Slang noun used and understood primarily by Brummies (people from Birmingham, UK), Yam Yams (people from the nearby area of the Black Country) and other Midlanders.
It is a noun used to describe the action of rolling forwards on the ground. It is often described as a 'forward
roll' by the rest of the country.
Brummies
will often say 'gambowl' instead of 'forward
roll' and very few people
outside of the city seem to understand this term.
The spelling of gambowl is a debate in itself, as it is rarely written and mostly used in speech. Variations of this spelling (gambowl) include: gambole, gambol and gamboul.
There is a Facebook group campaigning to promote awareness of the word, entitled 'it'
s not a foward
roll, it's a ******* gambowl'.
That was a very nice gambowl you did just now.
(That was a very nice 'forward
roll' you did just now.)
These gymnasts
haven't done any gambowls yet!
(These gymnasts
haven't done any 'forward rolls' yet!)
