inning

USIN-ing/ˈɪnɪŋ/

7 meanings of inning

1
nouncountable
In baseball, a part of the game where both teams take a turn to bat and to field.
Like taking turns in a game: first one team plays, then the other.
The home team scored two runs in the first inning.
We stayed for all nine innings without leaving our seats.
Similarframe
Note
2
nouncountable
In softball and similar games, a part of play like a baseball inning, where each team takes a turn.
Like one full round in a game where each side gets a turn.
Our softball team batted around in the third inning.
The recreational league plays seven innings instead of nine.
Similarframe
Note
3
nouncountable
A chance or turn to do something you want to do.
Like waiting for your turn in a game, then finally getting to play.
Every new mayor gets an inning to prove what they can do.
He felt his inning had finally come when the manager called his name.
Similarturn, chance, opportunity
Note
4
nouncountable
In billiards, a player's turn to keep taking shots until they miss or break a rule.
Like your turn in a board game: you keep going until you make a mistake.
He cleared four balls in a single inning.
A foul ended her inning before she could pocket the last ball.
Similarturn
Note

Less common meanings

5
verbobsolete
Present participle of inn. This old verb is no longer used.
Note
6
nounobsolete
The act of bringing a crop in from the fields at harvest time.
Like bringing all the fruit in from the garden before winter.
The farmers hurried the inning before the rains came.
A poor harvest made that year's inning small.
Note
7
nounobsolete
Land that has been taken back from the sea and made dry.
Like building up dry ground where there used to be only water.
The new inning beyond the dike grew good grass for cattle.
One of the earliest ‘innings’ of Walland Marsh, after the Norman Conquest,‥has been ever since called Becket's Innings, as this Archbishop has the credit of promoting it.
1880, Archaeologia CantianaHere, innings means land taken back from the sea and made dry.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of inning apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

This word comes from 'innings.' People thought 'innings' was the plural form, so they made a single word 'inning' from it.