Anchor: The last runner in a relay race.

   Breakline: An arc across the track denoting the point where runners may leave their original lane and use any part of the track, which is normally the inside lane.

   Changeover: The passing of the baton from one runner to the next.

   Countback: A process used to determine the winner if two high jumpers or pole vaulters reach equal heights, based upon reviewing which athlete failed least in his or her jumps at that height or in the whole competition.

   Crouch start: The crouched position all sprinters must assume before starting a race.

   Decathlete: A contestant in a decathlon.

   Decathlon: An athletic contest comprising 10 different track-and-field events and won by the contestant having the highest total score.

   False start: An illegal beginning to a race in which a runner begins before the starter's pistol is fired.

   Field event: An athletic event that involves jumping or throwing.

   Fosbury flop: A style of high-jumping, named after former high-jumper Dick Fosbury, in which the athlete clears the jump facing upwards, with the back to the bar, and lands with the back on the mat.

   Foul: A violation where, most commonly, an athlete jumping or throwing for distance steps across the line or circle defining the limit of the athlete's approach to an attempt.

   Hammer throw: The field event in which athletes attempt to throw the hammer as far as possible.

   Heat: An early race of an event, with the top finishers advancing to the finals or semi-finals of the competition.

   Heptathlete: A contestant in a heptathlon.

   Heptathlon: An athletic contest comprising seven different track-and-field events and won by the contestant having the greatest total score.

   High jump: 1. A vertical jump with which athletes attempt to clear a bar. 2. The field event in which athletes attempt to jump over a bar.

   Hurdles: A running race in which athletes must leap over set obstacles on the track.

   Javelin: The field event in which athletes attempt to throw the javelin as far as possible.

   Jump the gun: To commit a false start by beginning before the starter's pistol is fired.

   Jump-off: A sudden-death contest used to determine the winner in high jump and pole vault if the athletes finish at the same height and a countback cannot determine the winner.

   Lanes: The eight alleys on the track which runners must run in during some races.

   Lap: 1. One time around the track. 2. To surpass another runner in a race by one loop of the course.

   Leg: One of a number of parts of a race, each of which must be completed to determine the winner.

   Lifting: A violation in the walk for lifting a foot before the leg has bent for a moment.

   Long distance: The label given to the races at least 10,000 metres in length.

   Long jump: 1. A jump with which athletes aim to cover the greatest distance from a given mark. 2. The field event in which athletes try to jump as far as possible.

   Marathon: A 42.195-kilometre road race re-enacting the distance run by a Greek messenger in 490 BC.

   Middle distance: The label given to the races covering 800, 1500 and 5000 metres.

   On your mark: The starter's call for runners in a race to move to the starting line and assume position to start the race.

   Pentathlete: A contestant in a pentathlon.

   Pentathlon: An athletic contest comprising five different events and won by the contestant having the highest total score.

   Pole vault: 1. A leap over a horizontal bar with the help of a long pole. 2. The event in which athletes try to clear a bar with the help of a long pole.

   Relay: A race in which athletes race in teams of four, taking turns to run.

   Road race: A race run on established roads or footpaths, not on grass or other soft ground.

   Runway: A running strip for jumpers and throwers where they build up speed as they approach their attempts in their events.

   Scratchline: A line marking the centre of the take-over zone.

   Set: The starter's second call to runners in a sprint, alerting them to rise quickly into their final starting positions before the starter's gun is fired.

   Shot-put: The field event in which athletes try to put, or throw, the shot as far as possible.

   Sprint: A short race at full speed, generally meaning a race of 400 metres or less.

   Starter's gun: The pistol used by the starter to fire blanks in the air, signalling the start of a race.

   Starting blocks: A pair of angled supports for the feet, temporarily attached to the track, to increase the power of a sprinter from a crouch start.

   Steeplechase: A race run by people over a course which features obstacles such as water-filled ditches and barriers.

   Stop board: 1. The far point of a tapered box sunk into the runway for the pole vault, where the vaulter's pole is intended to lock into position as the athlete launches into the air for the vault. 2. The raised board that defines how far a thrower can range before releasing his attempt.

   Sudden death: An extra round or rounds of competition held to resolve a contest that has resulted in a tie, e.g. a jump-off in the high jump or pole vault.

   Take-off board: A rectangular board, usually made of wood, placed in the runway in the long jump and triple jump, marking the jumping area.

   Take-off line: The plasticine line at the end of the take-off board in long jump and triple jump before which athletes must have jumped.

   Take-over zone: A defined area in a relay race where the baton must be exchanged between runners on a team.

   Track: 1. The oval course laid out for racing. 2. Athletic events run on that course.

   Uprights: The vertical poles which hold the bar in high jump and pole vault in place.

   Walk: A race where the walker must have at least one foot on the ground at all times and the advancing leg must be kept straight.

   Water jump: A man-made obstacle in the steeplechase usually consisting of a miniature swimming pool containing water up to 70 centimetres deep.

   Western roll: A style of high jumping where the athlete takes off with the leg nearest the bar and rolls towards the bar while trying to clear it horizontally and face down.

   Zigzag principle: A style of draw which distributes the leading contenders evenly across the different heats.

Credit: IOC

For further info., please visit http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=AT.