ball bearing

American  

noun

Machinery.

1. a bearing consisting of a number of hard balls running in grooves in the surfaces of two concentric rings, one of which is mounted on a rotating or oscillating shaft or the like.

2. any of the balls so used.

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ball bearing British  

noun

1. a bearing consisting of a number of hard steel balls rolling between a metal sleeve fitted over the rotating shaft and an outer sleeve held in the bearing housing, so reducing friction between moving parts while providing support for the shaft

2. a metal ball, esp one used in such a bearing

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ball bearing Scientific  

1. A ring-shaped track containing hard metal balls that roll freely, used to reduce friction where a rotating element (such as an axle) is attached to a fixed point.

2. A hard ball used in such a track.

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Other Word Forms

• ball-bearing adjective

Etymology

Origin of ball bearing

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Blind cricket is played with a white plastic ball packed with ball bearings that rattle as it rolls -- which allows it to be heard by players.

From Barron's

The white plastic ball, the size of a tennis ball, is packed with ball bearings that rattle as it rolls.

From Barron's

Blind cricket relies on a sharp ear, as players must detect a white plastic ball -- the size of a tennis ball -- filled with ball bearings that rattle as it moves.

From Barron's

In his house, investigators say, they found ball bearings and a slingshot.

From Los Angeles Times

Residents of North Enid Avenue in Azusa, Calif., would find a broken window in their house or car and a telltale ball bearing nearby.

From New York Times