The expression “putting English” on a ball is used in tennis, golf, soccer, and baseball and means you’ve spun and curved the ball to overcome a problem.
The expression comes from English snooker, a pool game where one of the main strategies is to block an opponent from having a straight line shot at a ball he must hit.
To do this, the shooter will create a spin on his shot to circumvent the obstruction.
This spin is called “putting English on it.”
“Body English” refers to the contortions made by a player as he physically transmits his intention for the ball while it’s in motion.
