Domino is a game or set of games in which players arrange domino pieces (also known as “dominoes”) so that each one has a matching end with either a number or a blank space. The dominoes are then pushed together in a chain, with each new domino affecting the adjacent ones and forcing them to change their position. These changes in turn cause more dominoes to be pushed down, and so on until all the dominoes have fallen.
While many adults play dominoes for fun, children use them as toys and can create very complex designs by stacking them on top of each other in long lines. When the first domino in a line is tipped over, it causes the rest of the dominoes to tip over as well. This is what gives rise to the term domino effect, which describes a series of events that eventually lead to a complete collapse.
The word domino itself likely comes from Latin, where it was used as a suffix to mean master of something. It was originally a vocative form of the verb dominus, which means master or sovereign. It later denoted a monastic hood and subsequently a hooded masquerade costume with a mask. The name of the game probably derives from an earlier sense of the word, meaning a cape worn by a priest over his surplice (which is similar to the tassels at the ends of a domino).
Although many people today use the word to describe the entire set of pieces, a domino is actually a specific type of tile with identifying markings on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. This is what makes the domino so distinctive from other playing tiles.
In the past, dominoes were made from different materials, including silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, a dark hardwood such as ebony, and sometimes a combination of these. Typically, these pieces were painted white or black with inlaid dots. Various other colors have also been used. The most common today, however, are polymer dominoes.
While it is possible to create some stunning domino setups using only polymer pieces, other more complex designs are created by combining traditional dominoes with other materials. For example, a set made from wood and metal is often more visually appealing than a standard domino set made entirely from plastic. Alternatively, sets have been made from stone such as marble and soapstone; metals such as brass and pewter; ceramic clay; and even crystal.
When writing a novel, plotting may seem like a complicated task, but it ultimately boils down to a single question: What happens next? Considering how a scene impacts the one that follows it will help you to ensure that your novel has a clear structure and an engaging pace. If your characters’ actions don’t logically follow the action that came before them, then you risk losing readers’ attention. As such, it’s important to make sure that your scenes connect logically like dominoes.