Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.
ninepins — ► PLURAL NOUN (usu. treated as sing. ) ▪ the traditional form of the game of skittles, using nine pins. ● go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins Cf. ↑go fall like ninepins … English terms dictionary
Ninepins — Nine pins, n. pl. A game played with nine pins, or pieces of wood, set on end, at which a wooden ball is bowled to knock them down; bowling. [1913 Webster] Note: In the United States, ten pins are used for this game, which is therefore often… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
ninepins — (n.) 1570s, from NINE (Cf. nine) + PIN (Cf. pin) (n.). From the number of pins to be knocked down … Etymology dictionary
ninepins — [nīn′pinz΄] n. a British version of the game of tenpins, in which nine wooden pins are used … English World dictionary
ninepins — /nuyn pinz /, n. 1. (used with a sing. v.) tenpins played without the head pin. 2. ninepin, a pin used in this game. [1570 80; NINE + PINS] * * * ▪ game bowling game that probably originated in continental Europe during the Middle Ages.… … Universalium
ninepins — [[t]na͟ɪnpɪnz[/t]] PHRASE: PHR after v If you say that people or things are going down like ninepins, you mean that large numbers of them are suddenly becoming ill, collapsing, or doing very badly. [mainly BRIT] There was a time when Liverpool… … English dictionary
ninepins — UK [ˈnaɪnˌpɪnz] / US noun [uncountable] the game of skittles • go down/fall/drop like ninepins used for saying that a lot of people suddenly all become ill or all fail at something A nasty virus was going round the office and people were dropping … English dictionary
ninepins — plural noun [usu. treated as sing.] the traditional form of the game of skittles, using nine pins. Phrases go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins Brit. succumb in large numbers … English new terms dictionary
ninepins — /ˈnaɪnpɪnz/ (say nuynpinz) plural noun 1. (construed as singular) a game played with nine wooden pins at which a ball is bowled to knock them down; skittles. 2. (singular) a pin used in this game; a skittle. –phrase 3. go over like ninepins, (of… …
ninepins — noun The game of skittles … Wiktionary
