Jump To:

• ball
  ball

  noun

  a spherical or approximately spherical body or shape; sphere.
• Ball
  Ball

  noun

  George W(ildman) 1909–1994, U.S. lawyer, investment banker, and government official.

ball

¹ American  

[bawl] / bɔl /

noun

1. a spherical or approximately spherical body or shape; sphere.

   He rolled the piece of paper into a ball.

2. a round or roundish body, of various sizes and materials, either hollow or solid, for use in games, as baseball, football, tennis, or golf.

3. a game played with a ball, especially baseball.

   The boys are out playing ball.

4. Baseball. a pitched ball, not swung at by the batter, that does not pass over home plate between the batter's shoulders and knees.

5. Military.

   1. a solid, usually spherical projectile for a cannon, rifle, pistol, etc., as distinguished from a shell.

   2. projectiles, especially bullets, collectively.

6. any part of a thing, especially of the human body, that is rounded or protuberant.

   the ball of the thumb.

7. a round mass of food, as of chopped meat, dough, or candy.

8. Slang: Vulgar. Usually balls. a testicle.

9. Slang: Vulgar. balls,

   1. boldness; courage; brashness.

      She had the balls to ignore her critics and stand up for what was right.

   2. nonsense (often used as an interjection).

10. bolus.

11. Horticulture. a compact mass of soil covering the roots of an uprooted tree or other plant.

12. Literary. a planetary or celestial body, especially the earth.

13. Mathematics. (in a metric space) the set of points whose distance from the zero element is less than, or less than or equal to, a specified number.

---

verb (used with object)

• balls,
  present (3rd person singular)
• balled,
  past participle,  past
• balling
  present participle

1. to make into a ball (sometimes followed byup ).

   The children were balling up snow to make a snowman.

2. to wind into balls.

   to ball cotton.

3. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)

• balls,
  present (3rd person singular)
• balled,
  past participle,  past
• balling
  present participle

1. to form or gather into a ball.

   When the spun sugar balls, the candy has cooked sufficiently.

2. to play basketball.

   There’s no doubt the kid can ball, but the recruiters are also aware that he’s barely passing his math and science classes.

3. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.

verb phrase

1. ball up to make or become utterly confused; muddle.

   The records had been all balled up by inefficient file clerks.

idioms

1. start the ball rolling, to put into operation; begin.

   The recreation director started the ball rolling by having all the participants introduce themselves.

2. carry the ball, to assume the responsibility; bear the burden.

   You can always count on him to carry the ball in an emergency.

3. play ball,

   1. to begin or continue playing a game.

   2. to start or continue any action.

   3. to work together; cooperate.

      union leaders suspected of playing ball with racketeers.

4. keep the ball rolling, to continue or give renewed vigor to an activity already under way.

   When their interest lagged, he tried to keep the ball rolling.

5. drop the ball, to make a mistake or miss an opportunity at a critical moment.

6. on the ball,

   1. alert and efficient or effective.

      If you don't get on the ball, you'll be fired.

   2. indicating intelligence or ability.

      The tests show your students don't have much on the ball. The new manager has a lot on the ball.

7. ball the jack,

   1. to act with speed.

   2. to stake everything on one attempt.

8. run with the ball, to assume responsibility or work enthusiastically.

   If management approves the concept, we'll run with the ball.

ball ² American  

[bawl] / bɔl /

noun

1. a large, usually lavish, formal party featuring social dancing and sometimes given for a particular purpose, as to introduce debutantes or benefit a charitable organization.

2. Informal. a thoroughly good time.

   Have a ball on your vacation!

3. a competitive event in ballroom culture, featuring categories of fashion, performance, and dance.

---

Ball ³ American  

[bawl] / bɔl /

noun

1. George W(ildman) 1909–1994, U.S. lawyer, investment banker, and government official.

2. John, died 1381, English priest: one of the leaders of Wat Tyler's peasants' revolt in 1381.

3. Lucille, 1911–89, U.S. actress.

---

ball ¹ British  

/ bɔːl /

noun

1. a spherical or nearly spherical body or mass

   a ball of wool

2. a round or roundish body, either solid or hollow, of a size and composition suitable for any of various games: football, golf, billiards, etc

3. a ball propelled in a particular way in a sport

   a high ball

4. any of various rudimentary games with a ball

   to play ball

5. cricket a single delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman

6. baseball a single delivery of the ball by a pitcher outside certain limits and not swung at by the batter

7. 1. a solid nonexplosive projectile for a firearm Compare shell

   2. such projectiles collectively

8. any more or less rounded part or protuberance

   the ball of the foot

9. slang a testicle See balls

10. vet science another word for bolus

11. horticulture the hard mass of roots and earth removed with the rest of the plant during transplanting

12. a very strong, fit, or forceful person

13. to have the chance of doing something

14. to maintain the progress of a project, plan, etc

15. informal alert; informed

16. informal to cooperate

17. to open or initiate (an action, discussion, movement, etc)

