bowled


Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to bowled: Bowled Over

bowled

past tense of bowl: She bowled a good game.
Not to be confused with:
bold – brave, fearless, adventurous, valiant, brazen: She’s bold and flashy.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

bowl 1

 (bōl)
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- in Indo-European roots.]

bowl 2

 (bōl)
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.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
It was not, however, with his teaser that he bowled me that day.
The scouts were hot and tired; the bowlers were changed and bowled till their arms ached; but Dumkins and Podder remained unconquered.
"Oh, well bowled! well bowled, Johnson!" cries the captain, catching up the ball and sending it high above the rook trees, while the third Marylebone man walks away from the wicket, and old Bailey gravely sets up the middle stump again and puts the bails on.