eightball

[eyt-bawl] /ˈeɪtˌbɔl/
noun
1.
Pool.
  1. a black ball bearing the number eight.
  2. a game in which one player or side must pocket all of either the solid-color balls or the striped ones before being permitted to attempt the pocketing of the eightball, which wins.
2.
Slang. an inept person.
Idioms
3.
behind the eightball, Informal. in a difficult, disadvantageous, or uncomfortable situation:
He hasn't studied all term, and now he's behind the eightball.
Origin
1930-35, Americanism; eight + ball1
Examples from the web for eightball
  • Dispenses with some fouls common to both nine and eightball.
Slang definitions & phrases for eightball

eightball

noun
  1. A black person (1919+)
  2. A chronically unfortunate and ineffective person; loser, sad sack (1940s+)
  3. square (1950s+ Jive talk)
Related Terms

behind the eight ball

[because the pool ball numbered eight is black and is unlucky if it blocks one's cue ball]