bowl over
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verb (tr, adverb)
informal to surprise (a person) greatly, esp in a pleasant way; astound; amazehe was bowled over by our gift
to knock (a person or thing) down; cause to fall over
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Example sentences from the Web for bowl over
Idioms and Phrases with bowl over
bowl over
Astonish, surprise greatly, overwhelm, as in I was simply bowled over by their wonderful performance. This term originated in cricket, where it means “to knock all the bails off the wicket.” [Mid-1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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