a fishbowl

A place, situation, or environment in which one has little or no privacy. A reference to the (typically) spherical bowls in which pet fish are often kept, which can be seen into from all sides. One of the prices of success for a pop star is having to live in a fishbowl under the scrutiny of the public eye. I feel like I'm in a fishbowl working at this new company, with all their security cameras posted everywhere. If you're going to court fame like this, I hope you're ready to live in a fishbowl.

a goldfish bowl

A place, situation, or environment in which one has little or no privacy. A reference to the (typically) spherical bowls in which pet fish are often kept, which can be seen into from all sides. One of the prices of success for a pop star is having to live in a goldfish bowl under the scrutiny of the public eye. I feel like I'm in a goldfish bowl working at this new company, with all their security cameras posted everywhere. If you're going to court fame like this, I hope you're ready to live in a goldfish bowl.

bowl (someone) a googly

To present someone with a question, situation, or piece of information that is surprising or unexpected. Taken from cricket, in which a "googly" is a ball thrown counter to that which the batsman expects. Primarily heard in UK. Dave really bowled me a googly when he asked if I'd like to go on a date with him. The manager bowled us a googly by announcing we'd have this Friday off. I thought I'd blown my chance when I was late to the second interview, but then the recruiter bowled me a googly and told me the job was mine!

bowl from the pavilion end

slang To be homosexual. The phrase is a reference to cricket. Usually said of men. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I asked Simon out on a date, but it turns out that he bowls from the pavilion end. I figured he bowled from the pavilion end, so I wasn't surprised when he came out. Jim is dating Elise? Oh, I thought he I've bowled from the pavilion end.

bowl of cherries

Wonderful; very pleasant. Typically used in the metaphoric expression, "life is (not) just a bowl of cherries." I got a promotion and got engaged in the span of a week! Life is just a bowl of cherries these days! I know life isn't always going to be a bowl of cherries, but why does it have to be this hard? A: "Buying a house has been the most stressful process of my entire life." B: "Life is not just a bowl of cherries, my friend."

bowl out

cricket

1. verb To cause a batsman to be out by bowling a ball to them and striking the wicket. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bowl" and "out." I can't believe I got bowled out again! If our best player keeps getting bowled out, what hope is there for the rest of us? What happened in the match? Was Niall bowled out?

2. noun A method of deciding a tie game in which five players from each team bowl at an unguarded wicket. The team with the most hits is awarded the win. In this usage, the phrase is often hyphenated. Well, if it's a tie score, the game will have to be decided by a bowl-out. I thought the home team would be wildly overmatched, so I'm surprised that today's match ended in a bowl-out. OK, which bowlers are going to participate in the bowl-out?

bowl over

1. Literally, to collide with and force someone or something to fall to the ground. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bowl" and "over." When they were reunited at the airport, my daughter leapt into her boyfriend's arms and bowled him over. It seems that the wind has bowled over all of our trashcans. You can't be so rough when you play with your little brother, or you'll bowl him over!

2. To thoroughly shock, impress, or overwhelm. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bowl" and "over." My daughter was totally bowled over when her boyfriend returned from his business trip early and showed up at her birthday party. The show of support from everyone just bowled me over. The data from the polls did bowl me over! I can't believe I actually have a chance—I guess the incumbent isn't as popular as we thought!

See also: bowl, over

bowl up

To add a substance that can be smoked to the bowl of a pipe. I just carry this pipe to evoke the air of Sherlock Holmes—I never actually bowl up. Judging by the smokey smell in here, the previous owner liked to bowl up from time to time. I've never smoked cigarettes, vaped, or bowled up, and I know my lungs appreciate it!

in a fishbowl

In a place, situation, or environment in which one has little or no privacy. A reference to the typically spherical bowls in which pet fish are often kept, which can be seen into from all sides. One of the prices of success for a pop star is having to live in a fishbowl under the scrutiny of the public eye. I feel like I'm in a fishbowl at this new company. They have security cameras posted everywhere watching our every move. If you're going to court fame like this, I hope you're ready to live in a fishbowl.

life is (just) a bowl of cherries

proverb Life is wonderful or very pleasant. I got a promotion and got engaged in the span of a week! Life is just a bowl of cherries these days!

live in a fishbowl

To live one's life in a place, situation, or environment in which they have little or no privacy. A reference to the typically spherical bowls in which pet fish are often kept, which can be seen into from all sides. One of the prices of success for a pop star is having to live in a fishbowl under the scrutiny of the public eye. I feel like I'm living in a fishbowl at this new company. They have security cameras posted everywhere watching our every move.

party bowl

slang A pipe with an exceptionally large bowl used to smoke a large amount of marijuana in a single sitting, as might be used to accommodate a large number of people (at a party). Tom whipped out a party bowl and started packing it with enough weed to get the whole room stoned.

Puppy Bowl

A TV program that airs on Animal Planet on the afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday. Puppies play on a mock football field, and kittens take the field for the "Kitten Halftime Show." The animals shown are usually available for adoption. Who cares about the Super Bowl—when is Puppy Bowl on?

sell (one's) birthright for a bowl of soup

To exchange something of great, important, or fundamental value for some financial gain that proves to be of little, trivial, or no value but which appears to be attractive or valuable on first reckoning. (A variant of "sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage," an allusion to Esau in Genesis 25:29–32, who sells to Jacob his birthright to his family's estate for a bowl of lentil stew (pottage).) If we allow our obsession with job creation to undermine the health of the environment, humanity will ultimately end up selling its birthright for a bowl of soup.

