# bowling

Pronunciation: say "BOH-ling" US /ˈboʊlɪŋ/, UK /ˈbəʊlɪŋ/

## Noun

1. An indoor game in which players roll a ball down a lane to knock over a triangular set of ten pins.
   - Simple: A game where you roll a heavy ball to knock down ten pins.
   - _We go bowling downtown, where the lanes all have automatic scoring._
   - _After three frames of bowling, she finally rolled her first strike._
2. In cricket, the act of propelling the ball down the pitch toward the batsman.
   - Simple: In cricket, sending the ball down the pitch toward the player who is batting.
   - _His bowling kept the run rate low throughout the middle overs._
   - _Years of practice gave her bowling remarkable accuracy and control._
3. Any of several related games, played indoors or outdoors, that involve rolling balls toward a target.
   - Simple: Any of several games where you roll or throw balls to hit targets or other balls.
   - _Lawn bowling on a manicured green feels very different from the version played on indoor lanes._
   - _Each region developed its own form of bowling, shaped by climate and local custom._
4. The action of rolling or propelling a ball forward along the ground or a lane.
   - Simple: The act of rolling or throwing a ball, especially in a game.
   - _The coach studied his bowling frame by frame to correct the release point._
   - _Her bowling improved noticeably once she steadied her approach._
6. A New England variety of the game played with slender, candle-shaped pins and a small handheld ball, allowing three balls per frame. *(dialectal, New England)*
   - Simple: A type of bowling that uses thin pins shaped like candles and a small ball.
   - _Candlepin bowling rewards patience, since toppling those narrow pins takes careful aim._
   - _Old-timers at the alley still prefer candlepin bowling to the ten-pin lanes._
7. An outdoor game, popular in parts of Ireland, in which competitors hurl a heavy iron ball along a public road, aiming to cover the course in the fewest throws. *(Ireland)*
   - Simple: A game where players throw a heavy metal ball along a country road in as few throws as possible.
   - _On Sunday mornings the village gathers for road bowling on the quiet back roads._
   - _Skilled road bowling means sending the iron ball around each bend without losing distance._
8. A distinctive, confident style of walking, full of swagger, associated with urban street culture. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A cool, confident way of walking that comes from city street culture.
   - _You could spot his bowling from across the parking lot, all shoulders and slow roll._
   - _The kids picked up that bowling from the older guys on the corner._

## Verb

5. Present participle and gerund of bowl. — present participle and gerund of bowl
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of bowl. Use this form when the action is happening now or named as an activity.
   - _The fast bowler is bowling with real menace today._
   - _She enjoys bowling whenever the alley opens._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/bowling (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).