Bowl

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Bowl, n. [OE. bolle, AS. bolla; akin to Icel. bolli, Dan. bolle, G. bolle, and perh. to E. boil a tumor. Cf. Boll.].

•  A concave vessel of various forms (often approximately hemispherical), to hold liquids, etc.  [1913 Webster]

  "Brought them food in bowls of basswood."  [1913 Webster]
•  Specifically, a drinking vessel for wine or other spirituous liquors; hence, convivial drinking.  [1913 Webster]
•  The contents of a full bowl; what a bowl will hold.  [1913 Webster]
•  The hollow part of a thing; as, the bowl of a spoon.  [1913 Webster]

Bowl, n. [F. boule, fr. L. bulla bubble, stud. Cf. Bull an edict, Bill a writing.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  An ancient game, popular in Great Britain, played with biased balls on a level plat of greensward.  [1913 Webster]

  "Like an uninstructed bowler, . . . who thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straightforward upon it."  [1913 Webster]
•  The game of tenpins or bowling.  [1913 Webster]

Bowl, v. t. 

•  To roll, as a bowl or cricket ball.  [1913 Webster]

  "Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,
  And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven."  [1913 Webster]
•  To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels; as, we were bowled rapidly along the road.  [1913 Webster]
•  To pelt or strike with anything rolled.  [1913 Webster]

  "Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth,
  And bowled to death with turnips"  [1913 Webster]

To bowl (a player) out, in cricket, to put out a striker by knocking down a bail or a stump in bowling.

Bowl, v. i. 

•  To play with bowls.  [1913 Webster]
•  To roll a ball on a plane, as at cricket, bowls, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move rapidly, smoothly, and like a ball; as, the carriage bowled along.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Bowl, n.
1 a a usu. round deep basin used for food or liquid. b the quantity (of soup etc.) a bowl holds. c the contents of a bowl.
2 a any deep-sided container shaped like a bowl (lavatory bowl). b the bowl-shaped part of a tobacco-pipe, spoon, balance, etc.
3 esp. US a bowl-shaped region or building, esp. an amphitheatre (Hollywood Bowl).

Derivative

bowlful n. (pl. -fuls).

Bowl, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a wooden or hard rubber ball, slightly asymmetrical so that it runs on a curved course, used in the game of bowls. b a wooden ball or disc used in playing skittles. c a large ball with indents for gripping, used in tenpin bowling.
2 (in pl.; usu. treated as sing.) a a game played with bowls (sense 1a) on grass. b tenpin bowling. c skittles.
3 a spell or turn of bowling in cricket.
--v.
1 a tr. roll (a ball, a hoop, etc.) along the ground. b intr. play bowls or skittles.
2 tr. (also absol.) Cricket etc. a deliver (a ball, an over, etc.) (bowled six overs; bowled well). b (often foll. by out) dismiss (a batsman) by knocking down the wicket with a ball (soon bowled him out). c (often foll. by down) knock (a wicket) over.
3 intr. (often foll. by along) go along rapidly by revolving, esp. on wheels (the cart bowled along the road).

Idiom

bowl out Cricket dismiss (a batsman or a side). bowl over
1 knock down.
2 colloq. a impress greatly. b overwhelm (bowled over by her energy).

Etymology

ME & F boule f. L bulla bubble

THESAURUS

Bowl

adobe, advance, agora, alveolation, alveolus, amphitheater, antrum, arena, armpit, athletic field, auditorium, background, basin, bear garden, biscuit, bisque, boxing ring, brick, bull ring, bunt, butt, campus, canvas, cast, catapult, cave, cave in, cavity, cement, ceramic ware, ceramics, change of pace, change-up, china, chuck, chunk, circus, cockpit, coliseum, colosseum, concave, concavity, course, crater, crock, crockery, crypt, cup, curve, dart, dash, depression, dip, dish, downcurve, drive, enamelware, fastball, field, fire, firebrick, fling, flip, floor, fold, follicle, fork, forum, forward, forward pass, funnel chest, furl, glass, ground, gym, gymnasium, hall, heave, hippodrome, hole, hollow, hollow out, hollow shell, hurl, hurtle, impel, incurve, jerk, jug, knuckleball, lacuna, lance, lateral, lateral pass, launch, let fly, lists, lob, locale, marketplace, mat, milieu, move, open forum, outcurve, palaestra, pan, parade ground, pass, pedal, peg, pelt, pit, pitch, pitchfork, place, platform, pocket, pole, porcelain, pot, pottery, precinct, prize ring, propel, public square, punch bowl, purlieu, push, put, put the shot, range, refractory, retire, retreat, ring, roll, roll up, row, scene, scene of action, scenery, scoop, screwball, serve, service, setting, shell, shot-put, shove, shunt, shy, sink, sinker, sinus, site, slider, sling, snap, socket, sphere, spin, spitball, spitter, squared circle, stadium, stage, stage set, stage setting, sweep, sweep along, terrain, theater, throw, thrust, tile, tiling, tilt, tilting ground, tiltyard, toss, treadle, troll, trough, trundle, upcurve, urn, vase, vug, walk, wheel, wrestling ring

ROGET THESAURUS

Bowl

Receptacle

N receptacle, inclosure, recipient, receiver, reservatory, compartment, cell, cellule, follicle, hole, corner, niche, recess, nook, crypt, stall, pigeonhole, cove, oriel, cave, capsule, vesicle, cyst, pod, calyx, cancelli, utricle, bladder, pericarp, udder, stomach, paunch, venter, ventricle, crop, craw, maw, gizzard, breadbasket, mouth, pocket, pouch, fob, sheath, scabbard, socket, bag, sac, sack, saccule, wallet, cardcase, scrip, poke, knit, knapsack, haversack, sachel, satchel, reticule, budget, net, ditty bag, ditty box, housewife, hussif, saddlebags, portfolio, quiver, chest, box, coffer, caddy, case, casket, pyx, pix, caisson, desk, bureau, reliquary, trunk, portmanteau, band-box, valise, grip, grip sack, skippet, vasculum, boot, imperial, vache, cage, manger, rack, vessel, vase, bushel, barrel, canister, jar, pottle, basket, pannier, buck-basket, hopper, maund, creel, cran, crate, cradle, bassinet, wisket, whisket, jardiniere, corbeille, hamper, dosser, dorser, tray, hod, scuttle, utensil, brazier, cuspidor, spittoon, cistern, vat, caldron, barrel, cask, drum, puncheon, keg, rundlet, tun, butt, cag, firkin, kilderkin, carboy, amphora, bottle, jar, decanter, ewer, cruse, caraffe, crock, kit, canteen, flagon, demijohn, flask, flasket, stoup, noggin, vial, phial, cruet, caster, urn, epergne, salver, patella, tazza, patera, pig gin, big gin, tyg, nipperkin, pocket pistol, tub, bucket, pail, skeel, pot, tankard, jug, pitcher, mug, pipkin, galipot, gallipot, matrass, receiver, retort, alembic, bolthead, capsule, can, kettle, bowl, basin, jorum, punch bowl, cup, goblet, chalice, tumbler, glass, rummer, horn, saucepan, skillet, posnet, tureen, beaker, flask, Erlenmeyer flask, Florence flask, round-bottom flask, graduated cylinder, test tube, culture tube, pipette, Pasteur pipette, disposable pipette, syringe, vial, carboy, vacuum flask, Petri dish, microtiter tray, centrifuge tube, bail, beaker, billy, canakin, catch basin, catch drain, chatti, lota, mussuk, schooner, spider, terrine, toby, urceus, plate, platter, dish, trencher, calabash, porringer, potager, saucer, pan, crucible, glassware, tableware, vitrics, compote, gravy boat, creamer, sugar bowl, butter dish, mug, pitcher, punch bowl, chafing dish, shovel, trowel, spoon, spatula, ladle, dipper, tablespoon, watch glass, thimble, closet, commode, cupboard, cellaret, chiffonniere, locker, bin, bunker, buffet, press, clothespress, safe, sideboard, drawer, chest of drawers, chest on chest, highboy, lowboy, till, scrutoire, secretary, secretaire, davenport, bookcase, cabinet, canterbury, escritoire, etagere, vargueno, vitrine, chamber, apartment, room, cabin, office, court, hall, atrium, suite of rooms, apartment, flat, story, saloon, salon, parlor, by-room, cubicle, presence chamber, sitting room, best room, keeping room, drawing room, reception room, state room, gallery, cabinet, closet, pew, box, boudoir, adytum, sanctum, bedroom, dormitory, refectory, dining room, salle-a-manger, nursery, schoolroom, library, study, studio, billiard room, smoking room, den, stateroom, tablinum, tenement, bath room, bathroom, toilet, lavatory, powder room, john, jakes, necessary, loo, men's room, ladies' room, rest room, (uncleanness), 653 attic, loft, garret, cockloft, clerestory, cellar, vault, hold, cockpit, cubbyhole, cook house, entre-sol, mezzanine floor, ground floor, rez-de-chaussee, basement, kitchen, pantry, bawarchi-khana, scullery, offices, storeroom, lumber room, dairy, laundry, coach house, garage, hangar, outhouse, penthouse, lean-to, portico, porch, stoop, stope, veranda, patio, lanai, terrace, deck, lobby, court, courtyard, hall, vestibule, corridor, passage, breezeway, ante room, ante chamber, lounge, piazza, veranda, conservatory, greenhouse, bower, arbor, summerhouse, alcove, grotto, hermitage, lodging, bed, carriage, capsular, saccular, sacculated, recipient, ventricular, cystic, vascular, vesicular, cellular, camerated, locular, multilocular, polygastric, marsupial, siliquose, siliquous.

Rotation

VB rotate, roll along, revolve, spin, turn round, circumvolve, circulate, gyre, gyrate, wheel, whirl, pirouette, twirl, trundle, troll, bowl, roll up, furl, wallow, welter, box the compass, spin like a top, spin like a teetotum, spin out.