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bowl 1 (bōl)
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n.
1.
a. A hemispherical vessel, wider than it is deep, used for holding food or fluids.
b. The contents of such a vessel.
2. A drinking goblet.
3. A bowl-shaped part, as of a spoon or pipe.
4.
a. A bowl-shaped topographic depression.
b. A bowl-shaped stadium or outdoor theater.
5. Football Any of various postseason games played between specially selected teams, especially at the college level.

[Middle English bowle, from Old English bolla; see bhel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
bowl 2 (bōl)
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n.
1. A ball, traditionally made of wood, that is weighted or slightly flattened so as to roll with a bias, used in lawn bowling.
2. A roll or throw of a ball in lawn bowling and other bowling games.
3. bowls(used with a sing. verb) See lawn bowling.
4. A revolving cylinder or drum in a machine.
v. bowled, bowl·ing, bowls
v.intr.
1.
a. To participate in a game of bowling: I bowl every Thursday night in a league.
b. To throw or roll a ball in a game of bowling: It's your turn to bowl.
c. To hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch toward the batsman at the other, keeping the arm straight throughout the delivery.
2. To move quickly and smoothly, especially by rolling: The sportscar bowled along through the countryside.
v.tr.
1. To throw or roll (a ball).
2.
a. To make (a specified score) in bowling: placed first by bowling 237; bowled a strike in the first frame.
b. To perform (a specified amount, as a string or game) in bowling: She bowled eight frames before deciding to use a different ball.
3. To move quickly and smoothly by or as if by rolling: bowled a tire from the garage.
4. To meet or strike with or as if with the force of a rapidly rolling object: The swimmer was bowled over by the wave.
Phrasal Verbs:
bowl out
To retire (a batsman in cricket) with a bowled ball that knocks the bails off the wicket.
bowl over
1. To take by surprise.
2. To make a powerful impression on; overwhelm.

[Middle English boule, from Old French, from Latin bulla, round object.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.