n [ U ]
a game, played on a smooth grass area called a bowling green , in which two to eight players take turns to roll large black balls as near as possible to a small white ball. The balls are heavier on one side so they travel in a curve. Bowls has been popular in Britain for about 600 years and there is a famous story from 1588 about Sir Francis Drake and a game of bowls. According to the story, he was told during the game that the Spanish Armada was coming, but he said, ‘There is time to win this game and beat the Spaniards, too.’ Bowls is now usually played by older people.