This list is not exhaustive and will be added to over time, but hopefully it will give you some guidance as you learn more.
AIM To align body and bow with the target using a bow sight or other method for elevation or lateral adjustment so that the arrow strikes where intended.
ARROW REST Wire or plastic device attached to the side of the bow, on which the arrow rests while being drawn.
BACK (of bow) Side of bow further from string.
BACK ARM Arm further from target, often “drawing arm” or “string arm”.
BARE BOW Style of shooting without sights or other attachments.
BELLY (of bow) Side of bow nearer to the string.
BOSS See “TARGET BOSS“.
BOW WINDOW Area cut from the side of the riser, between the hand grip and upper limb.
BRACE To bend the bow so that the string fits into, and is stretched between, the nocks at each end of the bow.
BRACING HEIGHT Distance from the string to a reference point on the riser (usually the pressure button or the throat of the hand-grip).
BRACER An item of personal equipment strapped to the front arm to keep clothing away from the path of the string and to protect the arm from the string in the event of a bad loose.
COLLECT Another term used when all the archers have finished the “END” and can go to the targets to score and/or collect their arrows.
COME DOWN To stop and gently let the bow down prior to starting the sequence again after correction.
CRESTING Coloured bands on the shaft of the arrow just forward of the fletchings used to distinguish and archer’s arrows from those of his fellow archers.
DRAW To separate the hands so that the bow is bent until the string comes to the archer’s face. The front arm presses the bow towards the target while the back arm brings the string to a known reference point on the face.
DRAWING HAND The hand that holds and releases the string.
END A set number of arrows shot by each archer before the signal is given for archers to go to the targets to score and/or collect their arrows.
FAST The traditional call for an IMMEDIATE halt to all shooting (because of an unexpected hazard in the shooting area).
FLETCHINGS Vanes fitted to the back end of an arrow to give it stability in flight.
FOLLOW THROUGH The maintenance of the line of sight and the position of both arms as they end up after the release of the bow string.
FRONT ARM The arm nearer to the target, alternatively “bow arm”.
LIMBS The working parts of a bow in which energy is stored when the bow is drawn.
LINE OF SIGHT An imaginary straight line between the aiming eye and the chosen mark or target centre.
NIBB Also known as glue-in points, are a type of arrowhead that is designed to be glued to the end of an arrow shaft. They are typically made of hardened steel and have a pointed shape that helps them to penetrate targets. Nibbs are available in a variety of weights and sizes, and the best choice for a particular archer will depend on their individual needs and preferences.
NOCK
- The slot in the end of an arrow which fits onto the bowstring.
- Grooves at each end of a bow into which the loops of the bowstring are placed before the bow can be used.
- The act of fitting the arrow to the bowstring.
NOCKING POINT A point on the bowstring indicated by thread or other devices where the arrow is fitted to the string.
PILE The point of an arrow, now usually bullet shaped.
PRESSURE BUTTON also known as a plunger button or cushion plunger, is a spring-loaded button that is used on a recurve bow to help center the arrow and stabilize its flight. It is a small device that is screwed into the bow riser and sits just above the arrow rest.
REFERENCE POINT or ANCHOR POINT The point on an archer’s face to which the string is brought for every shot, also the point of contact of the drawing hand with the face. For good shooting contact must be at the same points for every shot made.
RELEASE The act of letting the string leave the fingers, also known as the “LOOSE”.
ROUND The basis of competition and records in any given form of archery, being a combination of distances and numbers of arrows at each distance, and of types and sizes of target faces.
SERVING Thread wrapped round the bowstring at the centre and at the loops to protect the strands from wear.
SHAFT The main part of the arrow, now usually made of light tubular alloy (or much more expensively of carbon fibre), also an alternative term for the complete arrow.
SHOOTING LINE A line on a target archery range from which all archers shoot with one foot on each side of the line.
STABILISERS Devices attached to the bow, usually rods and weights, which reduce bow movement during the shot.
STRINGER Device used to assist in stringing the bow.
TAB A shaped piece of leather or substitute worn on the fingers of the drawing hand to allow a smooth and consistent release, and to protect the fingers.
TARGET BOSS A circular compressed straw mat resistant to arrow penetration to which the target face is fixed.
UNIT AIMING Head, shoulders, arms and upper body moved as a SINGLE UNIT to give the necessary elevation, depression or traversing for an accurate shot.