Eightball

Eightball, or eight-ball, is a term with multiple, unrelated meanings in sports, toys, and slang.

In cue sports, the eight-ball is the black object ball numbered 8 used in the game commonly called eight-ball (or 8-ball). The game is played with fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15, and a cue ball. Players are assigned either solids or stripes, and the objective is to pot all of a player's designated balls and then legally pot the eight-ball to win. The eight-ball is a central strategic element, often protected or targeted as play tightens. Standard pool balls are 2.25 inches in diameter, and the eight-ball is the same size as the others.

Magic 8-Ball refers to a fortune-telling toy produced by Mattel. The device is a black, ball-shaped container filled with liquid, containing a 20-sided die inside. After asking a yes-or-no question and shaking the ball, a response appears in a window on the ball. It provides one of twenty possible answers and is intended for entertainment rather than factual prediction.

Slang usage: eightball can also denote an eighth of an ounce of illegal drugs, commonly cocaine or heroin. In street language and some reporting, eightball describes this quantity, with prices and availability varying by market.

Eightball thus covers at least three distinct meanings: a billiards ball, a fictional fortune-telling toy, and a slang quantity for illegal drugs.