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Bow vs Bowl - What's the difference?

bow | bowl |

In intransitive terms the difference between bow and bowl

is that bow is to defer (to something) while bowl is to throw the ball (in cricket and similar games and sports).

In transitive terms the difference between bow and bowl

is that bow is to make something bend or curve while bowl is to roll or throw (a ball) in the correct manner in cricket and similar games and sports.

As nouns the difference between bow and bowl

is that bow is a weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows while bowl is a roughly hemispherical container used to hold, mix or present food, such as salad, fruit or soup, or other items.

As verbs the difference between bow and bowl

is that bow is to play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow while bowl is to roll or throw (a ball) in the correct manner in cricket and similar games and sports.

bow

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) boga, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
  • A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow ).
  • A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.
  • A stringed instrument, similar to the item described above.
  • A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.
  • Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.
  • * Bible, Genesis ix. 13
    • I do set my bow in the cloud.
  • The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
  • Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
  • (nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
  • (saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
    • Synonyms
    * (bow-shaped bend) arc, bend, curve * (tool for playing stringed instruments) fiddlestick
    Derived terms
    * bow and arrow * bowman * bowmanship * composite bow * compound bow * crossbow * longbow * oxbow * rainbow * shortbow * bow tie

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.
    • The musician bowed his violin expertly.
  • To become bent or curved.
    • The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.
  • To make something bend or curve.
  • * Milton
    • We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.
  • * Prescott
    • The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.
  • (figurative) To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
  • * Fuller
    • not to bow and bias their opinions
  • To premiere.
    • Cronenberg’s "Cosmopolis" bows in Cannes this week.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen, Danish bue.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."
  • * , chapter=4
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.}}
  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To debut.
  • * 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word , volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:
    • SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.
  • To defer (to something).
    • Derived terms
    * bow down * bow out * bow and scrape * take a bow

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist.
    • He bowed politely as he entered the room.
  • A debut
    • The new product will make its bow on the world market this summer.
  • * {{quote-journal, 1832, , Literary Notices, The Rail-Road Journal citation
    • , passage=The first named one, it will be observed, is but a debutant. It makes its bow in a drab-colored Quaker-looking dress, and barring a lively McGrawler-like critique upon " Lewis' Poems," is staid and professorial in its tone.}}

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) boech or (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) The front of a boat or ship.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1907, author=
    • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=6 citation , passage=The night was considerably clearer than anybody on board her desired when the schooner Ventura headed for the land. It rose in places, black and sharp against the velvety indigo, over her dipping bow , though most of the low littoral was wrapped in obscurity.}}
    Synonyms
    * (of a ship) prow
    Antonyms
    * (of a ship) poop, stern
    Derived terms
    * bow shock * bow rudder

    See also

    * coll'arco * curtsy * kowtow * * * * * * *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms English terms with multiple etymologies

    bowl

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) (m), .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A roughly hemispherical container used to hold, mix or present food, such as salad, fruit or soup, or other items.
  • As much as is held by a bowl.
  • A haircut in which straight hair is cut at an even height around the edges, forming a bowl shape.
  • A round crater (or similar) in the ground.
  • The part of a spoon that holds content, as opposed to the handle.
  • a part of a pipe or bong packed with marijuana for smoking
  • * 2010 , Mark Arax, West of the West , page 221
    • “Purple smoke is no joke. Especially when it is real purple. The smell, taste, and high is easily one of the best in the world. One bowl of some purple Kush, and I'm done for a couple of hours.
    Let's smoke a bowl!
  • (label) An elliptical-shaped stadium or amphitheater resembling a bowl.
  • (label) a postseason football competition, a bowl game (i.e. Rose Bowl, Super Bowl)
    • Synonyms
    * (as much as is held by a bowl) bowlful * (haircut) bowl cut, pudding bowl * (crater) crater, hollow
    Derived terms
    {{der3, bowl cut, bowl-cut , bowl game , dustbowl , fruit bowl , mixing bowl , pudding bowl , salad bowl , singing bowl , soup bowl , toilet bowl}}

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), (m), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The ball rolled by players in the game of lawn bowls.
  • The action of bowling a ball.
  • The game of bowls.
    • Synonyms
    * (bowls) lawn bowls, lawn bowling

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To roll or throw (a ball) in the correct manner in cricket and similar games and sports.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, / And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven.
  • (label) To throw the ball (in cricket and similar games and sports).
  • To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels.
  • To pelt or strike with anything rolled.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth, / And bowled to death with turnips.
    Derived terms
    {{der3, bowl along , bowler , bowling , bowling alley , bowling ball , bowl out , bowl over}}

    Anagrams

    * blow 1000 English basic words