bowl

I. noun Etymology: Middle English bolle, from Old English bolla; akin to Old High German bolla blister Date: before 12th century 1. a concave usually nearly hemispherical vessel; specifically a drinking vessel (as for wine) 2. the contents of a bowl 3. a bowl-shaped or concave part: as a. the hollow of a spoon or tobacco pipe b. the receptacle of a toilet 4. a. a natural formation or geographical region shaped like a bowl b. a bowl-shaped structure; especially an athletic stadium 5. a postseason football game between specially invited teams • bowled adjective • bowlful noun II. noun Etymology: Middle English boule, from Middle French, from Latin bulla bubble Date: 15th century 1. a. a ball (as of lignum vitae) weighted or shaped to give it a bias when rolled in lawn bowling b. plural but singular in construction lawn bowling 2. a delivery of the ball in bowling 3. a cylindrical roller or drum (as for a machine) III. verb Date: 15th century intransitive verb 1. a. to participate in a game of bowling b. to roll a ball in bowling 2. to travel smoothly and rapidly (as in a wheeled vehicle) transitive verb 1. a. to roll (a ball) in bowling b. (1) to complete by bowling <

bowl a string

> (2) to score by bowling <

bowls 150

> 2. to strike with a swiftly moving object