Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Skittles |
SkittlesNoun1. Bowling down an alley at a target of nine wooden pins. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "skittles" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1613. (references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
- Skittles is the sport from which bowling originated.
- "Skittles" are a small sweet (candy), made in several different fruit flavours. They are popular and a few references have been made to them in television shows like The Simpsons.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Skittles."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Skittles is a centuries old European target sport, from which Ten Pin Bowling in the United States, and Five Pin Bowling in Canada are descended.
In the United Kingdom
Skittles remains very popular in the pubss of England and Wales, though it tends to be found in particular regions, not nation-wide. It is perhaps most common in the south west counties of Devon, Dorset, Somerset, GloucestershireSkittles takes place in a long narrow building known as a skittle alley, that contains a single set of nine skittle pins.
The pitch, like the pins and the rules, varies according to region, but is between 21 feet (6.4m) and 36 feet (11m) long to the front pin.
The balls are traditionally made of hardwood, often lignum vitae, though rubber balls may sometimes be found. They are between 4 inches (100mm) and 6 inches (150mm) in diameter, and have no finger holes. The player usually has a choice of sizes. A sloping wooden ramp along the side of the alley is often used to return them to the players.
Pins are vertical lengths of wood - traditionally from the wood of a cider apple tree in the west country, or sometimes synthetic materials. They are between 6 inches (150mm) and 16 inches (400mm) high, weigh up to 3kg, with height, shape and weight all varying by region. The central pin (or sometimes the front pin) may be larger or differently shaped in some games. The pins are always arranged in a diamond pattern:
* * * * * * * * *Usually three balls are thrown, and any pins that have been knocked down but that remain on the pitch are removed between throws. If all the pins are knocked down, they are put back - by a person known in some regions as a stickerup - so the maximum score is 27 (3 x 9) - though again this varies.
Generally the ball is thrown to roll along the floor, but in some regions it is bowled rather like in cricket, either with or without a bounce - though with an under-arm swing action. Each player may have up to 12 turns (or hands) during a match.
Midlands Variation
In the Midlands, a cheese - an oval ended log - and is thrown through the air instead of using a ball.
Table Skittles
A table-top version of the game also exists, in which a ball about the size of a golf ball is used, attached by a chain to a vertical pole, allowing it to be swung through the air in an eliptical manner to strike the pins.
See Also
- UK topics
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Skittles (sport)."
Synonym: SkittlesSynonym: ninepins (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Amusement | Billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle; bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls; tenpins, tivoli. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Skittles |
| English words defined with "skittles": Kettle pins ♦ ninepin ♦ Skayles, skittle, skittle alley, skittle ball, skittle pin. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "skittles": Beer and Skittles ♦ Public-house Signs. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Lyrics | Life is skittles and life is beer (Poisoning Pigeons In The Park; performing artist: Tom Lehrer) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "Skittles" is generally used as a noun (plural) -- approximately 83.33% of the time. "Skittles" is used about 42 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (plural) | 83.33% | 35 | 58,339 |
| Noun (proper) | 9.52% | 4 | 175,879 |
| Lexical Verb (-s form) | 7.14% | 3 | 202,518 |
| Total | 100.00% | 42 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "skittles": it's not all beer and skittles ♦ life is not all beer and skittles ♦ play at skittles ♦ play skittles. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "skittles": beer-and-skittles. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
skittles | 303 | history skittles | 3 |
skittles candy | 36 | flavor mystery skittles | 2 |
skittles game | 10 | skittles table | 2 |
picture skittles | 10 | skittles tossers | 2 |
beer skittles | 9 | rainbow skittles taste | 2 |
skittles sour | 7 | skittles tropical wrapper | 2 |
candy history skittles | 5 | drug skittles | 2 |
