balls
Britishplural noun
-
the testicles
-
so as to be rendered powerless
-
nonsense; rubbish
-
courage; forcefulness
interjection
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Surrey all-rounder, who took a hat-trick in the first match of the series, reached his half-century from 44 balls, batting steadily on a worn pitch.
From BBC
The contest hung in the balance heading into the 18th over with Sri Lanka needing 21 runs off 18 balls with four wickets in hand but the part-time spin of Bethel turned the game.
From Barron's
Ahmed made partial amends by again giving England's innings some late impetus with another cameo as he finished unbeaten on 28 off 26 balls.
From BBC
Under Law 4.1 junior and women's cricket balls now have tighter, standardized size and weight limits with three overall categories for the sport - sizes 1, 2, and 3 - ensuring consistency across all levels.
From BBC
As a kicker, “Melania” observes its central couple politely nodding goodnight after they come home from three inauguration balls, making it clear that the couple prefers separate bedrooms.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
