balls

British  

/ bɔːlz /

plural noun

1. the testicles

2. so as to be rendered powerless

3. nonsense; rubbish

4. courage; forcefulness

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interjection

1. an exclamation of strong disagreement, contempt, annoyance, etc

Usage

Both its anatomical senses and its various extended senses nowadays have far less impact than they used to, and seem unlikely to cause offence, though some older or more conservative people may object. Interestingly, its use in the sense of courage is exactly paralleled in the Spanish term «cojones»

Example Sentences

"You make your own luck in things like the high balls and winning the scraps on the floor and running, obviously, through tackles and ourselves missing tackles," he told reporters.

From Barron's

Bat bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, pulling the collar of his shirt into his mouth and sucking on the fabric.

From Literature

Dishes of bean cakes and rice balls had been placed on the altar shelf for ghostly visitors.

From Literature

Yet for as long as Smith-Njigba can remember, he has excelled at tracking down balls.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two drummers were leaned against canoes, their drums held fast between their ankles, hitting alternately with the balls of their palms and the flats of their hands—Low, high; low, low, high, went the beat.

From Literature

Related Words

• arrogance
• audacity
• boldness
• gall