Manhunt glossary
Manhunt has its own vocabulary, and half the arguments in a game come from people using the same word differently. Here are 49 terms, each defined in one sentence: hunters chase, runners hide, a tag is a light touch, caught runners go to jail, and a jailbreak sets them free.
A
- All in
- A call used in ringolevio when a rescuer frees the prisoners; some groups use it instead of "Jailbreak!". More about all in
B
- Base
- Another name for jail, or for the spot where the game starts. In kick the can, the base is where the can sits. More about base
- Bloodhound
- In the Manhunt IRL app's Classic mode: if 6 minutes pass with nobody caught, the next pings tighten to within a few meters of each runner until someone is caught. More about bloodhound
- Boundary
- The agreed edge of the playing area. A runner who leaves it is caught; roads, water and private property are always outside it. More about boundary
- Buddy rule
- Younger or newer players hide in pairs and are caught together, so nobody is alone in the dark. More about buddy rule
- Build-up Manhunt
- The version where every tagged runner joins the hunters until one survivor is left. Also called infection, zombie tag or reverse Manhunt. More about build-up manhunt
C
- Camping
- Staying in one hiding spot for the whole round, or a hunter standing next to jail all game. Many house rules limit both. More about camping
- Caught
- A runner who has been tagged. They say "got me" and walk straight to jail.
- Chain
- A house rule where prisoners hold hands in a line reaching out from jail, so a rescuer only has to touch the last one. More about chain
- Checkpoint duel
- A two-player format: the runner has to touch three checkpoints before the hunter tags them, then the two swap roles. More about checkpoint duel
- Cops and robbers
- A close relative of Manhunt with named teams: cops catch robbers and put them in jail, and robbers break each other out. More about cops and robbers
F
- Flashlight Manhunt
- A night version where hunters catch runners by holding a flashlight beam on them and calling their name. More about flashlight manhunt
- Freeze
- A common stop word. When anyone calls it, the game stops instantly for everyone.
- Freeze and free
- A three-player format: a tagged runner freezes where they were caught until the other runner touches them free. More about freeze and free
G
- Guard
- A hunter who stays near jail to stop rescues. Fair rules let guards stand only in the open. More about guard
H
- Head start
- The time runners get to hide while hunters wait at jail with their eyes closed, usually 2 to 4 minutes. More about head start
- Headcount
- Counting every player at jail at the end of a round. The round isn't over until everyone is accounted for. More about headcount
- Heartbeat
- In the Manhunt IRL app: a vibration runners feel when a hunter is within about 80, 50 and 25 meters. It never says which direction. More about heartbeat
- Hunt
- A short name for Manhunt, and the main phase of a round after the head start.
- Hunter
- A player on the chasing team. Hunters find and tag runners. Also called seeker, "it" or cop. More about hunter
I
- Immunity
- A few safe seconds for freed prisoners, so hunters can't re-tag them the moment they leave jail. The app uses 20 seconds. More about immunity
- Infection
- Build-up Manhunt: tagged runners become hunters. Called zombie mode when played with a spooky theme. More about infection
- It
- The seeker in hide and seek or tag; in Manhunt, any hunter.
J
- Jail
- The spot where caught runners wait to be rescued, usually a landmark near the middle of the area. Also called base, prison or home. More about jail
- Jailbreak
- Freeing the prisoners: a free runner reaches jail untagged, touches it or a prisoner's hand, and shouts "Jailbreak!". Also a name for the whole game. More about jailbreak
K
- Kick the can
- An ancestor of Manhunt: one seeker guards a can, and a free player who kicks it releases everyone in jail. More about kick the can
M
- Manhunt
- An outdoor chase game that mixes hide and seek and tag: hunters tag runners, tagged runners go to jail, and teammates free them with a jailbreak. More about manhunt
- Manhunt 1-2-3
- A tagging house rule where the hunter must hold the runner and chant "Manhunt, manhunt, 1-2-3!" for the catch to count, like ringolevio's "Ringolevio, 1-2-3". More about manhunt 1-2-3
- Manhunt tag
- A name for Manhunt that stresses the tag: a runner is only caught when a hunter touches them. Often the build-up version, where every tagged runner becomes a hunter. More about manhunt tag
O
- Olly olly oxen free
- The call that ends a round: everyone can come out and return to base without being caught. Its origin is uncertain; one theory is a garbled "all ye, all ye, outs in free". More about olly olly oxen free
- Out of bounds
- Outside the boundary, or in a place that's banned inside it. In the Manhunt IRL app, a runner who steps out gets a warning buzz and 30 seconds to come back. More about out of bounds
P
- Park-and-seek
- The safe way to use cars: vehicles only carry players between zones and park with the engine off, and every search, chase and tag happens on foot. More about park-and-seek
- Patient zero
- The first hunter in an infection game, who starts the spread. More about patient zero
- Ping
- In the Manhunt IRL app: a fuzzy circle on the hunters' map that a runner is somewhere inside, not necessarily near the middle, every one to three minutes and faster near the end. More about ping
- Prisoner
- A caught runner waiting in jail for a rescue.
- Prisoner's base
- A centuries-old team chase game in which captured players are held and can be rescued; called "bars" in 14th-century England. More about prisoner's base
R
- Referee
- A non-playing leader who starts and ends rounds, settles disputes and watches safety. In the Manhunt IRL app, the referee sees everyone and can pause the game for all. More about referee
- Relievo
- A British and New England name for jail-and-rescue chase games; also spelled relievio. More about relievo
- Ringolevio
- A New York City street game with two teams, each with its own jail. A captor holds a player through a chant such as "Ringolevio, 1-2-3", and teammates free prisoners by shouting "All in!". More about ringolevio
- Round
- One game from head start to the final call, usually 15 to 30 minutes.
- Runner
- A player on the hiding team. Runners hide, run and rescue each other. Also called hider or robber. More about runner
S
- Sardines
- Hide and seek inside out: one person hides, and each seeker who finds them squeezes into the hiding spot too. More about sardines
- Spotter
- In family Manhunt, a non-running player who may point one hunter in one direction, once a round. More about spotter
- Stop word
- One word, agreed before the game, that anyone can call to stop play instantly for everyone. Often "Freeze" or "Safety". More about stop word
- Sudden death
- In the Manhunt IRL app: the last minute of a round, when hunters get a ping every 15 seconds. More about sudden death
- Sweep
- Hunters moving across an area in a line so runners can't slip behind them. More about sweep
T
- Tag
- A light two-finger touch on the shoulder or back that catches a runner. Never a grab or a tackle. More about tag
- Takedown
- An old, rough version where a tag means bringing someone to the ground. It causes injuries and isn't part of standard rules. More about takedown
Z
- Zombie
- A hunter in infection Manhunt, usually a runner who has been tagged and switched sides. More about zombie
