄Change forceDefenceDefence
A defensive call to switch the direction of the force — usually between points or after a timeout.
👤Match (man-to-man)DefenceDefence
Each defender is personally responsible for one offensive player, following them anywhere on the field.
🔥Fire / MeltDefenceDefence
"Fire" = switch from zone to match defence. "Melt" = switch from match to zone. Called loudly during play.
🦀Clam / BracketZone variantDefence
Two defenders play zone on a single handler — one in front, one behind — while the rest of the team plays match defence on their players.
🔙Back-back / DeepDeep defenceDefence
The last defender in a zone, positioned deep to take away the huck. Also used in match defence for the deepest player to drop back and cover long throws.
📏Line for oneDefensive callDefence
Shifts the force to push the thrower toward the sideline, narrowing the available field. A quick call to force a harder, tighter throw.
✋Point blockDefenceDefence
The mark blocks the throw directly at the moment of release — preventing or deflecting it immediately.
🦅Poach / PoachingDefenceDefence
A defender intentionally leaves their assigned player to intercept a likely throw — gambling on reading the disc. Effective when a player is out of the play, but risky: it leaves the abandoned offensive player open behind.
📌TrapZone strategyZone
The disc is forced to the sideline. Once there: the middle of the cup moves up to mark the disc, the original marker switches to cover the dump, and the top covers the sideline huck.
🥤Cup (zone positions)Zone positionsZone
Three defenders shift around the disc: one to the left, one at the top, one to the right. Behind them: three short-deeps (SD) spread left to right. One deep-deep (DD) covers behind everyone.
🎯Short deep (SD)Zone positionZone
One of three defenders between the cup and the deep. Spread left to right across the field to cover mid-range throws through the zone.
🛤️Rails / WingsZone positionZone
Defenders covering the sideline areas. The wing on the disc side = strong side. Opposite wing = weak side.
🎈PoppersOffence vs zoneZone
Against a zone, poppers are cutters who move toward the disc in the middle of the field to receive short passes through the zone.
⬆️Vert (vertical stack)Offence setOffence
Cutters line up in a vertical column down the centre of the field (approx. 2/5 handler, 5/5 cutter setup). Creates clear lanes on either side for cuts.
↔️Ho (horizontal stack)Offence setOffence
Handlers spread across the full width of the field at the back. Cutters line up horizontally across the middle (approx. ¾ setup). Creates a large deep space in front of the stack.
📚StackOffence structureOffence
The formation where cutters line up (vertically or horizontally) to manage space and take turns cutting one at a time.
🔁Give-and-goOffenceOffence
Throw to a teammate, then immediately cut to get the disc back. The act of throwing creates space for the original thrower to cut into.
🚪ClearOffenceOffence
A cutter who is not going to receive the disc moves out of the active lane to give space to the next cutter.
📢As calledOffenceOffence
Execute the play exactly as described before the point — no improvising. Confirms the team is running a set play.
⚡TurboOffenceOffence
Do not set up — throw immediately to the first open player. An attempt to move the disc before the defence can organise.
🔃CycleOffenceOffence
Cutters rotate through positions in sequence. Each cutter takes their turn, clears, and the next one goes — creating continuous motion.
💨Jam cutCut typeOffence
The second handler cuts behind the disc to receive a quick dump pass, reversing the direction of the field.
✨Magic cutCut typeOffence
A specific cut pattern (definition to be confirmed).
🚩End zone setOffenceOffence
A specific play or formation used when the offence is close to or inside the attacking end zone.
💪Power positionOffenceOffence
The thrower's optimal stance with weight on the pivot foot, disc held firmly, ready to release in any direction.
🤝Handlers (primary / support)Offence positionPosition
Handlers move the disc at the back of the stack. The primary handler is the first reset option. The support handler is the secondary reset option.
✂️Cutter typesOffence positionPosition
Initiation cutter = starts the offensive sequence. Continuation cutter = continues flow after the first throw. Finisher = attacks the end zone to score.
🏃Layout / Layout DGeneralGeneral
A full-body dive to catch or block the disc. A "layout D" is a diving block attempt by a defender.
🏆CallahanGeneralGeneral
When a defender catches an offensive player's throw in the end zone — scoring directly off a turnover. Worth one point.
⭐GreatestGeneralGeneral
A player catches the disc while airborne after jumping from inside the field as the disc was going out of bounds, then throws it before landing.
🎯PullGeneralGeneral
The opening throw to start a point — like a kick-off. The defence pulls the disc to the offence.
🧱BrickGeneralGeneral
When a pull lands out of bounds. The receiving team picks up the disc from the brick mark — a set position closer to their own end zone.
⏱️Stall countGeneralGeneral
The mark counts to ten out loud. If the thrower has not released the disc by "stall ten", it is a turnover.
⚠️PickGeneralGeneral
Called when an offensive player runs through another player's path, blocking the defender. Play stops briefly and defenders can reposition.
🖐️StripGeneralGeneral
When a defender knocks the disc out of a receiver's hand after they have already caught it. The receiver keeps possession.
❤️Spirit (of the game)GeneralGeneral
The founding principle of ultimate: players self-referee and uphold fair play, respect, and sportsmanship at all times.
⭕Disc spaceGeneralGeneral
The rule requiring defenders to maintain a minimum distance from the thrower before establishing a mark.
⏰Fast countGeneralGeneral
Called when the mark counts too quickly — the count must be reset back two numbers.
🔀Turn (turnover)GeneralGeneral
When possession changes from the offence to the defence — due to an incomplete pass, a stall, or the disc going out of bounds.