candy picture skittles | 5 | icon skittles | 2 |
com skittles | 3 | skittles wrapper | 2 |
logo skittles | 3 | pic skittles | 2 |
commercial skittles | 3 | bag skittles | 2 |
mint skittles | 3 | skittles vodka | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "skittles"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | birili (ninepins, tenpins). (various references) | |
Arabic | لعبة القناني الخشبية, لعبة البولنج, لعب البولنج, ألعاب القنانيات الخشبية. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | игра на кегли (tenpins). (various references) | |
Czech | kuželky (ninepins). (various references) | |
Danish | keglespil til indendoers brug (indoor skittles). (various references) | |
Dutch | salonskegelspel (indoor skittles). (various references) | |
Finnish | keilailla (bowl, play skittles). (various references) | |
French | jeu de quilles, bowling. (various references) | |
German | Kegelspiel, Kegeln (bowl, ninepins, play at skittles, play skittles, to bowl). (various references) | |
Greek | παιγνίδιο με κορύνασ η κώνουσ ωσ στόχο. (various references) | |
Hebrew | כ"ורת (bowling, bowls, tenpins). (various references) | |
Hungarian | teke (bowling). (various references) | |
Italian | birilli da sala (indoor skittles). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ittlesskay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | boliche (bowl, bowling, ninepins). (various references) | |
Romanian | prostii (apple-sauce, balderdash, bosh, drivel, eyewash, fiddle-faddle, fiddlesticks, fudge, gammon, moonshine, mush, nonsense, poppy-cock, rats, rubbish, stuff and nonsense, tosh, trash, tripe), fleacuri (babble, bosh, bunk, cheese, fiddlededee, fiddle-faddle, flim-flam, froth, gammon, humbug, odd trifles, tosh, tripe, whatnot). (various references) | |
Russian | кегли (bowl, bowling, duckpins, ninepins, tenpins). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | vrsta kuglanja. (various references) | |
Spanish | juego de bolos (bowling, ninepins, tenpins), boliche (Jack). (various references) | |
Swedish | käglor, kägelspel (ninepins, tenpins). (various references) | |
Turkish | saçma (absurd, applesauce, balls, baloney, blind, boloney, bunk, bunkum, chimerical, claptrap, cockeyed, dissemination, eradiation, fantastic, fantastical, farcical, fatuous, fiddle, fiddle-de-dee, fiddlesticks, foolish, for the birds, froth, frothy, fudge, go on, hog-wash, hooey, impertinent, inane, incongruous, inept, irrational, jabber wocky, kibosh, laugh, malarkey, nonsense, nonsensical, outlandish, paltry, pointless, poppycock, raving, rhubarb, rot, scattering, senseless, shot, shucks, small shot, smearcase, sorry, spinach, stuff, tommyrot, tosh, trash, trifling, tripe, trivial, trumpery, unreasonable, wacky, waffle, whacky), lanet olsun (blast it, blow it, confound it, curse him, damn, damn it, damnation), dokuz kuka oyunu (bowl, bowling, ninepins), çelik çomak (tipcat). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | казна-що (bah, ballyhoo, trumpery), дурниці (ball, flapdoodle). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"Skittles" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: skintle, skyttel, spittles. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "skittles" (pronounced ski"tulz) |
| 6 | -k i" t u l z | kittles. |
| 5 | -i" t u l z | acquittals, belittles, littles, vittles. |
| 4 | -t u l z | artiodactyls, continentals, battles, beetles, bottles, capitals, capitols, chortles, crystals, dentals, dismantles, entitles, fundamentals, genitals, Gentles, hospitals, hostels, immortals, incidentals, instrumentals, kettles, lentils, mantles, metals, mortals, myrtles, nettles, Orientals, pedestals, petals, pistols, portals, projectiles, rattles, rebuttals, recitals, rentals, settles, shuttles, startles, subtitles, throttles, titles, totals, turtles, varietals, wattles. |
| 3 | -u l z | ables, accruals, admirals, advertorials, agrochemicals, ambles, angels, angles, animals, ankles, annals, annuals, apostles, apples, appraisals, approvals, archangels, arrivals, arsenals, articles, assembles, australs, axles, constables, convertibles, corals, councils, counsels, baffles, bagels, balmorals, barbels, barnacles, barrels, baubles, beadles, beagles, befuddles, betrayals, bibles, bicycles, bifocals, bindles, biologicals, biomaterials, biphenyls, bisexuals, boggles, Boodles, boondoggles, bowels, brambles, bristles, brothels, bubbles, buckles, bugles, bundles, burials, bushels, cables, camels, cancels, candles, cannibals, capsules, cardinals, carnivals, carols, castles, casuals, cathedrals, cereals, channels, chemicals, chisels, chorals, chronicles, chuckles, circles, collectibles, colonels, colonials, commercials, compatibles, confessionals, counterproposals, couples, crackles