marbles
word · lemma: marble
/ˈmɑɹbəɫz/
MAR-buhlz
/mˈɑːbəlz/
MAH-buhlz
Definition
Small, round glass balls used as toys. Also, 'marbles' can informally mean someone's mental sharpness or sanity.
Usage & Nuances
'Marbles' is usually plural when referring to the game pieces. The phrase 'lose your marbles' means to go crazy or act irrationally. Not to be confused with 'marble' as the type of stone.
Spanish: canicasPortuguese (BR): bolinhas de gudePortuguese (PT): bilasChinese (Simplified): 弹珠Chinese (Traditional): 彈珠Hindi: कंचेArabic: كُرات زجاجيةBengali: গুলির - পাগল (অপ্রকৃতস্থ, বুদ্ধি হারানো)Russian: шарики - рассудок (разг.)Japanese: ビー玉 - 正気（比喩）Vietnamese: bi ve - đầu óc (nghĩa bóng)Korean: 구슬 - 제정신(비유적)Turkish: bilyeler - akıl (mecazi)Urdu: کنچے - دماغ (مجازاً)Indonesian: kelereng - akal (kiasan)
Example Sentences
He almost lost his marbles trying to fix the computer all night.
natural
Back when I was a kid, we collected all sorts of marbles.
natural
The children are playing with their marbles.
basic
I have ten blue marbles in my bag.
basic
She lost all her marbles during the game.
basic
He still keeps a bag of marbles on his desk for good luck.
natural