See also: birthright, bowl, for, of, sell, soup

slop bowl

dated A bowl or other receptacle into which the dregs and leftovers of tea or coffee are collected from drinkers' cups (i.e., so that they may be refilled with a fresh drink). Tabitha, will you please come take the slop bowl away and empty it? It's becoming conspicuously full.

take away the punch bowl

To raise interest rates when the economy reaches a certain point of recovery after a recession, typically in order to prevent inflation. The phrase is attributed to William McChesney Martin, who, as Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, said that it "is in the position of the chaperone who has ordered the punch bowl removed just when the party was really warming up." Economic growth has slowed sooner than expected, leading many to wonder whether the Fed should hold off on taking away the punch bowl.

take the Browns to the Super Bowl

slang To defecate. It is a pun in which "Super Bowl" refers to a toilet, and "the Browns" refers to the Cleveland Browns football team (chosen because feces are brown). Hang on, I've got to take the Browns to the Super Bowl before we leave the house.

turd in the punchbowl

vulgar slang Something or someone that spoils, ruins, or needlessly complicates a situation or circumstance; a disagreeable nuisance or source of irritation. For these greedy corporate executives, restrictions put in place by regulators to protect consumers are just turds in the punchbowl. Not to be the turd in the punchbowl, but I really think we should take this money we found to the police, instead of keeping it for ourselves.

bowl someone over

1. Lit. to knock someone over. (Fixed order.) We were bowled over by the wind. Bob hit his brother and bowled him over.

2. Fig. to surprise or overwhelm someone. (Fixed order.) The news bowled me over. The details of the proposed project bowled everyone over.

See also: bowl, over

bowl up

to fill a pipe bowl with smokable material. The detective bowled up and struck a match. Roger bowled up, but forgot to light his pipe.

Life is just a bowl of cherries.

Prov. Everything is going well.; Life is carefree. (Often used ironically, as in the second example.) The real estate salesman tried to convince us that life in the suburbs is just a bowl of cherries. Jill: Hi, Jane. How are you? Jane: Oh, my alarm clock didn't go off this morning, and then my car wouldn't start, and I missed the bus and got to work late, and I just found out my rent's going up fifty dollars a month. Life is just a bowl of cherries.

bowl of cherries, life is just a

These are happy circumstances; life is wonderful. This phrase is often used ironically, as in My husband is about to get laid off-life is just a bowl of cherries, right? Originating as the title of a song (1931) by Lew Brown (lyrics) and composer Ray Henderson, this term expressed the idea that everything was going very well. However, its ironical use was established by the 1970s. Also see bed of roses.

bowl over

Astonish, surprise greatly, overwhelm, as in I was simply bowled over by their wonderful performance. This term originated in cricket, where it means "to knock all the bails off the wicket." [Mid-1800s]

See also: bowl, over

goldfish bowl

A situation affording no privacy, as in Being in a goldfish bowl comes with the senator's job-there's no avoiding it. The glass bowl allowing one to view goldfish from every direction was transferred first, in the 1920s, to a police interrogation room equipped with a one-way mirror. By the mid-1900s the expression was being used more broadly.

life is a bowl of cherries

If you say that life is a bowl of cherries, you mean that life is full of pleasure and enjoyment. To him, life was a bowl of cherries. Life's not exactly a bowl of cherries when you're an international champ.

a bowl of cherries

a very pleasant or enjoyable situation or experience.

goldfish bowl

a place or situation lacking privacy.

bowl out

Chiefly British In the game of cricket, to retire some batsman with a bowled ball that knocks the bails off the wicket. Used chiefly in the passive: They played well but were bowled out shortly after lunch.

bowl over

1. To knock someone or something down to the ground: The kids ran down the hallway, bowling over everyone in their way. A strong wind will bowl that billboard over.

2. To make a powerful impression on someone; astound someone: She bowled over everyone at the meeting with her amazing presentation. His new songs bowled me over, so I bought his new CD. You must go hear this poet—you will be bowled over!

See also: bowl, over

bowl

n. a pipe or other device for smoking cannabis. (Drugs.) There’s somebody’s bowl out in the hall. Go get it before the neighbors call the fuzz.

party bowl

n. a marijuana pipe large enough to serve a number of smokers. (Drugs.) The cops thought the party bowl was a flower vase!

bowl over

Overwhelm, astonish, surprise. This term originated in the mid-1800s in the game of cricket, where it signifies knocking all the bails off the wicket. It has been used figuratively since the twentieth century, as in “I was just bowled over when I learned he’d gotten the million-dollar grant.” See also blow out of the water.

See also: bowl, over

life is just a bowl of cherries

Everything is just great. This slangy phrase, often used ironically, gained currency as the title of a song by Ray Henderson (lyrics by Lew Brown) performed by Ethel Merman in the Scandals of 1931. Today it is nearly always used ironically, as in the title of humorist Erma Bombeck’s book: If Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (1978). See also the pits. “Since life is short, we need to make it broad; Since life is brief, we need to make it bright . . .” —Ella Wheeler Wilcox