ball¹ Definition
ball (bôl)
noun
- any round, or spherical, object; sphere; globe
- a planet or star, esp. the earth
- a round or egg-shaped object used in various games
- any of several such games, esp. baseball
- a throw or pitch of a ball
- a solid missile or projectile for a cannon or firearm
- such projectiles for firearms, collectively
- a rounded part of the body the ball of the foot
- Slang
- Vulgar a testicle: usually used in pl.
- daring or courage
- ☆ 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
- 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
- to form into a ball
- Slang, Vulgar to have sexual intercourse (with)
ball¹ Idioms
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
- ☆ to begin or resume playing a ballgame
- ☆ to begin or resume any activity
- ☆ Informal to cooperate
ball² Definition
ball (bôl)
noun
- a formal social dance
- 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.
A spherical body
globe, spheroid, sphere, balloon, orb, perisphere, globule, globular or rounded or spherical or orbicular object, drop, knot, marble, pellet, glob, pill*. A game played with a ball
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*. * Missile for a gun
bullet, shell, lead; see ammunition, shot 2.A dance
grand ball, dance, promenade, reception; see dance 2, party 1.
carry the ball*
get<strong> <em>or</em> </strong>keep the ball rolling*
have a ball</em> revel, have fun, celebrate; see enjoy oneself, play</em> 1. on the ball*
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.
Browse dictionary entries near ball
- ‹ balky
- ‹ balkline
- ‹ Balkhash
- ‹ Balkh
- ‹ Balkans
- ‹ Balkanize
- ‹ Balkan Peninsula
- ‹ Balkan Mountains
- ‹ Balkan
- ‹ balk

