bowl

[ bohl ]

/ boʊl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bowl ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a rather deep, round dish or basin, used chiefly for holding liquids, food, etc.

the contents of a bowl: a bowl of tomato soup.

a rounded, cuplike, hollow part: the bowl of a pipe.

a large drinking cup.

festive drinking; conviviality.

any bowl-shaped depression or formation.

an edifice with tiers of seats forming sides like those of a bowl, having the arena at the bottom; stadium.

Also called bowl game. a football game played after the regular season by teams selected by the sponsors of the game, usually as representing the best from a region of the country: the Rose Bowl.

Typography. a curved or semicircular line of a character, as of a, d, b, etc.

verb (used with object)

to give (a floor) a gentle inclination on all sides toward some area, as a stage or platform.

Origin of bowl

before 950; Middle English bolle, Old English bolla; cognate with Old Norse bolli. See boll

OTHER WORDS FROM bowl

bowl·like, adjective

Words nearby bowl

bowie, bowie knife, bowie state, bowing, bowknot, bowl, bowl game, bowl of cherries, life is just a, bowl over, bowlder, bowldering

Definition for bowl (2 of 2)

bowl ²

[ bohl ]

/ boʊl /

noun

one of the balls, having little or no bias, used in playing ninepins or tenpins.

one of the biased or weighted balls used in lawn bowling.

bowls, (used with a singular verb) lawn bowling.

a delivery of the ball in bowling or lawn bowling.

(formerly) a rotating cylindrical part in a machine, as one to reduce friction.

verb (used without object)

to play at bowling or bowls; participate in or have a game or games of bowling.

to roll a bowl or ball.

to move along smoothly and rapidly.

Cricket. to deliver the ball to be played by the batsman.

verb (used with object)

to roll or trundle, as a ball or hoop.

to attain by bowling: He bowls a good game. She usually bowls a 120 game, but today she bowled 180.

to knock or strike, as by the ball in bowling (usually followed by over or down).

to carry or convey, as in a wheeled vehicle.

Cricket. to eliminate (a batsman) by bowling (usually followed by out): He was bowled for a duck. He was bowled out for a duck.

Verb Phrases

bowl over, to surprise greatly: We were bowled over by the news.

Origin of bowl

1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule < Middle French < Latin bulla bubble, knob; cf. boil¹, bola

Example sentences from the Web for bowl

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Make ‘The Chew’s’ Carla Hall’s Sticky Toffee Pudding |Carla Hall |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Combine the cold butter and flour in the bowl of a food processor.

Make ‘The Chew’s’ Carla Hall’s Pumpkin Pecan Pie |Carla Hall |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the surface of the water.

Carla Hall’s Christmas Day Treat: Rum Balls |Carla Hall |December 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Add chocolate and butter to the bowl and melt, stirring to combine.

Carla Hall’s Christmas Day Treat: Rum Balls |Carla Hall |December 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

He gives them daily reminders to be careful and to keep a bowl of water mixed with Clorox by the door.

From Ebola Country to NYC’s Subways |Michael Daly |October 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Sun returned with his bowl full of rice, but found that his companions had got tired of waiting, and had disappeared.

Myths and Legends of China |E. T. C. Werner
No, madame, I simply met a very pretty little boy, who had broken the bowl in which he was carrying soup to his father.

The Milkmaid of Montfermeil (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XX) |Charles Paul de Kock
On the bowl of the pipe, which was Ellen's Christmas gift, was a representation of a ten-kroner note.

Pelle the Conqueror, Complete |Martin Anderson Nexo
If the wick is too small, the fire may burn back thru the burner and ignite the oil in the bowl.

Mechanical Devices in the Home |Edith Louise Allen
When it grew golden brown he lifted the table beside the chair, and brought a bowl of scalded milk.

The Harvester |Gene Stratton Porter

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (1 of 2)

bowl ¹

/ (bəʊl) /

noun

a round container open at the top, used for holding liquid, keeping fruit, serving food, etc

Also: bowlful the amount a bowl will hold

the rounded or hollow part of an object, esp of a spoon or tobacco pipe

any container shaped like a bowl, such as a sink or lavatory

mainly US a bowl-shaped building or other structure, such as a football stadium or amphitheatre

a bowl-shaped depression of the land surface See also dust bowl

literary

a drinking cup
intoxicating drink

Word Origin for bowl

Old English bolla; related to Old Norse bolli, Old Saxon bollo

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (2 of 2)

bowl ²

/ (bəʊl) /

noun

a wooden ball used in the game of bowls, having flattened sides, one side usually being flatter than the other in order to make it run on a curved course

a large heavy ball with holes for gripping with the fingers and thumb, used in tenpin bowling

verb

to roll smoothly or cause to roll smoothly, esp by throwing underarm along the ground

(intr usually foll by along) to move easily and rapidly, as in a car

cricket

to send (a ball) down the pitch from one's hand towards the batsman, keeping the arm straight while doing so
Also: bowl out to dismiss (a batsman) by delivering a ball that breaks his wicket

(intr) to play bowls or tenpin bowling

(tr) (in tenpin bowling) to score (a specified amount) he bowled 120

Word Origin for bowl

C15: from French boule, ultimately from Latin bulla bubble

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bowl

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of bowl

OTHER WORDS FROM bowl

Words nearby bowl

Definition for bowl (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of bowl

Example sentences from the Web for bowl

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for bowl

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bowl

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bowl

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of bowl

OTHER WORDS FROM bowl

Words nearby bowl

Definition for bowl (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of bowl

Words related to bowl

Example sentences from the Web for bowl

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for bowl

British Dictionary definitions for bowl (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for bowl