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.

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verb (used with object)

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)

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!

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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.

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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

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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 )

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Ball ³ British  

/ bɔːl /

noun

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

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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

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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

• baller noun

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”; 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”

Example Sentences

“I’m a wrecking ball to the status quo,” he said in one post.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

He was inches from making birdie in the shootout, unlucky that his ball did not tumble down the slope to the hole-side in the same way as McIlroy's approach managed to do.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

That proved costly less than a minute later when Markanich, racing up the center, got behind Galaxy defender Mauricio Cuevas to corral a long ball from Joaquín Pereyra, then beat keeper JT Marcinkowski cleanly.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

This was a very different Orbán from the man whose ex-football trainer once highlighted his ability to "think on the ball".

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

This gave Jonah a chance to grab the ball again.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix