skittle
/ˈskɪt(ə)l
/noun
1 (skittles) [treated as singular] A game played with wooden pins, typically nine in number, set up at the end of an alley to be bowled down with a wooden ball or disc.Then on Wednesday at 9.30PM the name of the game is adult skittles and week ends as per usual with Whist on Thursday at 9pm....
- The skittles set (the English equivalent to 10-pin bowling) comprised six plastic bowling pins and two plastic balls.
- Alex was a real livewire and had loads of energy and many a happy time we had playing football and skittles.
1.1 (in full table skittles) A game played with pins set up on a board to be knocked down by swinging a suspended ball.If either of the two white skittles are knocked over, the break finishes and any points made during it are lost....
- It seems more likely, however, that the biased ball is just an alternative solution to try to reduce the amount of space needed for the skittles game.
- While other mums may let their children win the odd game of dominoes or throw the occasional game of skittles, I always try to win.
1.2British informal Chess that is not played seriously.Skittles Chess for fun or chess without a clock; A skittles room is where you go and play for fun while waiting for your next formal pairing.
2A pin used in the game of skittles.This float looks like a miniature skittle seen in a bowling lane....
- The ball hit him square in the forehead and he fell like a skittle.
- The table featured a croquet-like hoop at one end called the ‘Port’ and an upright skittle at the other called the ‘King’.
verb [with object]
1Knock over as if in a game of skittles: she put her hand out and skittled a row of bottles...
- And anyone who can steer a 41-seater through our ancient narrow streets without skittling half a dozen street lights deserves a medal.
- I don't drive but, if I did, I am sure that I would have by now, been responsible for skittling a few cyclists over - and who would have been to blame?
- I have seen him skittle opponents with the ball in his hand - and quite a few have ended up in hospital such is the power of the man.
1.1 Cricket Get (batsmen) out in rapid succession: Pakistan were skittled out for 93...
- Two run-outs, which took the number of dismissals by the fielders to eight in four games, helped skittle Doncaster for 60.
- However, that effort was matched by Dunfermline's South African amateur Johan Mans, whose 4-25 helped skittle Drumps for just 74.
- Hughes then returned 5-22 in skittling Thixendale for 131.
Origin
Mid 17th century: of unknown origin. The word skyttel exists in Danish and Swedish in the sense 'shuttle, child's marble', but there is no evidence to connect this with the game of skittles.