ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bowls

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈboʊɫz// UK //bˈəʊlz// bowls

n. a game played on a smooth grass field where you roll heavy balls as close as possible to a smaller target ball. It is a quiet, social sport often played by older people.

n. a precision sport played on a flat or convex grass surface, involving the delivery of biased balls toward a smaller target ball called a jack. The term refers to the game itself rather than the equipment.


SIMPLE

My grandfather plays bowls every Saturday afternoon.

CONTEXTUAL

The local park features a well-maintained green where residents gather for a friendly game of bowls.

COMPLEX

While often perceived as a leisurely pastime for retirees, competitive bowls requires significant tactical skill and physical consistency to master the subtle curves of the weighted balls.

Synonyms
Usage

Treated as a singular noun when referring to the sport; always takes a singular verb.

Pitfall

Bowls are a popular sport.Bowls is a popular sport.Names of sports ending in -s, like bowls or billiards, are uncountable and take a singular verb.

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