inning
- noun
- /ˈɪnɪŋ/
- US
- It's the middle innings, and his pitches aren't slowing down.
- nine innings
- a baseball inning
- innings pitched
Examples
-
Then they lost the game in 11 innings by one run.
Academic text (2009) -
Two out in the tenth inning, the tying runs are aboard.
-
We go to the bottom of the last inning, and it's all tied up.
-
Time for the seventh inning stretch.
-
The start of the eighth inning.
-
Just need to get out of this inning and then get a little breather.
-
We are in the 9th inning of a friendly softball game between the local cops.
Fiction book (2000) -
If they can hold them scoreless this inning, the momentum's gonna shift.
-
In the second inning, Thomson hits a slider on a line over third.
Fiction book (1992) -
We go to the bottom of the last inning, and it's all tied up.
Synonyms
A part of a game when players take turns, for example in bowling
Compounds
Surface Forms
Etymology
Inning comes from Old English for a time of 'bringing in' or getting something, with the part in- meaning 'in' or 'to bring in'. So an inning in baseball is a team's time to 'bring in' runs or to take a 'turn' at bat.