boll

¹

[ bohl ]

noun

, Botany.

1. a rounded seed vessel or pod of a plant, as of flax or cotton.

Böll

²

[ bœl ]

noun

1. Hein·rich (The·o·dor) [hahyn, -, r, i, kh, , tey, -aw-doh, r], 1917–85, German novelist and short-story writer: Nobel Prize 1972.

boll

¹

/ bəʊl /

noun

1. the fruit of such plants as flax and cotton, consisting of a rounded capsule containing the seeds

Böll

²

/ bœl /

noun

1. BöllHeinrich (Theodor)19171985MGermanWRITING: novelistWRITING: short-story writer Heinrich (ˈhaɪnrɪç) ( Theodor ). 1917–85, German novelist and short-story writer; his novels include Group Portrait with Lady (1971): Nobel prize for literature 1972

boll

/ bōl /

1. The seed-bearing capsule of certain plants, especially cotton and flax.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boll¹

1400–50; late Middle English bolle, perhaps < Middle Dutch bolle ( Dutch bol ), though formally identical with bowl ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of boll¹

C13: from Dutch bolle ; related to Old English bolla bowl ¹

Example Sentences

Souloukna Mourga plodded through his flooded millet and cotton field in northern Cameroon and uprooted soggy stems that had a few bolls on them.

From Reuters

They have to make sure there is nowhere for the boll weevil to live until cotton is planted again in late March.

From Washington Post

He also spent time in San Francisco, where he made a living drawing boll weevils for pesticide ads, before moving to New York.

From Washington Post

I pulled the board up, releasing boll weevils, pill bugs, and a small spider from their homes.

From Literature

So the migration is as much about work and the boll weevil as it is about this notion of opportunity.

From Los Angeles Times