A domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block, bearing identifying marks on one face and blank or identically patterned on the other. The identifying marks are usually an arrangement of spots similar to those on dice. Dominoes are used for a variety of games and can be played with two or more people. The most common commercially available set contains 28 dominoes, although larger sets exist. Each domino has a suit of numbers, one to six, and a blank or 0 suit, and each tile belongs to both suits.
A favored game is called domino, in which players take turns placing dominoes on a line or other surface and then knocking them over with the back of a hand or other object. The first player to reach the end of their line wins. Other games are based on matching dominoes or on blocking or scoring.
The word domino has also taken on a more metaphorical meaning. It can refer to any action that triggers a sequence of events, such as a fall of a large number of dominoes or the knocking down of a tower of dominoes. It can also be used to describe a series of actions, such as a chain reaction or an avalanche. The term is also used to describe a person’s effect on others, especially in a social or political context, and is often capitalized.
Domino is also the name of a popular pizza chain, and its CEO has been making waves in the business world with his innovative ideas. He has worked to spice up Domino’s image as well as its products by opening a Domino’s in Italy, experimenting with a new type of delivery car (an article called it the “cheese lover’s Batmobile”), and even working with crowd-sourced designers to create a Domino’s truck.
There’s a similar “domino effect” when it comes to writing. Putting in the effort to get a story started and keeping going can lead to better writing and bigger success down the road. For example, a writer who makes a commitment to write daily will have more motivation to stay on task and may find that this will lead to more writing and publishing opportunities in the future.
The idiom Domino effect, or the Domino Theory, is an idea formed by a journalist named Joseph Alsop. This idea states that once a country falls to Communism, other smaller countries will be more likely to succumb as well. This concept became an idiom when Eisenhower used it in a speech to explain America’s decision to aid South Vietnam in the war against Communism, and it has since become widely accepted. The concept has even spawned an entire subculture of art devoted to building and displaying Domino Art. This artwork can be simple straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when the dominoes fall, 3D structures like towers and pyramids, or more elaborate designs. Creating a Domino Art is a fun way to pass the time and can be done with both wooden or polymer dominoes.