charity stripe

noun

variants or less commonly charity line

basketball, informal

: the line behind which a player shoots a free throw : the free throw line

Miller boasts a soft shooting touch, good range, and steadiness at the charity stripe.

—Mike Weber, Basketball Digest, March 1993

In the first half, the Warriors were 6 of 22 from the charity line, a percentage that could have been bettered by virtually anyone in the stands.

—Tony Cooper, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2001

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!