, cradles, credentials, criminals, cripples, crumbles, cubicles, cudgels, cycles, cyclicals, cymbals, dabbles, dangles, debacles, decibels, decimals, deductibles, deferrals, denials, devils, diagonals, dials, diesels, differentials, disables, disciples, dismissals, disposables, disposals, doodles, doubles, dowels, duals, duels, durables, dwindles, eagles, edibles, editorials, embezzles, enables, enamels, encyclicals, ensembles, entrails, equals, essentials, evangelicals, evils, examples, extraterrestrials, fables, facials, faithfuls, federals, festivals, fiddles, finals, fizzles, flannels, foibles, follicles, fossils, freckles, fuels, fumbles, funerals, funnels, gables, gambles, generals, giggles, goggles, Gospels, grackles, granules, grapples, gribbles, grumbles, gunnels, guzzles, hackles, handles, hassles, heterosexuals, hobbles, homosexuals, honeysuckles, hopefuls, hovels, huddles, humbles, hurdles, hustles, hymnals, icicles, idles, idols, illegals, imperils, imponderables, individuals, industrials, infomercials, Ingles, initials, intangibles, intellectuals, internationals, intervals, invisibles, jewels, jingles, journals, juggles, jungles, juveniles, kennels, kernels, kestrels, knuckles, labels, ladles, laurels, legals, levels, liberals, locals, madrigals, mammals, mangels, maniples, manuals, Maples, marbles, marshals, marvels, materials, measles, medals, memorials, metacarpals, mickles, microfossils, minerals, mingles, minstrels, miracles, Miserables, missiles, mistrials, mobiles, models, moguls, mongols, morals, morsels, motorcycles, muddles, multinationals, multiples, Mumbles, municipals, murals, muscles, musicals, mussels, muzzles, nationals, needles, neoliberals, nestles, neutrals, nibbles, nickels, Nickles, nicols, nitriles, nobles, nondurables, nonprofessionals, noodles, nostrils, notables, novels, nozzles, numerals, observables, obstacles, officials, ogles, oodles, oracles, originals, ossicles, paddles, panels, panfuls, parables, paralegals, parcels, particles, payables, pebbles, pedals, peddles, pencils, peoples, perennials, perils, periodicals, peripherals, personals, petrels, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, physicals, Pickles, piddles, pimples, pineapples, pixels, poodles, portables, portrayals, potentials, pretzels, principals, principles, professionals, proposals, puddles, pupils, purples, puzzles, quarrels, quibbles, radials, radicals, raffles, rankles, rascals, rebels, receivables, receptacles, rectangles, recyclables, recycles, referrals, refusals, regionals, rehearsals, removals, renewals, reprisals, resembles, residuals, revels, reversals, revivals, riddles, rifles, ripples, rituals, rivals, Robles, royals, rubles, ruffles, rumbles, runkles, runnels, sables, saddles, samples, sandals, scalpels, scandals, scoundrels, scrambles, scribbles, scruples, scuffles, semifinals, sentinels, sequels, serials, shackles, shambles, shekels, shingles, shovels, shuffles, sickles, signals, singles, sorrels, sparkles, specials, spectacles, spirals, spirituals, sprinkles, squabbles, squiggles, squirrels, stables, Staples, stickles, stifles, straddles, struggles, stumbles, subprincipals, supermodels, swindles, swivels, syllables, symbols, tables, tackles, tangibles, tangles, taxables, Technicals, temples, tentacles, terminals, testicles, testimonials, thistles, tickles, timetables, tonsils, topples, towels, tramples, transsexuals, travels, trials, triangles, tribunals, trickles, trifles, triples, troubles, truffles, tumbles, tunnels, turntables, tussles, tutorials, twinkles, uncles, unicycles, unravels, untouchables, upheavals, utensils, valuables, vandals, variables, vassals, vegetables, vehicles, vessels, vials, vigils, visuals, vocals, vowels, waffles, weevils, whistles, winkles, withdrawals, wrangles, wrestles, wrinkles. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "e-i-k-l-s-s-t-t" | |
-1 letter: kittles, skittle. | |
-2 letters: islets, istles, kittel, kittle, likest, skites, sliest, stiles, stilts, testis, titles. | |
-3 letters: isles, islet, istle, kilts, kists, kites, likes, lists, setts, sikes, silks, silts, sites, skies, skite, skits, slits, stets, sties, stile, stilt, tests, tikes, tiles, tilts, title. | |
-4 letters: elks, ilks, isle, kilt, kiss, kist, kite, kits, leis, leks, less, lest. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-i-k-l-s-s-t-t" | |
+1 letter: stalkiest. | |
+2 letters: ticketless. | |
+4 letters: kinetoplasts, lickspittles, lockstitches. | |
+5 letters: blatherskites, statesmanlike, talkativeness. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Usage Frequency 7. Expressions 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Derivations 11. Rhymes 12. Anagrams | 13. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
