Etymology Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.
1
A game of chance for two or more players, who mark off numbers on a grid as they are announced by the caller; the game is won by the first person to call out "bingo!" or "house!" after crossing off all numbers on the grid or in one line of the grid.
He plays bingo with his family on Saturdays.
2
A similar game or amusement in which participants tick off themed words, phrases or pictures as these are called out, or as they are mentioned, for example during a speech or performance
animal bingo (animal pictures), ABBA bingo (titles or lyrics of ABBA songs), buzzword bingo
3
A win in such a game.
There were two bingos in the last game, so the players split the prize money.
4
Scrabble, Board games, GamesUS A play where all seven of a player's letter tiles are played, awarding a score bonus.
5
Great, sudden, typically hard-to-predict success; the jackpot.
An explosion of gay male movies has hit the U.S. in the past few months. Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Parting Glances and My Beautiful Laundrette, among others, have not only demonstrateed that the coming out story can be surpassed, they've also shown the movie industry that substantive gay portrayals can mean box office bingo.1986 April 19, Loie Hayes, Donna Deitch, “Leapin' Lesbians!”, in Gay Community News, page 8:
Etymology Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.
1
Used by players of bingo to claim a win.
2
Informal Used when finding what one has been looking for or trying to recall, or on successful completion of a task.
‘Some big, hard-boiled egg meets up with a pretty face, and bingo! He cracks up and melts.’1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 31:
Just have to pick the bfast, lunch and dinner I feel most like eating today and – bingo!2009 February 28, Megan Ogilvie, “Flex your plan for healthier eating”, in Toronto Star:
1 more example
Megamind: Boingo! Minion: I think you mean "bingo", sir. Megamind: That's what I said. Boingo!2011 February 25, Alan Schoolcraft, Brent Simons, 7:35 from the start, in Simon J. Smith, director, Megamind: The Button of Doom (DVD/Blu-ray), Paramount Pictures:
3
Informal Used to enthusiastically confirm or validate another speaker's point.
Synonyms
house!, aha!, eureka!, got it!, that's it!, yes!
bingo
adj
Etymology Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.
Well, the old pucker factor went up about 75 notches at that point cause that length of time would put my wingman below Bingo fuel, plus the thought of sitting in an orbit several miles West of the Yen Bai […]1993, Red River Valley Fighter Pilots, page 40:
The first pilot to get down to this bingo fuel state would call, “Banjo 4, bingo fuel,” or whatever.2012, Larry R Gibson, Recollections of a Marine Attack Pilot, page 54:
bingo
verb
Etymology Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.
1
To play the game of bingo.
2
To give the winning cry of "bingo!" in a game.
3
To play all of one's seven tiles in one move in the game of Scrabble, earning a score bonus.
With IN on the board, he bingoed with OPERATING for 74 points, while Ann added the CO in front of it for 30 points.2009, Joe Edley, John Williams, Everything Scrabble: Third Edition, page 333: