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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Ball \\ˈbȯl\\ biographical nameJohn died 1381 English priest & social agitator
ball \\ˈbȯl\\ noun USAGE often attributive
ETYMOLOGY Middle English bal, probably from Old English * beall; akin to Old English bealluc testis, Old High German balla ball, Old Norse bǫllr, Old English blāwan to blow — more at blow
DATE 13th century
1. a round or roundish body or mass: as a. a spherical or ovoid body used in a game or sport a tennis ball — used figuratively in phrases like the ball is in your court to indicate who has the responsibility or opportunity for further action b. earth , globe c. a spherical or conical projectile; also : projectiles used in firearms d. a roundish protuberant anatomical structure (as near the tip of a human finger or toe or at the base of a thumb); especially : the part of the sole of the human foot between the toes and arch on which the main weight of the body rests in normal walking2. a. often vulgar : testis b. plural (1)often vulgar : nonsense — often used interjectionally (2)often vulgar : nerve 3 3. a game in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or struck; also : quality of play in such a game4. a. a pitch not swung at by the batter that fails to pass through the strike zone b. a hit or thrown ball in various games foul ball • • • - on the ball verb DATE 1658
transitive verb1. to form or gather into a ball balled the paper into a wad2. usually vulgar : to have sexual intercourse with intransitive verb1. to form or gather into a ball2. usually vulgar : to engage in sexual intercourse noun ETYMOLOGY French bal, from Old French, from baller to dance, from Late Latin ballare, from Greek ballizein
DATE circa 1639
1. a large formal gathering for social dancing2. a very pleasant experience : a good time everyone had a ball at the wedding
ball 1. ball (1) "round object," O.E., from O.N. bollr "ball," from P.Gmc. *balluz ( cf. O.H.G. ballo, Ger. Ball), from PIE base *bhel- (2) "to swell" (see bole). The verb meaning "copulate" is first recorded 1940s in jazz slang. To be on the ball is 1912, from sports. Ball-point pen first recorded 1947. Ball of fire when first recorded in 1821 referred to "a glass of brandy;" as "spectacularly successful striver" it is c.1900. Ball and chain as a prisoner's restraint is recorded from 1835; as "one's wife," early 1920s. 2. ball (2) "dancing party," 1630s, from Fr., from O.Fr
http://O.Fr . baller "to dance," from L.L. ballare "to dance," from Gk. ballizein "to dance, jump about" (see ballistics). Hence, "very enjoyable time," 1945, Amer.Eng.slang, perhaps back to 1930s in black slang.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishball
noun costume, fancy dress, masked 1 round object in games We're going to a masked ball. ADJ. billiard, cricket, golf, rugby, VERB + BALL have, hold, organize tennis, etc. | beach | match, We're organizing a charity ball. | practice attend, go to VERB + BALL play with | bat, blast, BALL + NOUN gown bounce, bowl, chip, dribble, ADJ. at a/the ~ She met him at head, hit, kick, roll, strike, throw The kids love to kick a ball against my wall.the college ball. | clear, cross, pass | catch, stop He caught the ball. | control, trap | chase She chased the ball all over the pitch. | retrieve, run down | return The fielders try to retrieve the ball quickly and return it to the bowler. | miss The goalkeeper missed the ball. | drop, let go of Oh no! He's dropped the ball. | handle | give away, lose | win | retain BALL + VERB fly, go, roll, sail The ball flew over the bar into the sea of Middlesbrough fans. The ball's gone over the fence. | hit, land The ball hit the wall and rolled along the road. | bounce, rebound BALL + NOUN game | control, skills His ball control was excellent.
