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🤩 To amaze 🪑 To knock down
to bowl over

to bowl over

1 5.1
To knock something so it falls over
  • phrasal verb
  • /boʊl ˈoʊvər/
translation icon : tumbar
  • Conrad sprang forward, dove at Kenny headfirst, and bowled him over.
  • nearly bowled over

Examples

  • The banty rooster of a man lowered his shoulder and plunged straight into the surprised corporal, bowling him completely over.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Before he could slow his momentum, John Paul bowled over one pup tent and fell on top of the troop master.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Some were so excited that they ran up and down the road outside her house, occasionally bowling over foreign television reporters.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Hattie Durham nearly bowled him over.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Within sight of the dayroom, Pauline breaks into a run, nearly bowling a nurse over.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Two men shoved through, forcing Raed to scramble back to avoid being bowled over.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Hauser stepped up, but Morgan batted Dick's arms aside and bowled him over with the force of his rush.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • With a quick motion, he dipped his shoulder and ran at full speed into Fielding's belly, bowling the big man over backwards into the two tables run together, which the large group had abandoned.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Trolls were running at the Gragians and bowling them over, or kneeling down in front of them and chortling as the Gragians stumbled into them and fell.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • He ran so fast that he bowled over his teammate during the match.

Synonyms

to topple
vsto bowl over
93 4.1

To fall over or make something fall over, often suddenly when it loses balance

normally involves a direct striking blow rather than only balance loss
to knock over
vsto bowl over
68 2.6

Make something fall by hitting or bumping it

usually does this by hitting objects rather than by slow tilting
to upset
vsto bowl over
57 3.0

Make something fall over or move out of place

refers specifically to forceful hitting that makes objects fall, not general disturbance
to turn over
vsto bowl over
31 2.6

Flip something so the other side faces up

usually does this by striking objects rather than by controlled flipping
to overturn
vsto bowl over
30 4.1

Make something flip so it is upside down or on its side

generally causes this by hitting rather than by careful rotation
to roll over
vsto bowl over
30 1.4

To turn your body or an object so the other side faces up

usually causes a sudden fall from a hit rather than a rolling motion
to tip over
vsto bowl over
27 3.0

Make something fall from a standing position

typically brings about falling by hitting rather than gentle tilting
to overset
vsto bowl over
6.4

To make something fall over or turn upside down

typically involves a hit that makes objects fall, not merely losing balance
to tump over
vsto bowl over
  • UK
8.2

To make something that stands fall over

often involves a forceful hit rather than only a slow leaning motion
to overtip
vsto bowl over
5.8

To make something tilt so far that it falls over

usually happens through a hit or strike rather than gradual tilting

Antonyms

to richt
  • UK
9.9

To make something stand up again after it falls

How Forceful

to flatten
23 2.6
to bowl over
1 5.1
to knock over
68 2.6
push
138 1.0
to nudge
33 3.8

Surface Forms

bowl over infinitive
bowling over present participle
bows over third person singular
bowled over past
bowled over past participle

Morphology

bowl + over

The literal senses of 'bowl' (to roll/deliver a ball) and 'over' (above/movement) do not directly yield 'to greatly impress', so the meaning is not fully compositional. However, there is a clear metaphorical extension (being physically 'bowled/knocked over' by something surprising or impressive) that makes the figurative sense somewhat inferable, so a B1 learner might partially guess it but would often need exposure to be certain.

Etymology

Bowl over comes from the idea of rolling or throwing a heavy object that knocks something down, like a bowling ball hitting the pins. The words bowl (to roll a ball) and over (to fall down) give a clear picture, so the phrase means 'to knock over' today.