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Synonyms

ball of fire

American  

noun

  1. a dynamic person capable of or displaying rapid and highly effective thought, action, etc..

    The new manager turned out to be a ball of fire.
ball of fire British  

noun

  1. informal a very lively person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ball of fire Idioms  

  1. A dynamic, energetic, and successful individual, as in I hope Pat joins us; she's a real ball of fire. [Slang; early 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of ball of fire

First recorded in 1815–25

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.

He has also pledged to clean up politics and hinted at legal reforms, promising to take to the task "like a ball of fire".

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2023

“It was a ball of fire, 30 or 40 feet high, never seen anything like it,” said Guenther.

From Reuters • Nov. 23, 2023

Local news broadcasts showed a large ball of fire at the plant followed by large plumes of black smoke.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 22, 2023

“There is literally a ball of fire inside of her,” said Juvonen.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2023

In Eleanor's head, he burst open the door by hurling a ball of fire at it.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.