Definition

Noun: 1. A traditional Italian lawn bowling game: Bocce is a precision sport where players or teams take turns rolling balls on a long, narrow court, aiming to get their balls as close as possible to a smaller target ball called the pallino or jack. It is typically played on a dirt, gravel, or grass surface.

Usage and Examples

• General Use:

  • We set up a bocce court in the backyard for the family picnic.
  • The rules of bocce are simple to learn but difficult to master.

• Describing the Game:

  • In bocce, the team with the ball closest to the pallino scores points.
  • He enjoys the strategic thinking required in a game of bocce.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• Court and Equipment: The game is traditionally played on a , which is a long, rectangular, flat surface. The balls are typically made of metal or composite materials.
• Scoring: Points are awarded in each round, or , for each ball that is closer to the pallino than the opponent's closest ball.
• "Bocce" as an Uncountable Noun: The word is generally used as an uncountable noun when referring to the sport or activity.
  • Do you want to play some bocce?

Variants and Related Words

• Bocci: An alternate, less common spelling of the word.
• Bocce Ball: This term can refer to an individual ball used in the game or, informally, to the game itself.
  • Please hand me a bocce ball. (Referring to the object)
  • Let's play bocce ball. (Informally referring to the game)

Synonyms

• Bowls: The British name for a very similar lawn bowling sport.
• Lawn Bowling: A general term for games played by rolling balls toward a target on a grass surface. Bocce is a specific type of lawn bowling.

Related Phrases and Idioms

(Note: As a specific sport name, "bocce" does not commonly form phrasal verbs or idioms in general English. The following are contextual phrases.) - To have a game of bocce: To play a match of bocce. - After dinner, we decided to have a game of bocce. - Bocce tournament: A structured competition of bocce matches. - The community center is hosting a bocce tournament next month.

Noun

1. Italian bowling played on a long narrow dirt court