Domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block, the face of which is divided into two squares and marked with an arrangement of spots, or “pips,” like those on dice. Dominoes are a variant of playing cards, but are designed for use in games with more than one player and are typically grouped into suits of numbered tiles. The most common sets contain 28 domino tiles, but larger sets exist for some types of play, such as the long domino game.
Dominoes are also a popular toy for children and adults, who can line them up in straight lines or create 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. They are often used in art projects to make patterns and designs, and can be glued together to form shapes. Some artists even create whole scenes, such as the village of Monopoly, using dominoes.
Another use of the word is the term for a set of rules governing a particular activity. These rules, which are not necessarily written down, define the manner in which an individual or group performs a task. For example, a company’s rules might dictate that employees must be on time for work and that all phone calls should be answered within five rings. A company might also have rules governing the sale and delivery of its products, which must be followed.
A domino effect occurs when a small change results in a cascade of other changes. For instance, when Jennifer Dukes Lee started making her bed every morning, it led to a change in her self-image. This new self-image caused her to make other small changes, such as keeping the rest of her house clean and arranging her belongings in an organized fashion. Eventually, she began changing her entire lifestyle in accordance with her new beliefs.
The word domino, in its earliest senses, denoted a long hooded robe worn with a mask at a masquerade or carnival, but it was later used as a name for the game that features ebony black pieces against ivory faces. By the late 1700s, the word had entered English, where it became a catch-all for the various games played with these small rectangular blocks, many of which had a French origin.
In the 1860s, Domino was introduced to America and it quickly gained popularity. A variety of different games were developed, some involving skill and others just plain luck. A popular game was draw domino, in which players took turns drawing and placing dominoes. When a domino was drawn and placed, other players could see the value of that tile and might be forced to pass their turn if they were unable to match it with a new piece already on the board.
Other domino games involve blocking or scoring, and are usually played in pairs. The most well known are the double-six and double-nine sets. There are also domino variants that have more of a solitaire feel, such as the Concentration game.