• Special page at Special page-SPORT
2 kick/hit of a ball ADJ. good, great, superb | bad, loose | high, low He sent over a high ball. | long, short | quick, slow | cross, through a superb through ball from John Scott | hand He was penalized for hand ball. VERB + BALL play, send | pick up, pounce on, punish He pounced on a loose ball and scored. PREP. ~ from a great ball from Beckham 3 round object like a ball ADJ. tight | fiery The sun was a fiery ball, low on the hills. | crystal (= used for telling fortunes) Without a crystal ball it's impossible to say where we'll be next year. | cannon, musket
VERB + BALL curl/roll (up) into The little girl curled up into a ball in her mother's arms. | form/make sth into, roll/screw sth (up) into, shape sth into He screwed the letter up into a tight ball. PHRASES a ball of fire/flame, a ball of string/wool PHRASES a ball and chain (figurative) The responsibility was a ball and chain around my ankle. 3 party ADJ. college, charity, hunt | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ ballball / bC:l / noun1. a round object used for throwing, hitting or kicking in games and sports 球: a golf / tennis / cricket ball 高尔夫球；网球；板球 Bounce the ball and try and hit it over the net. 让球反弹起来,然后试把它打过网。 2. a round object or a thing that has been formed into a round shape 球状物: The sun was a huge ball of fire low on the horizon. 落在地平线上的太阳像个大火球。 a ball of string 一团线 Some animals roll themselves into a ball for protection. 有些动物蜷缩成一团以保护自己。 3. a kick, hit or throw of the ball in some sports 踢出(或击出、投出)的一球: He sent over a high ball. 他投了一个高球。 4. (in baseball 棒球) a throw by the pitcher that the batter does not have to hit because it is not accurate (投手投出的)坏球5. ~ of the foot / hand the part underneath the big toe or the thumb 拇指球；大脚趾球；鱼际；跖球6. [usually pl.] ( taboo, informal) a testicle 睾丸⇨ see also balls 7. a large formal party with dancing (大型正式的)舞会 IDIOMS ▪ a 7ball and 'chain (BrE) a problem that prevents you from doing what you would like to do 羁绊；障碍▪ the ball is in your / sb's 'court it is your / sb's responsibility to take action next (球已经丢给你了)下一步就看你的了: They've offered me the job, so the ball's in my court now. 他们已答应把那份工作给我,下一步就看我怎么办了。 ▪ a 7ball of 'fire ( informal) a person who is full of energy and enthusiasm 精力充沛热情洋溢的人；生龙活虎的人；朝气蓬勃的人▪ get / set / start / keep the ball 'rolling to make sth start happening; to make sure that sth continues to happen 开始某事；继续某事▪ have a 'ball ( informal) to enjoy yourself a lot 狂欢；玩得痛快▪ have something / a lot on the 'ball (US, informal) to be capable of doing a job very well; to be intelligent 有能耐；有才智▪ (be) on the 'ball to be aware of and understand what is happening and able to react quickly 敏锐；机警: The new publicity manager is really on the ball. 新任宣传部经理的确精明干练。 ▪ play 'ball (with sb) ( informal) to be willing to work with other people in a helpful way, especially so that sb can get what they want (和某人)合作▪ the whole ball of 'wax (NAmE, informal) the whole thing; everything 整个；全部；一切: I panicked, I cried—the whole ball of wax. 我惊慌失措,我大喊大叫——所有的反应都做了。 ⇨ more at carry v., drop v., eye n. verb1. to form sth or be formed into the shape of a ball 做成球状；使成团块: ▪ [V] Her hands balled into fists. 她双手攥拳。 ▪ [VN] My hands were balled into fists. 我双手攥成拳头。 2. [VN] (NAmE, taboo, slang) (of a man) to have sex with a woman (指男性)和(女性)交媾
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Search result show the entry is found in: Skee-Ball
ballI. \ˈbȯl\ noun( -s) Etymology: Middle English bal, from Old Norse böllr akin to Old English bealluc testis, Old High German balla ball, Old English bula bull — more at bull 1. : a round or roundish body or mass: as a. : a spherical or ovoid body of any kind for throwing, hitting, or kicking in games or sports < the baseball player knocked the ball down the third-base line > < kick the ball over the goalposts > b. : a celestial body : earth , globe c. : any of various spherical, rounded, or conical missiles or projectiles (as for a catapult, cannon, or firearm); also : projectiles used in firearms : bullets < powder and ball > d. : a roundish protuberant part of the body: as (1) : the rounded eminence by which the base of