In baseball, any pitch thrown such it drops suddenly as it nears the plate.

A sinker is similar in principle to a curveball, but the sinker is much faster and the "drop" is much less pronounced, but much more sudden. A sinker is used when the pitcher guesses the batter is "thinking" fastball.

Sink"er (?), n.

One who, or that which, sinks.

Specifically: (a)

A weight on something, as on a fish line, to sink it

. (b)

In knitting machines, one of the thin plates, blades, or other devices, that depress the loops upon or between the needles.

Dividing sinker, in knitting machines, a sinker between two jack sinkers and acting alternately with them. -- Jack sinker. See under Jack, n. -- Sinker bar]. (a) In knitting machines, a bar to which one set of the sinkers is attached. (b) In deep well boring, a heavy bar forming a connection between the lifting rope and the boring tools, above the jars.

 

© Webster 1913.