bowl a googly
to surprise (someone); to introduce (to someone) something unexpected, underhand or requiring a quick reaction or correction.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My boss bowled me a googly by asking for the report today.”
“I thought the interview was going well until the manager bowled me a googly with a very difficult question.”
“Just as the negotiations seemed settled, the opposing lawyer bowled a googly by introducing an entirely new set of demands.”
From the cricket term.
- 01
bowl of cherries
An enjoyable experience.
- 02
bowl over
To overwhelm; to cause to fall to the ground.
- 03
bowl up
To pack the bowl of a pipe with smokable material.
- 04
slop bowl
One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.
- 05
spoon bowl
A match between the last placed and second last placed team in an Australian sports league, derived from the fact that the team that finishes last is informally awarded the "wooden spoon"
- 06
take the Browns to the Super Bowl
To defecate.
Last updated August 10, 2026