I. ˈbōl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bolle, from Old English bolla; akin to Old High German bolla blister, Old Norse bolli bowl, Old English blāwan to blow — more at blow
1. : a rounded hollow vessel usually nearly hemispherical in form and generally deeper than a basin and larger or heavier than a cup ; specifically : a drinking vessel of this shape
come and fill the flowing bowl
2. : the contents of a bowl
3. : a bowl-shaped or concave part: as
a. : the hollow of a spoon, oar, tobacco pipe, flagon, candlestick
b. : the part or parts of such letters as O, b, d, p, q, g, B that are closed curves ; also : the space enclosed by the closed curves
c. : the receptacle of a toilet
4.
a. : a natural formation (as a valley) or geographical region shaped like a bowl
the Western dust bowl
b. : a bowl-shaped structure (as an amphitheater) often formed by excavation ; especially : an athletic stadium
c. : a postseasonal football game between specially invited teams
a bowl invitation
bowl squad
d. : a floor surface sloping toward a center (as in a theater)
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English boule, bowle, from Middle French boule, from Latin bulla bubble — more at poll (head)
1.
a. obsolete : sphere , globe
b. : a usually lignum vitae ball that is weighted or shaped so as to give it a bias when rolled in lawn bowling
c. bowls plural but singular in const : lawn bowling
d. bowls plural but singular in construction , Scotland : marbles
2. : a cast or delivery of the ball down the green or alley (as in bowling) ; also : a turn in the game of bowling
3. : a cylindrical roller or drum variously used (as for an antifriction wheel or bearing or in pairs as a means of drawing or pressing fabrics in manufacture)
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English bowlen, from boule, bowle
intransitive verb
1. : to participate in the game of bowls or any of various bowling games (as tenpins)
2. : to roll a ball down the alley (as in tenpins) or along the green (as in lawn bowling)
3. : to move on or as if on wheels especially smoothly and rapidly — usually with along
bowling along the highway in a bus
4. : to deliver a cricket ball from behind the bowling crease to the batsman with a smooth movement of the arm
transitive verb
1.
a. : to send rolling along the ground or down a green or an alley
b. : to complete by bowling
bowl a string
: achieve by bowling
bowl a 300 game
: score by bowling
bowls a steady 150
2. : to deliver (a cricket ball) to the batsman
3.
a. : to strike with or as if with a swiftly rolling object especially so as to displace
bowled over by a runaway horse
bowled aside by a man dashing blindly for the exit
b. : to overwhelm or stun especially with surprise : dismay suddenly : disconcert — usually used with over
he was completely bowled over by the news
4.
a. : to put out (a cricket batsman) with a bowled ball that breaks the wicket — often used with out
b. chiefly Britain : to put out of action : defeat finally or utterly — often used with out or down
bowled out only by death itself
bowl down an opponent in a debate
•
- bowl over the wicket
- bowl round the wicket