Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Baseball/Softball) A division of a game: In baseball and softball, an "inning" is one of the nine standard periods during which each team has a turn to bat and a turn to play defense in the field.
   • (Cricket) A player's turn to bat: In cricket, an "innings" (often used in plural form) refers to the period during which one team or one batter is batting.

Usage

• The term "inning" is a countable noun.
• In baseball, a complete game consists of nine "innings" unless the game is tied, requiring extra "innings".
• In cricket, the singular form "innings" is often used for both singular and plural contexts when referring to a team's or player's turn at batting.

Examples

• Baseball:
  • The home team scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
  • The pitcher was dominant, throwing a no-hitter through the first seven innings.
• Cricket:
  • He played a magnificent innings, scoring a century before being dismissed.
  • The team's first innings lasted for over two days.

Advanced Usage

• Extra innings: In baseball, periods of play beyond the standard nine innings to decide a tied game.
  • The game went into extra innings and was finally decided in the 14th.
• Top/Bottom of an inning: In baseball, the "top" is the first half when the visiting team bats; the "bottom" is the second half when the home team bats.
  • The rally happened in the bottom of the fifth inning.
• A long innings: In cricket, an idiom meaning a lengthy period of batting or, figuratively, a long and successful career or period of activity.
  • After a long innings at the company, she decided to retire.

Variants and Related Words

• Innings (noun, cricket): The standard spelling for the term in cricket, often treated as singular or plural.
  • Their first innings total was 350 runs.
• Relief inning (noun, baseball): An inning pitched by a relief pitcher.
  • The closer was brought in for the final inning.

Synonyms

• Frame (noun, baseball): Informal term for an inning, especially in scoring contexts.
  • They scored two runs in the first frame.
• Turn at bat (noun): A general phrase describing a team's opportunity to score.
• Batting period (noun): A descriptive phrase for an inning.

Related Phrases

• Middle innings (noun phrase, baseball): Typically refers to innings four through six of a nine-inning game.
  • The manager made strategic changes in the middle innings.
• Late innings (noun phrase, baseball): Typically refers to the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.
  • He's known for his performance under pressure in the late innings.

Idioms

• To have a good innings (idiom, chiefly British): To have a long and successful life or career. Derived from cricket.
  • He was ninety when he died, so he had a good innings.
• It's your inning (idiom): Your turn or your opportunity to act or speak. Derived from the sports term.
  • I've said my piece; now it's your inning.

Noun

1. (baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat