Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - skittle

n. & v. --n. 1 a pin used in the game of skittles. 2 (in pl.; usu. treated as sing.) a a game like ninepins played with usu. nine wooden pins set up at the end of an alley to be bowled down usu. with wooden balls or a wooden disc. b (in full table skittles) a game played with similar pins set up on a board to be knocked down by swinging a suspended ball. c colloq. chess not played seriously. --v.tr. (often foll. by out) Cricket get (batsmen) out in rapid succession. Etymology: 17th c. (also kittle-pins): orig. unkn.