Oche

 

 
Figure 1: a recent finish to my daily
Round the World dart game

Interest is darts has increased dramatically following the exploits of Luke Littler and it was in an article about this young prodigy that I first encountered the word "oche", pronounced as to rhyme with "hockey". According to the from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is defined as the line in the game of darts behind which a player must stand when throwing.

Naturally I asked Bard for more information:

Can you provide a definition of the word "oche" as well as some information about its etymology and some examples of its use in sentences.

Absolutely! Here's the information you requested about "oche": 

Definition:

Main meaning: The oche (pronounced "OH-kee") is the line in the game of darts behind which a player must stand when throwing. It's essentially the throwing line.

Other, less common meanings: "Oche" can also refer to a similar throwing line in other games, such as quoits. Additionally, it's the name of a small village in South Sudan.

Etymology:

The origin of "oche" is somewhat disputed. Some theories suggest it comes from:

Old English: The word "hocken," which meant "to spit." This theory claims the throwing line length was based on how far someone could spit from a certain position.

Turkish: The word "ok," which means "arrow" or "dart."

Archery term: The word "ock" or "nock," referring to the notch on an arrow shaft.

Examples of its use in sentences:

"The throw wasn't valid because the player stepped over the oche."

"She practiced for hours, perfecting her throws from different distances behind the oche."

"The tournament rules stipulate that the oche must be 7 feet 9¼ inches from the dartboard."

(Metaphorically) "He stood on the oche of uncertainty, unsure which path to take next."

Bonus fact: The diagonal distance from the bull's eye on a dartboard to the oche is exactly 9 feet 7 3⁄8 inches. This precise measurement is important for ensuring fair play in competitions.

Figure 2 shows the dart board distances for competitive darts: 

Figure 2: source

The angle formed by the horizontal and the line from the oche to the bullseye is about 36°07'40". Figure 1 shows a recent finish to my daily Round the World game of darts. I've downloaded a counter to my iPhone that I can use to keep track of how many throws I take to finish a game. This will give me a target to aim for and allow me to amass some statistics. In my variation of Round the World, I proceed from 1 to 20 and then finish with a dart in either the red of the bullseye or the green ring.