BOWLING-GREEN, noun [bowl and green.] A level piece of ground kept smooth for bowling. 1. In gardening, a parterre in a grove, laid with fine turf, with compartments of divers figures, with dwarf trees and other decorations. It may be used for bowling; but the French and Italians have such greens for ornament.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI