bowling alley

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A building or hall with long lanes where people roll heavy balls to knock down pins.

   Grammar: Countable: one bowling alley, two bowling alleys.

   Patterns

   • at a bowling alley
   • go to a bowling alley

   We spent Saturday evening at a bowling alley near the mall.

   The new bowling alley has twenty lanes and a snack bar.

   She celebrated her birthday at a bowling alley with all her friends.

2. 2nouncountable

   One of the long narrow tracks inside such a building where the game is played.

   Grammar: Often used with 'on': they played on lane 5, a bowling alley.

   Patterns

   • on a bowling alley
   • reserve a bowling alley

   The ball rolled slowly down the bowling alley and stopped just before the pins.

   Each bowling alley is polished to make the ball slide smoothly.

   They reserved a bowling alley for an hour of practice.

Word forms

Common combinations

go bowling at a bowling alley

We often go bowling at the alley on Main Street.

a bowling alley lane

The bowling alley lane was freshly waxed.

indoor bowling alley

The resort has an indoor bowling alley for rainy days.

bowling alley owner

The bowling alley owner installed new scoring screens.

Synonyms and how they differ

bowling center

A more formal American term for a large bowling facility, often with many lanes and other entertainment.

bowling lane

Refers specifically to the long track where you roll the ball, not the whole building.

Word family

bowl verb

To roll a ball in bowling or a similar game.

bowler noun

A person who bowls.

bowling noun

The game or sport of rolling a ball to knock down pins.

Commonly confused: bowling alley or bowling green?

Practice

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