hockey stick

noun4

1. •
   (US, Canada) A stick used to handle the puck in ice hockey, having a flat, angled blade at the end.
2. •
   (UK) A stick used to handle the ball in field hockey, having a flat-faced hook at the end.
3. •
   (informal) A statistical trend in a graph of survey data in which most of the results are flat and then the graph suddenly peaks in a steep near-vertical direction.

   • “That said, we continue to remain cautious of pie-in-the-sky forecasts that see this hockey stick continuing indefinitely,” Nathanson added[…]. — 2024
4. •
   A playing card with the rank of seven.