marbles
marbles Lexical Profile
marbles Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Small, hard spheres typically made of colored glass, clay, agate, or steel, used as toys in various children's games.
"The boy kept a velvet pouch full of colorful glass marbles in his coat pocket."
A traditional game in which players roll or flick small spherical balls inside a marked circle to strike opponents' balls out of bounds.
"During recess, the children drew a circle in the dirt to play a competitive game of marbles."
One's mental faculties, sanity, or common sense (used almost exclusively in informal expressions such as 'to lose one's marbles').
"After working thirty-six hours without sleep, he felt as though he were starting to lose his marbles."
A collection of sculptures, carvings, or architectural fragments made of marble.
"The museum's classical wing houses famous ancient Greek marbles acquired in the nineteenth century."
• verb
To stain, streak, or pattern a surface (such as paper, fabric, or cake batter) so that it resembles the veined appearance of marble.
"The bookbinder carefully marbles the endpapers using floating pigments in a shallow tray."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the children's game ('marbles' takes a singular verb, e.g., 'Marbles is a classic game') or to one's mental faculties (typically in the idiom 'to lose one's marbles'), the word is invariably used in the plural form.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English 'marbel', from Old French 'marbre', and ultimately from Latin 'marmor' and Ancient Greek 'marmaros' ('shining stone'). The game and toy spheres were named because early versions were originally carved from genuine marble or alabaster before glass became standard.