Definition

Noun: 1. A type of arcade game: A game played on a sloping, glass-covered table or cabinet. The player operates flippers to propel one or more metal balls, keeping them in play and aiming to hit various targets (such as bumpers, ramps, and holes) to score points.

Usage

• As a subject: "Pinball requires quick reflexes and good timing."
• As an object: "We spent the afternoon playing pinball at the arcade."
• With modifiers: "That vintage pinball machine from the 1970s is a collector's item."

Examples

• "The loud sounds and flashing lights are a big part of the pinball experience."
• "His high score on the pinball machine was unbeaten for weeks."
• "In pinball, the goal is to keep the ball from draining between the flippers."

Advanced Usage

• "Pinball wizard": (idiomatic) A person who is exceptionally skilled at playing pinball.
  • Example: "After he scored a billion points, everyone called him a pinball wizard."
• The term can be used metaphorically to describe a situation where someone or something is bounced around uncontrollably between different people or forces.
  • Example: "The patient was pinballed between three different specialists before getting a diagnosis." (Note: This is a verb form derived from the noun, indicating advanced metaphorical use.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pinball machine (n): The physical cabinet or table on which the game of pinball is played.
• Flipper (n): The controlled, spring-loaded bat at the bottom of the playfield used to hit the ball.

Synonyms

• Arcade game
• Flipper game (less common)

Related Phrases

• Tilt the machine: To shake or bump the pinball machine too aggressively, triggering a penalty that disables the flippers.
  • Example: "Be careful not to tilt the machine or you'll lose your ball."

Noun

1. a game played on a sloping board; the object is to propel marbles against pins or into pockets