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bowl 1 (bōl) Share: Tweet n. 1. a. A hemispherical vessel, wider than it is deep, used for holding food or fluids. b. The contents of such a vessel. 2. A drinking goblet. 3. A bowl-shaped part, as of a spoon or pipe. 4. a. A bowl-shaped topographic depression. b. A bowl-shaped stadium or outdoor theater. 5. Football Any of various postseason games played between specially selected teams, especially at the college level. [Middle English bowle, from Old English bolla; see bhel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

bowl 2 (bōl) Share: Tweet n. 1. A ball, traditionally made of wood, that is weighted or slightly flattened so as to roll with a bias, used in lawn bowling. 2. A roll or throw of a ball in lawn bowling and other bowling games. 3. bowls(used with a sing. verb) See lawn bowling. 4. A revolving cylinder or drum in a machine. v. bowled, bowl·ing, bowls v.intr. 1. a. To participate in a game of bowling: I bowl every Thursday night in a league. b. To throw or roll a ball in a game of bowling: It's your turn to bowl. c. To hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch toward the batsman at the other, keeping the arm straight throughout the delivery. 2. To move quickly and smoothly, especially by rolling: The sportscar bowled along through the countryside. v.tr. 1. To throw or roll (a ball). 2. a. To make (a specified score) in bowling: placed first by bowling 237; bowled a strike in the first frame. b. To perform (a specified amount, as a string or game) in bowling: She bowled eight frames before deciding to use a different ball. 3. To move quickly and smoothly by or as if by rolling: bowled a tire from the garage. 4. To meet or strike with or as if with the force of a rapidly rolling object: The swimmer was bowled over by the wave. Phrasal Verbs: bowl out To retire (a batsman in cricket) with a bowled ball that knocks the bails off the wicket. bowl over 1. To take by surprise. 2. To make a powerful impression on; overwhelm. [Middle English boule, from Old French, from Latin bulla, round object.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

# Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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