ball Hear it!

ball¹ Definition

ball (bôl)

noun

  1. any round, or spherical, object; sphere; globe
  2. a planet or star, esp. the earth
    1. a round or egg-shaped object used in various games
    2. any of several such games, esp. baseball
  4. a throw or pitch of a ball
    1. a solid missile or projectile for a cannon or firearm
    2. such projectiles for firearms, collectively
  6. a rounded part of the body the ball of the foot
  7. Slang
    1. Vulgar a testicle: usually used in pl.
    2. daring or courage
  8. ☆ Baseball a pitch that is wide of the plate or goes above the armpit (or shoulder in slow-pitch softball) or below the knee of the batter, who does not swing at it: four balls allow the batter to go to first base
  9. Hort. the roots of a plant, bound and packed for shipping

Etymology: ME bal < OE *beallu < IE base *bhel-, to swell > bowl, bladder, ON bǫllr, OHG balla, Gr phallos, L follis & flare

intransitive verb, transitive verb

  1. to form into a ball
  2. Slang, Vulgar to have sexual intercourse (with)

ball¹ Idioms

ball up

Etymology: see bollix

☆ Slang to muddle or bungle

be on the ball

☆

Slang to be alert; be efficient

carry the ball

☆

Informal to assume responsibility; take command

get (or keep) the ball rolling

☆

Informal to start (or maintain) some action

have something on the ball

☆

Slang to have ability

play ball

  1. ☆ to begin or resume playing a ballgame
  2. ☆ to begin or resume any activity
  3. ☆ Informal to cooperate

ball² Definition

ball (bôl)

noun

  1. a formal social dance
  2. Slang an enjoyable time, event, or experience

Etymology: Fr bal < OFr baller, to dance < LL ballare < Gr ballein, to throw (with sense of ballizein, to dance, jump about) < IE base *gwel-, to drip, spring forth, throw > Ger quelle, a spring

Ball Definition

Ball (bôl)

Ball, John died 1381; Eng. priest: executed as an instigator of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381

ball Synonyms

ball

n.

  1. A spherical body

    globe, spheroid, sphere, balloon, orb, perisphere, globule, globular or rounded or spherical or orbicular object, drop, knot, marble, pellet, glob, pill*.

  2. A game played with a ball

    baseball, football, catch; see sport 3.

  3. In baseball, a pitch that is not swung at and is not a strike

    wild pitch, inside pitch, outside pitch, wide one*, high baby*, duster*, insider*. *

  4. Missile for a gun

    bullet, shell, lead; see ammunition, shot 2.

  5. A dance

    grand ball, dance, promenade, reception; see dance 2, party 1.

carry the ball*

assume responsibility, take command, take control, bear the burden; see lead 1, manage 1.

get<strong> <em>or</em> </strong>keep the ball rolling*

initiate action, get underway, maintain action, carry on; see begin 1, continue 1.

have a ball</em> revel, have fun, celebrate; see enjoy oneself, play</em> 1. on the ball*

skilled, alert, efficient, with-it*; see able 1, 2, observant 1, responsible 2.

ball Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • kick: With all his might, he kicked the ball straight at the goal.
  • throw: Throw the first ball then throw & pass at the same time.
  • hit: He hits the ball with all that he's got.
  • knock: It can knock a ball across the court which, even at full run, you will not be able to return.
  • flick: It took Sir Parke 11 flicking match balls to win the match.
  • bounce: And an international who doesn't deal with a bouncing ball in the middle of the park?

Preposition: into

net: At times in the first half we seemed to want to literally walk the ball into the net.

Adjective modifier

  • loose: A shot from Andy Baird was parried by Michael Parkin and the loose ball found Howard Forinton who shot into the net.
  • through: Smith cut in from midfield and his through ball to the right flank suddenly cut through the Ciren defense.

Modifies a noun

  • bearing: The head, wheel slot and ball bearing axle are hardened to minimize wear.
  • rolling: To get the ball rolling, the company is looking to recruit 12 parents to join the group.
  • gown: In her glittering ball gown, Holly was the center of attention all night long.

Noun used with modifier

  • tennis: A Jack Russell terrier tolerated the visitors, provided he was kept busy racing after a thrown tennis ball.
  • crystal: The beautiful crystal balls appear to defy the laws of physics, creating the magical illusion that they are floating in mid air.
  • golf: I'll unwind the world like a rubber band on a golf ball 's insides every morning, put it back together every night.
  • cue: His specialty is his finger spinning where he pots ball by spinning the cue ball in his fingers rather that using a cue.
  • cannon: Now Issac started thinking about a cannons, now he knew that the faster you fired the cannon ball the further it went.
  • billiard: It's like having two hard billiard balls, and you surround one with a wooly cloth cover.

Preposition: of

innings: Paul and Guss, getting Guss run out for a diamond duck in just the second ball of the innings!

Preposition: with

four: His century coming off 110 balls with 11 fours.