turkey
TUR-kee
/ˈtɜːrki/
Three consecutive strikes thrown in a single game of bowling.
While 'turkey' is informal, it is universally recognized in bowling scoring and is often celebrated with special graphics on digital scoreboards.
The story behind the word. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bowling tournament organizers would offer special prizes during Thanksgiving and Christmas events. A bowler who managed to score three consecutive strikes was rewarded with a real, live turkey to take home for dinner. The name stuck long after the poultry prizes stopped.
Word relationships
- triple: 'Triple' is the modern, more formal term used in professional broadcasting, while 'turkey' is the traditional, colorful term.
Commonly confused with
- strike: A strike is a single perfect throw; a turkey is three strikes in a row.
Word family
- turkeys (noun): plural form of turkey
Collocations
- throw a turkey
- score a turkey
- consecutive turkey
Idioms & expressions
- talk turkey
- cold turkey
Example sentences
- "After throwing three perfect pocket hits in a row, she celebrated her first turkey of the season." A bowler finding their rhythm
Memory hook
Three strikes in a row gets you a Thanksgiving 'turkey'. Three strikes, gobble gobble.
When not to use
Do not use 'turkey' to describe three strikes that are not consecutive.
Fun facts
- If a bowler gets six strikes in a row, it is called a 'wild turkey' or a 'six-pack'. Nine in a row is sometimes called a 'golden turkey'.
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