Definition

Noun: A bowling game using slender, cylindrical bowling pins that resemble candles. In this variant of bowling, players roll a small, handheld ball down a lane to knock down these pins. Three rolls (or balls) are allowed per frame, and fallen pins are not cleared between rolls within a frame.

Usage

This term refers specifically to the sport or activity itself. * Candlepin bowling is popular in the Canadian Maritime provinces and New England. * The rules of candlepin bowling differ significantly from ten-pin bowling. * We are going to the alley for a game of candlepin bowling.

Advanced Usage

• The term can function attributively as a noun modifier (e.g., , ).
• It is often shortened colloquially to just "candlepins" (e.g., "Do you want to play candlepins tonight?").

Variants and Related Words

• Candlepins (noun): The slender pins used in the game, or a common shortened name for the game itself.
• Ten-pin bowling (noun): The more common, globally recognized form of bowling using larger, heavier balls and pins with a distinctive shape.
• Duckpin bowling (noun): Another bowling variant using short, squat pins and a small ball, where fallen pins are also not cleared between rolls.

Synonyms

• Candlepins (when used to name the game)

Related Phrases

• Deadwood: In candlepin bowling, this refers to the fallen pins that remain on the lane and can be used to knock down other pins.
• Three-ball frame: The basic scoring unit in candlepin bowling, where a player gets up to three rolls per turn.

Noun

1. a bowling game using slender bowling pins