bowling
gb/bˈoʊlɪŋ/ us/bˈoʊlɪŋ/
A2
English
~ 6200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
indoor game with balls and pins
An indoor game where you roll a heavy ball down a long lane to hit and knock down pins.
Usage pattern:
to go bowling [with someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"go to bowling"* instead of *"go bowling". In English, we normally say *go bowling* without *to*. Another confusion is between *bowling* (the game) and *bowl* (the dish for food).
Synonyms
ten-pin bowling (More specific; clearly refers to the common indoor version with ten pins, not to other forms like lawn bowling.)
Collocations
go bowling
|bowling alley
|bowling ball
|bowling shoes
|bowling league
|bowling night
Themes
sports
|leisure
|daily life
Examples
- We decided to go bowling after work on Friday.
- The new shopping center has a huge bowling alley with twenty lanes.
- He bought his own bowling ball after he joined a local bowling league.
- Bowling is a fun activity for birthday parties and office events.
- She hurt her wrist and had to stop bowling for a few weeks.
Learner examples
- Let’s go bowling this weekend.
- There is a bowling alley near my house.
- I like bowling because I can play it with my family.
- He is good at bowling and often wins.
- We had a small party at the bowling alley.
Noun
technical
C1
action
2
act or style of bowling in cricket
In cricket, the skill and action of throwing the ball overarm towards the batter.
Usage pattern:
[adjective] bowling
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse cricket *bowling* with baseball *pitching*. In cricket, *bowling* must be with a straight arm and can refer to a style (fast, spin), while *pitching* is a different action in another sport.
Synonyms
delivery (Refers to a single ball or the act of sending the ball; less focused on the bowler’s overall style or spell than *bowling*.)
Antonyms
batting (In cricket, batting is the opposing main skill, where players try to hit the ball, while bowling is delivering the ball to try to get them out.)
Collocations
fast bowling
|spin bowling
|opening bowling
|his bowling figures
|quality bowling
Themes
sports
Examples
- His fast bowling was too much for the visiting team.
- The coach praised her bowling but said her batting still needs work.
- India’s spin bowling dominated the middle overs of the match.
- They relied on disciplined bowling to defend a low total.
- After ten overs of excellent bowling, he finally took a wicket.
Learner examples
- Her bowling is strong, but her batting is weak.
- Fast bowling can be scary for new players.
- The team won because of very good bowling.
- He practices his bowling every morning.
- Spin bowling is difficult to learn.
Noun
B2
entity
3
outdoor bowls-type game on grass
An outdoor game on grass where you roll round balls and try to stop them near a small target ball.
Usage pattern:
[someone] plays lawn bowling
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think *bowling* always means the indoor game with pins. In some countries, especially the UK and parts of the Commonwealth, *bowling* can also refer to *lawn bowling* or *bowls*, which is played on grass without pins.
Synonyms
bowls (Common name, especially in British English, for this outdoor game; *bowling* here is a more general or descriptive term.)
Collocations
lawn bowling
|crown green bowling
|bowling green
|bowling club
Themes
sports
|leisure
Examples
- They spent the afternoon playing lawn bowling at the local club.
- The village has a beautiful bowling green behind the church.
- Crown green bowling is very popular with older players in this region.
- Membership at the bowling club has increased since they renovated the greens.
- She took up bowling as a gentle outdoor sport after her knee surgery.
Learner examples
- My grandparents enjoy lawn bowling in the summer.
- There is a small bowling green in our town.
- He joined a bowling club near his house.
- Lawn bowling is slower and quieter than many other sports.
- They play bowling on the grass every Sunday.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bowling
IPA
GB/bˈoʊlɪŋ/
US/bˈoʊlɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
bowl - ing (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bowl)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bowling
- Plural: bowlings
Word family
Forms
bowlings
noun
Core family
bowl
verb A1
bowler
noun
Expressions
bowling ball
2/bˈoʊlɪŋ bˈɔl/
fixed phrase
heavy ball for bowling
The heavy round ball you roll down the lane when you play bowling.
Examples
- He bought a custom bowling ball with his name on it.
- Choose a lighter bowling ball if your arm gets tired.
- The child-sized bowling balls are on the lower rack.
bowling lane
3/bˈoʊlɪŋ lˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
long narrow lane for bowling
The long, smooth path in a bowling alley where you roll the ball toward the pins.
Examples
- The bowling lane was so oily that the ball slid too much.
- They reserved two bowling lanes for the party.
- Please stay behind the line and do not step onto the bowling lane.
bowling league
6/bˈoʊlɪŋ lˈiɡ/
fixed phrase
organized group for regular bowling
A group of bowling teams that play against each other regularly, usually every week or season.
Examples
- He joined a local bowling league to meet new people.
- Our company has a bowling league every winter.
- The bowling league championship is next month.
bowling night
7/bˈoʊlɪŋ nˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
evening planned for bowling
An evening when you plan to go and play bowling, often as a regular weekly or monthly event.
Examples
- Thursday is our regular bowling night.
- We turned his birthday into a big bowling night with friends.
- They canceled bowling night because of the snowstorm.
bowling shoes
5/bˈoʊlɪŋ ʃˈuz/
fixed phrase
special shoes for bowling lanes
Special shoes you must wear when you play bowling so you don’t damage the lane and can slide correctly.
Examples
- You have to rent bowling shoes before you can play.
- She forgot her bowling shoes and had to borrow a pair.
- The bowling shoes are kept behind the front counter.
fast bowling
9/fˈæst bˈoʊlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
high-speed bowling in cricket
In cricket, a way of bowling the ball very quickly to the batter.
Examples
- The team relies on aggressive fast bowling in the early overs.
- His fast bowling has improved since he worked with the new coach.
- On this pitch, fast bowling is more effective than spin.
go bowling
4/ɡˈoʊ bˈoʊlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
play ten-pin bowling socially
To play the game of bowling, usually for fun or as a social activity.
Examples
- We usually go bowling on Friday nights after work.
- She asked if we wanted to go bowling or see a movie.
- They went bowling for their first date.
lawn bowling
8/lˈɔn bˈoʊlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
outdoor bowling game on grass
A quiet outdoor game on grass in which you roll balls and try to get them close to a small target ball.
Examples
- They took a class in lawn bowling at the community center.
- Lawn bowling is very popular in this retirement village.
- The park has courts for tennis, lawn bowling, and pétanque.
spin bowling
10/spˈɪn bˈoʊlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
slow spinning bowling in cricket
In cricket, a way of bowling the ball more slowly with a turning movement so it changes direction after it hits the ground.
Examples
- On dry pitches, spin bowling can be very dangerous for batters.
- She specializes in left-arm spin bowling.
- The captain brought on spin bowling to slow the scoring rate.
bowling alley
1/bˈoʊlɪŋ ˈæli/
fixed phrase
place where people play bowling
A place with special lanes and equipment where people go to play bowling.
Examples
- The city’s oldest bowling alley is closing next month.
- We took the kids to the bowling alley on Saturday afternoon.
- We met at the bowling alley and played two games.
- The old bowling alley closed and a supermarket opened in its place.
- This shopping mall has a cinema, a bowling alley, and a food court.
- He works evenings at the local bowling alley.