*bowl*

n. [ OE. bolle, AS. bolla; akin to Icel. bolli, Dan. bolle, G. bolle, and perh. to E. boil a tumor. Cf. Boll. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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

Brought them food in bowls of basswood. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically, a drinking vessel for wine or other spirituous liquors; hence, convivial drinking. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The contents of a full bowl; what a bowl will hold. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The hollow part of a thing; as, the bowl of a spoon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. boule, fr. L. bulla bubble, stud. Cf. Bull an edict, Bill a writing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. 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 ]

2. pl. 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. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. The game of tenpins or bowling. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bowled p. pr. & vb. n. Bowling. ] 1. 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. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels; as, we were bowled rapidly along the road. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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&unr_; Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To bowl (a player)
out, in cricket, to put out a striker by knocking down a bail or a stump in bowling. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To play with bowls. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To roll a ball on a plane, as at cricket, bowls, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To move rapidly, smoothly, and like a ball; as, the carriage bowled along. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by bowlders. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A crooked leg. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who plays at bowls, or who rolls the ball in cricket or any other game. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From 2d Bowl. ] A derby hat. [ Eng. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Destitute of a bow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the quantity contained in a bowl.
Syn. -- bowl. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. D. boelijn, Icel. böglïna&unr_;, Dan. bovline; properly the line attached to the shoulder or side of the sail. See Bow (of a ship), and Line. ] (Naut.) A rope fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of the square sails, by subordinate ropes, called bridles, and used to keep the weather edge of the sail tight forward, when the ship is closehauled. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bowline bridles, the ropes by which the bowline is fastened to the leech of the sail. --
Bowline knot. See Illust. under Knot. --
On a bowline, close-hauled or sailing close to the wind; -- said of a ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of playing at or rolling bowls, or of rolling the ball at cricket; the game of bowls or of tenpins. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bowling alley, a covered place for playing at bowls or tenpins. --
Bowling green, a level piece of greensward or smooth ground for bowling, as the small park in lower Broadway, New York, where the Dutch of New Amsterdam played this game. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having crooked legs, esp. with the knees bent outward. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. See Bowl, a ball, a game. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To form like a bowl; to give a globular shape to. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Naut.) Old, condemned canvas, rope, etc., unfit for use except in chafing gear. [ Written also rumbowline. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) Same as Rombowline. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. (Naut.) The men in the starboard watch. [ Obs. ] R. H. Dana, Jr. [ 1913 Webster ]