inning
word
Definition
A division of a baseball game during which each team has a turn at bat. In cricket (usually "innings"), a similar period of play for a batting side.
Usage & Nuances
In baseball: 9 innings per game (singular: "inning"). In cricket: "innings" (same for singular and plural). "Top of the inning" = visiting team bats; "bottom" = home team. Figuratively: "a good innings" (British) = a long, full life. "Seventh-inning stretch" = mid-game break tradition.
Example Sentences
The home team scored three runs in the fifth inning.
basic
A standard baseball game has nine innings.
basic
The pitcher was replaced in the seventh inning.
basic
It's only the third inning — there's plenty of game left.
natural
He lived to 95 — that's a pretty good innings by anyone's standards.
natural
The game was tied going into the ninth inning, and the crowd was on the edge of their seats.
natural