dallonge

Dallonge is a term borrowed from French, meaning an extension, attachment, or prolongation. In English-language usage it appears most often in two specialized contexts: finance and cue sports, notably billiards and pool, where it denotes an extending piece or slip used for a specific function.

In the financial and banking context, a dallonge is a detachable slip attached to a check or other negotiable instrument to carry endorsements or transfer instructions. The dallonge records the endorsing party’s signature and may indicate the new payee or allocation of funds. While many modern checks have endorsement spaces on the back, dallonges were historically used to facilitate multiple endorsements or to route the instrument to a secondary recipient. When attached, the dallonge becomes part of the instrument for purposes of endorsement and transfer.

In cue sports, a dallonge is an extension that attaches to the cue to increase reach. It is typically mounted on the butt or end of the cue via a screw or magnetic connection and can be made from wood, metal, or carbon fiber. Lengths vary, commonly from several inches up to about a foot. Players use a dallonge to reach distant shots or to avoid over-bending, though it can affect balance and control and requires practice to use effectively.

Beyond these uses, dallonge can denote any extension piece added to a tool or device. The term remains specialized and is less common outside the contexts of banking endorsements and cue extensions.