What does "googly" mean?
A ball, bowled by a leg-break bowler, that spins from off to leg (to a right-handed batsman), unlike a normal leg-break delivery.
Googly
/ˈɡʉːɡli/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A ball, bowled by a leg-break bowler, that spins from off to leg (to a right-handed batsman), unlike a normal leg-break delivery.
- Grammar: googly is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: artifice, blind, bluff, bosie.
- Useful contrasts: conventional, predictable, straight.
- Usage evidence: You were making googly eyes at my girlfriend! How dare you?
How to use "googly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "googly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "googly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "googly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "googly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "googly" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "artifice" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "googly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A ball, bowled by a leg-break bowler, that spins from off to leg (to a right-handed batsman), unlike a normal leg-break delivery.
"His weakness in batting is against googly."
- 2 a cricket ball bowled as if to break one way that actually breaks in the opposite way wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Bulging.
"“A shtinker,” the bug-eyed man said more loudly. […]“B'seder, fine, a shtinker rabbi,” the googly-eyed man amended, rubbing his lower gut. “But can’t you tell he’s an informer?”"
- 2 Appearing to be amorous, flirtatious. sometimes, usually
"‘Torture my foot! You think it’s torture for a man to ask his wife for attention? God save me from stupid women!’ – my father limped downstairs to make googly eyes at Colaba girls."
Antonyms
Example
"You were making googly eyes at my girlfriend! How dare you?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "googly"?
Common synonyms include: artifice, blind, bluff, bosie, bosie ball, catch.
How do you use "googly" in a sentence?
You were making googly eyes at my girlfriend! How dare you?
How do you pronounce "googly"?
Pronounced /ˈɡʉːɡli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Unknown; perhaps derived from googie (“an egg, in reference to the unusual direction of bounce”). Though the delivery was perfected and made famous by English cricketer Bernard Bosanquet, circa 1900, the term is recorded earlier in Australian English (1896).
Etymology 2
Uncertain. Perhaps from goo-goo (“amorous”), or directly from goggle. Attested from 1901.