boule
boule — noun
- boulesingular
- boulesplural
1. A traditional outdoor game, popular in France and other parts of Europe, where t
A traditional outdoor game, popular in France and other parts of Europe, where two teams compete by throwing or rolling heavy metal balls toward a small wooden target ball, trying to finish closest to it.
Sven and Talia played boules in the park near their apartment in Marseille.
collocation: play boules (uncountable, no article)
During their holiday in the south of France, the Watanabe family learned to play boules with a group of locals.
The boules court behind the village café was crowded every Sunday afternoon.
Niran won the neighbourhood boules tournament by landing his ball just two inches from the target.
Lisa asked if boules was difficult to learn, and her friend said it was easier than it looked.
- pétanque
A specific version of boules where players stand inside a circle and throw without a run-up; often used interchangeably with boules in casual conversation.
- bowls
A similar British game played on grass with heavier, biased balls — different rules from boules.
- lawn bowling
The North American term for bowls, played on a flat grass surface.
文法句型
the + boules
play + boules
game + of + boules
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form boules when referring to the game, but takes a singular verb: 'Boules is a fun outdoor sport.'
常見錯誤
2. One of the heavy metal balls that players throw or roll when playing the French
One of the heavy metal balls that players throw or roll when playing the French game of boules, typically made of steel and weighing about seven hundred grams.
João wiped the dust off each boule before placing it carefully back in the leather bag.
countable noun: each boule
These steel boules weigh about seven hundred grams each, making them quite heavy to carry around.
Sade picked up a boule, felt its smooth metal surface, and gave it a gentle underarm throw.
Salma polished her set of boules after every game to keep them from rusting in the damp air.
The old boule had a small dent from hitting the target ball too hard during a match the previous summer.
- metal ball
Descriptive phrase used when the listener may not know the term boule.
- steel ball
Emphasises the material, typically used when describing the weight or feel of a boule.
文法句型
a + boule
the + boule
plural: boules
用法筆記
When referring to individual balls, boule is a countable noun (one boule, two boules). Do not confuse this with the uncountable game name boules.
常見錯誤
3. A round loaf of bread with a thick, crispy outer crust and a soft interior, orig
A round loaf of bread with a thick, crispy outer crust and a soft interior, originally from France and now made in bakeries around the world.
The bakery on Market Street sells a fresh boule every morning at seven o'clock.
countable noun: a boule
Sven tore off a piece of the warm boule and dipped it in olive oil with herbs.
collocation: warm boule
For the picnic by the lake, Aoi bought a large boule, some soft cheese, and a bottle of red wine.
The baker shaped the dough into a round boule and scored the top before baking it.
Talia served the soup with slices of crusty boule that she had bought from the French patisserie downtown.
- round loaf
Descriptive term — less specific than boule, can refer to any round-shaped bread.
- artisan loaf
A broader term for handmade, traditionally-prepared breads; a boule is one type of artisan loaf.
- baguette
A long, thin French bread — the opposite shape of a round boule.
文法句型
a + boule
boule + of + bread
bake + a + boule
用法筆記
Boule bread is different from baguette (long and thin) or brioche (sweet and soft). The word comes from the French word for 'ball'.