bowl Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a round vessel that is open at the top; used chiefly for holding food or liquids;
  2. noun a concave shape with an open top
    trough.
  3. noun a dish that is round and open at the top for serving foods
  4. noun the quantity contained in a bowl
    bowlful.
  5. noun a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments
    arena; sports stadium; stadium.
  6. noun a large ball with finger holes used in the sport of bowling
    bowling ball.
  7. noun a wooden ball (with flattened sides so that it rolls on a curved course) used in the game of lawn bowling
  8. noun a small round container that is open at the top for holding tobacco
    pipe bowl.
  9. noun the act of rolling something (as the ball in bowling)
    roll.
  10. verb roll (a ball)
  11. verb hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch towards the batsman at the other end
  12. verb engage in the sport of bowling
    • My parents like to bowl on Friday nights

WordNet

Bowl noun
Etymology
OE. bolle, AS. bolla; akin to Icel. bolli, Dan. bolle, G. bolle, and perh. to E. boil a tumor. Cf. Boll.
Definitions
  1. A concave vessel of various forms (often approximately hemisherical), to hold liquids, etc.
    Brought them food in bowls of basswood. Longfellow.
  2. Specifically, a drinking vessel for wine or other spirituous liquors; hence, convival drinking.
  3. The contents of a full bowl; what a bowl will hold.
  4. The bollow part of a thing; as, the bowl of a spoon.
Bowl noun
Etymology
F. boule, fr. L. bulla bubble, stud. Cf. Bull an edict, Bill a writing.
Definitions
  1. A ball of wood or other material used for rolling on a level surface in play; a ball of hard wood having one side heavier than the other, so as to give it a bias when rolled.
  2. pl. An ancient game, popular in Great Britain, played with biased balls on a level plat of greensward.
    Like an uninstructed bowler, . . . who thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straightforward upon it. Sir W. Scott.
  3. pl. The game of tenpins or bowling. U.S.
Bowl transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Bowled present participle & verbal noun Bowling
Definitions
  1. To roll, as a bowl or cricket ball.
    Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven. Shak.
  2. To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels; as, we were bowled rapidly along the road.
  3. To pelt or strike with anything rolled.
    Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth, And bowled to death with turnips Shak.
Bowl intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To play with bowls.
  2. To roll a ball on a plane, as at cricket, bowls, etc.
  3. To move rapidly, smoothly, and like a ball; as, the carriage bowled along.

Webster 1913