18. you are obliged to make the next move

---

verb

1. (tr) to make, form, wind, etc, into a ball or balls

   to ball wool

2. (intr) to gather into a ball or balls

3. taboo to copulate (with)

ball ² British  

/ bɔːl /

noun

1. a social function for dancing, esp one that is lavish or formal

2. informal a very enjoyable time (esp in the phrase have a ball )

---

Ball ³ British  

/ bɔːl /

noun

1. John . died 1381, English priest: executed as one of the leaders of the Peasants' Revolt (1381)

---

ball More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing ball

• behind the eight ball
• break one's balls
• by the balls
• carry the ball
• crystal ball
• drop the ball
• eyeball to eyeball
• get the ball rolling
• have a ball
• have one's eye on the ball
• have someone by the balls
• on the ball
• play ball
• put in mothballs
• snowball's chance in hell
• that's how the ball bounces
• whole ball of wax

---

Usage

Sense 9 of this word was formerly considered to be taboo, and it was labelled as such in previous editions of Collins English Dictionary . However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• baller
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• balling
  present
• balled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• ball
  simple
• balls
  simple
• have balled
  perfect
• has balled
  perfect
• am balling
  progressive
• are balling
  progressive
• is balling
  progressive
• have been balling
  perfect progressive
• has been balling
  perfect progressive

Past

• balled
  simple
• had balled
  perfect
• was balling
  progressive
• were balling
  progressive
• had been balling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will ball
  simple
• will have balled
  perfect
• will be balling
  progressive
• will have been balling
  perfect progressive

---

Etymology

Origin of ball¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English bal, balle, probably from Old English beall (unattested), from Germanic ballaz (unattested); compare Old Norse bǫllr, Old High German bal, ballo, balla, German Ball, Dutch bal; perhaps akin to Latin follis “leather bag, bellows”; see ballocks

Origin of ball²

First recorded in 1600–10; from French bal, noun derivative of baler (now baller ) “to dance,” from Late Latin ballāre, from Greek (Magna Graecia) ballízein “to dance”

---

Explanation

Always round, often bouncy, a ball is a vital part of many games and sports, from soccer to four square to ping pong. The most common ball is the kind you hit, kick, bat, or duck and avoid on a playground, court, or field. In fact, most sports involve a ball in one way or another. Another fun kind of ball is a grand party that usually includes dancing, food, live music, and guests dressed up in glamorous clothing. These two meanings have different origins — the "fancy dance" kind of ball comes from a Greek root, ballizein, "to dance or jump about."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ball Ball balls balled balling

The ball flies through to Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs, who punches it to safety.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

See, what happened was that his crystal ball was misfiring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

With the ball repeatedly getting soft as innings wore on, wicket-taking became more difficult.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

Children splashed in the fountain and played with a soccer ball as the mayoral hopeful introduced herself to voters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

I did the same thing, wadding the dirty uniform up into a ball.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

With Ball beginning a new chapter in Minnesota, his former Charlotte home is now seeking a new owner willing to pay $2.6 million for a place inside one of the city’s most exclusive boutique buildings.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

The move paired Ball with fellow star Anthony Edwards, creating a new backcourt combination for the Western Conference franchise.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Ball went on to become one of Charlotte’s most recognizable players, building his professional career with the franchise before being traded to Minnesota during the 2026 offseason.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

BY NOW Jesse Cole’s creation of Banana Ball is a business world legend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

Another Louisiana man, Johnny Lee Ball, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after meeting with a public defender for just eleven minutes before trial.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

After lunch, and ironically given Warner's words, Australia changed tack completely, with Cummins facing 40 balls before scoring a run as he abandoned any thought of victory with two sessions to go.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

The ABS challenge system to check balls and strikes—I really thought that would be a drag—became riveting theater.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

It isn’t cool, per se, but remains an entity that demolishes traditional cultural standards, be they incongruous high-end finishes and fixtures or burgers topped with fried macaroni and cheese balls and cheddar sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Players passed balls around as they attempted to stay warm during the delay, while supporters inside the stadium booed.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

The old abandoned radar facility that looked like two giant golf balls.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

The Chinese space effort, by contrast, is “all balled up—security, military, all together, all in one.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

I balled my hands into fists and stretched my arms out and up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2025

Workers balled up bread for bait and threw lines over the side of the platform.

From Slate ● Dec. 16, 2023

And on the desk, near the room phone and a stamped envelope, a letter is balled up.

From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2023

I glanced over at Regan, but her hands were balled into tight fists at her sides, her eyes squeezed shut as though she was waiting for a bus to hit her.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

"It's all dog, all the time," he said of Roscoe's balling talents.

From Barron's ● May 10, 2026

They are local heroes in brilliant yellow who have risen from the brink of bankruptcy to balling like a frost-kissed Brazil.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

“I’m telling you!” she cried, balling up her fists.

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2024

“He’s balling, man. He’s showing some crazy stuff. He’s really developed,” offensive lineman Sam Cosmi said.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 13, 2023

I tried to speak clear, my voice balling up like a piece of paper.

From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---