bowl
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈbōl 
1
: a concave usually nearly hemispherical vessel : a rounded container that is usually larger than a cup
a soup bowl
a set of mixing bowls
specifically : a drinking vessel (as for wine)
2
: the contents of a bowl
ate a bowl of rice
3
: a bowl-shaped or concave part: such as
a
: the hollow of a spoon or tobacco pipe
b
: the receptacle of a toilet
cleaning toilet bowls
4
a
: a natural formation or geographical region shaped like a bowl
b
: a bowl-shaped structure
especially : an athletic stadium
5
football : a postseason game between specially invited teams
college bowl games
bowled
ˈbōld
adjective bowlful
ˈbōl-ˌfu̇l
noun bowl
2 of 3noun (2)
1
a
lawn bowling : a ball (as of lignum vitae) weighted or shaped to give it a bias (see bias entry 1 sense 3a) when rolled
b
bowls plural in form but singular in construction : lawn bowling
playing bowls
2
: a delivery of the ball in bowling
3
: a cylindrical roller or drum (as for a machine)
bowl
3 of 3verb
bowled; bowling; bowls
intransitive verb
1
a
: to participate in a game of bowling
bowls every Thursday night
b
: to roll a ball in bowling
your turn to bowl
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 spare
(2)
: to score by bowling
bowls 150
2
: to strike with a swiftly moving object
being bowled over by a base runner
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- circus
- coliseum
- colosseum
- stadium
Verb
- breeze
- brush
- coast
- cruise
- drift
- flow
- glide
- roll
- sail
- skim
- slide
- slip
- stream
- sweep
- whisk
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb I don't think I can bowl a 12-pound ball. We bowl every Thursday night. Do you like to bowl? I haven't bowled since I was a kid. She usually bowls around 150.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English bolle, from Old English bolla; akin to Old High German bolla blister
Noun (2) and Verb
Middle English boule, from Middle French, from Latin bulla bubble
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing bowl
Kids Definition
bowl 1 of 2
noun
ˈbōl
1
: a round hollow dish without handles
2
: the contents of a bowl
I ate a bowl of cereal.
3
: something in the shape of a bowl (as part of a spoon or pipe)
bowl
2 of 2verb
bowled; bowling
1
: to play a game of bowling
2
: to move rapidly and smoothly
The car bowled down the hill.
bowled
verb
1
as in flowed
to move or proceed smoothly and readily bowling along in my spiffy new car Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- flowed
- sailed
- swept
- cruised
- drifted
- glided
- rolled
- raced
- slipped
- brushed
- slid
- flew
- sped
- coasted
- whisked
- rushed
- breezed
- streamed
- skimmed
- speeded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- struggled
- floundered
- stumbled
- trudged
- limped
- shuffled
- stumped
- plodded
- lumbered
- stomped
- stamped
- labored
- tramped
- toiled
- shambled
2
as in raced
to proceed or move quickly bowled through the test and was the first one to hand in the booklet Synonyms & Similar Words
- raced
- sped
- traveled
- drove
- rushed
- flew
- chased
- trotted
- hurried
- jumped
- scurried
- travelled
- ran
- scooted
- stepped
- darted
- run
- zipped
- buzzed
- speeded
- blasted
- scuttled
- blew
- hustled
- hurled
- dashed
- jogged
- rammed
- zoomed
- breezed
- whirled
- whisked
- hurtled
- tore
- bolted
- nipped
- ripped
- shot
- motored
- barreled
- blazed
- rocketed
- careened
- pelted
- belted
- bundled
- bustled
- humped
- hastened
- careered
- coursed
- bombed
- rustled
- hared
- galloped
- cannonballed
- barrelled
- jetted
- highballed
- flitted
- sprinted
- scampered
- hied
- shook a leg
- beat it
- scudded
- whizzed
- made tracks
- scuffled
- got a move on
- cracked (on)
- stepped on it
- beetled
- streaked
- hotfooted (it)
- stampeded
- accelerated
- outpaced
- overtook
- quickened
- stepped out
- outstripped
- outran
- arrowed
- caught up
- beelined
- fast-forwarded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- crawled
- crept
- dragged
- poked
- lingered
- lagged
- poked
- strolled
- loitered
- sauntered
- ambled
- shuffled
- tarried
- hung (around or out)
- dallied
- hanged (around or out)
- dawdled
- plodded
- lumbered
- decelerated
- dillydallied
- slowed (down or up)
Phrases Containing bowled
- a baculo
- a bad crowd
- a bad state of repair
- a bag of nerves
- a bag/bundle of nerves
- a barrel of laughs
- A battery
- a bene placito
- a big fish in a little pond
- a big fish in a small pond
- a big head
- a big heart
- a big/swelled head
- a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- a bit
- a bit much
- a bit of a
- a bit of a/an
- a bit of all right
- a bit of an
- a bit of crumpet
- a bit strong
- a breach of the peace
- a break in the weather
- a breed apart