As a Noun: 1. A game in which the players try to roll large wooden balls as near as possible to a small ball on a special lawn. English = bowls, lawn bowls. 2. A game in which you roll a heavy ball down a long narrow track towards a group of wooden objects and try to knock down as many of them as possible. English = bowling. As a Verb or Adjective: 1. To roll a ball in a game of bowls or bowling. English = bowl.