the thumb is continuous with the palm of the hand (2) : the rounded broad part of the sole of the human foot between toes and arch and on which the main weight of the body first rests in normal walking; also : the corresponding part of a shoe or of a last (3) : the padded rounded underside of a human finger or toe near the tip e. : eyeball f. : a ball-shaped dabber made usually of pelt stuffed with wool and fastened to a handle and formerly used by printers for inking a form g. : a mandrel upon which steel piping is welded by concave rolls h. : ball bearing i. : testis — usually considered vulgar j. : a spherical architectural ornament often hollow and of considerable size crowning a cupola or dome k. : a small globose fruit or seed pod : seed ball l. : the compact mass of earth and roots often tightly bound (as with burlap) and moved with a transplanted tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant m. : a solidified mass of iron in the manufacture of wrought iron intimately mixed with siliceous slag and being the result of puddling or of pouring molten refined iron into slag n. : a large pill (as one used in veterinary medicine) : bolus o. (1) : a ball-shaped mass (as of candy, pastry, vegetable, minced fish, or meat) (2) : a small rounded mass ranging in consistency from soft to hard and formed when sugar is boiled to a certain temperature and then quickly chilled 2. : a game in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or struck; especially : baseball < play ball for two hours >3. a. : the delivery of the ball (as in baseball) < a fast ball > < a curve ball > b. : a pitched baseball not struck at by the batter that fails to pass through the strike zone < a count of three balls and two strikes > c. cricket : a fair delivery of the ball by bowling — opposed to no ball; compare wide 4. slang : fellow , character < this narrator … is an odd ball indeed — Hollis Alpert >5. balls plural [from plural of ball (testis)] : nonsense — often used interjectionally to express disapproval or annoyance; often considered vulgar 6. : main authority over or direction of an enterprise or activity : responsibility < to take the ball away from the incompetent director and give it to a new man >• - get the ball rolling - keep the ball rolling - on the ball II. verb( -ed/-ing/-s) transitive verb1. : to form into a ball: as a. : to squeeze into a more or less compact mass < balling each sheet of paper into a wad before throwing it away > — often used with up b. : to wind up (as string) upon itself c. : to form (as molten iron) into balls in the manufacture of wrought iron d. : to cluster densely about (the queen bee) — used of bees 2. : to clog (the hoof of an animal) with balls < the pony's hoofs got badly balled in the mud >3. : to compact a ball of earth about (a tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant or its roots) for storing or transporting 4. : to give a medicinal ball to (as a horse) intransitive verb: to form, gather, collect, or pack into a ball or balls < the stallion's right forefoot balled with snow and sand — W.V.T.Clark > < the boiled sugar balled when dropped into cold water > < smaller shotgun pellets liable to ball in the barrel >— often used with up < danger of the stuff balling up, i. e. the fibers clot up into small inseparable balls of fiber — F.H.Norris >• - ball the jack III. noun( -s) Etymology: French bal, from Old French, from baller to dance, from Late Latin ballare, from Greek ballizein; akin to Sanskrit balbalīti he whirls 1. : a large formal gathering for social dancing 2. : a good time : picnic < a fairly monstrous cowboy actor in from the Coast for a ball — Gilbert Millstein > < it's a ball for a while, but it's no life to lead — David Hulburd >IV. nounballs plural : nerve 3b c — often considered vulgar < don't have enough balls to try out their new material in front of a real audience — East Village Other >V. verbEtymology: ball (I) (testis) transitive verb: to have sexual intercourse with — usually considered vulgar intransitive verb: to have sexual intercourse — usually considered vulgar
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