English for Students

English Phrase : Bingo

What is the meaning of Bingo?

All of us are interested in games. We have played many games in our lives in the past. Many of you might be professional players now. This is a term which is related to one of the games which are so popular among the children. That is very interesting and time consuming game which we want to learn more about. Many games get their names with reference to the local preferences. What is called as A in one country may be called as B in another country. In spite of the nominal differences, the name is played by all the players in the same spirit.

Bingo is a game. What we call Tambola and Housie in India, people in the West refer to as Bingo. When a player finds that his card contains all the numbers that have been called out, he usually shouts bingo to indicate that he has won. In everyday context when someone shouts bingo, what he means to say is that something rather surprising and pleasant has happened. This rather informal expression is also used to indicate that you have done something successfully.

Here are a few examples.

• I turned the key for the fifth time and bingo, this time the car started.

• Hamsa started to play tennis for exercise and bingo she was hooked.

• I turned the corner and bingo. There she was waiting for me.


COURTESY : The Hindu (The National News-Paper) - India