ball
- noun
- /bɔl/
- The little lady can't dance, she can't tell any jokes... and she can't balance rubber balls on her little nose.
- ball bearing
- a ball of thread
- ball screw
And then you get the caviar ball nail things in gleam.
- And then you get the caviar ball nail things in gleam.
- In front of you is a split, a ball and a steel ball.
- And then these little wooden balls that smells so good.
- Would you please lay me on the ball, Legend.
Examples
-
It's the original Champions League ball.
-
Could I have some cotton balls for my nose?
-
On the screen, a small, fuzzy, green ball seems to roll up and down in the surf.
Academic text (1994) -
Peppy had found some dust balls behind the piano that she was bent on eating.
Fiction book (1990) -
Gustav, meanwhile, is dribbling the ball semi-spastically, and for a while, I do nothing but watch him.
Fiction book (1991) -
Under the high hedge, a hedgehog rolled itself into a prickly ball at Oscar's approach.
Fiction book (1991) -
In Tale of Genji, diners enjoy tojiki, portable rice balls meant to be eaten outdoors.
Academic text (1994) -
The children played with a round ball in the park.
-
She picked up the ball and threw it to her dog.
-
He made a ball of yarn to use for his knitting project.
Synonyms
A small hard ball with a leather cover used in the sport played with bats and bases
A ball that is round in soccer or oval in American football
A round ball you pump up and use in the game with a hoop
A round ball of snow made for throwing during play
A round object shaped like a ball
A small hard round thing with dimples that players hit in the game of golf
A round object like the sun or a ball
A small yellow or white ball covered with felt used to play tennis
A round inflated object that players kick with their feet to play soccer
A round ball filled with air used in the game played over a high net
A hard round ball used to play billiards on a table
A round mass of yarn made for knitting or crocheting
A small round piece of melon made with a scoop
A large lightweight plastic ball used for fun at the beach or pool
A small rubber ball used in a fast game played in a court with four walls
A round object like a ball or glass ornament
A heavy round metal ball fired from a cannon in the past
Idioms
- Informal
In a difficult situation with little chance to make things better
- Informal
Leave a game or group angrily because you did not get your way
Compounds
- Specialized
A device with small metal balls that helps machine parts move with less rubbing
- Jargon
A pitch that curves as it moves toward the batter because the pitcher throws it with spin
- Formal
A formal party where guests wear masks and costumes to hide who they are
- Specialized
A basketball way where the referee tosses the ball between two players who jump to tap it to a teammate
- Specialized
A hammer with one flat face and one rounded end used to shape metal and drive rivets
A player in football or rugby who holds the ball and tries to move forward to score
- UK
A ball bowled against the rules that gives the batting team a free hit on the next ball
A heavy ball in the Italian game of bocce that players roll to get close to the small target ball
- Specialized
A ball hit by the batter that lands between the foul lines and is in play
A small round piece of chewing gum with a hard colored sugar coating often sold in vending machines
- Specialized
A disease caused by a fungus that makes cottony growths on cranberries
- Specialized
A joint where a round bone end fits into a cup, allowing movement in many directions
- Specialized
A valve with a floating ball that controls the water level in a toilet tank
- Slang
A player who often steals or catches the ball from the other team to help their team
- Specialized
A device that controls the flow of water or gas using a round ball inside
- Jargon
A player who tries to win alone in important moments instead of trusting teammates
- Specialized
A baseball pitch thrown much slower than expected to surprise a batter
- Canadian
A small ball of mashed potato made with salted cod and often breaded and fried
- UK
A valuable underground mushroom that chefs use to give food a strong, earthy taste
- Specialized
A small metal case that contains a bullet and enough powder to fire it
- Indian
A small plant with delicate feathery leaves from tropical Asia often grown in shaded gardens
- Jargon
Skill in catching the ball from opponents during a game, especially in football or basketball
- US
A prickly weed with pale yellow flowers and yellow berry-like fruit found in the southeastern United States
A rough prickly weed with pale yellow flowers and small yellow berries that can be poisonous
How Round
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ball This meaning of ball comes from the same old word for 'round thing' and was used when people wound yarn into a neat round 'ball', so a 'ball of yarn' is a round bundle.