ball of wax
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of ball of wax
First recorded in 1950–55
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s the same sort of ball of wax: People getting frustrated, feeling strained and acting out toward others,” said Charis E. Kubrin, a criminologist at the University of California, Irvine.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2022
“Having to deal with ‘Nirvana Inc.’ is a whole different ball of wax than just dealing with Krist, Kurt and Dave.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2020
And you must say though, everything that I have done is all within the entertainment ball of wax.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2020
A: We’re the whole ball of wax as performers and actors, and comedy is kind of a serious thing.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 7, 2016
I feel something in my throat, like a ball of wax, so thick I can barely swallow, barely breathe.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.