Bowl over phrase
To make someone or something lose their balance and fall to the ground by hitting or colliding with them.
After bowling the barrier over, the demonstrators stormed into the building.
The car suddenly sped up, bowling over every motorist in its way.
To amaze someone or affect them very strongly.
Bowled over by curiosity, the boy took a quick peek inside.
That nobody was really in favor of the changes bowled me over.
To greatly surprise, shock, or confuse someone
An exclamation of shock or surprise
Used to express surprise
To astonish a vigilant person
An exclamation given to express the feeling of disbelief in something that has occured
The verb "bowl" must be conjugated according to its tense.
This phrase originated in the mid-1800s in the game of cricket, where it signifies knocking all the bails off the wicket. It has been used figuratively since the twentieth century.