ball
- noun
- /bɔl/
- Keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
- ball of the foot
- ball-and-socket joint
Examples
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Each team starts by throwing their ball as far away from the other team as possible.
-
Wide awake now, she tucked herself into a ball and made a helmet of her hands.
Fiction book (1997) -
Okay, you hold the ball with this hand.
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I curl up into a small ball at the bottom of the bed.
Fiction book (1993) -
And then there's the ball and the sole of your foot.
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Apply it near the tear ducts and on the ball of your eyelids.
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For their participation, each child received a T-shirt and goody bag with a pedometer, ball, Frisbee, and whistle.
Academic text (2014) -
When running, it is important to push off using the ball of your foot to maximize speed.
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The doctor examined the ball of my foot to diagnose the pain I was experiencing.
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Athletes often shift their weight to the ball of their foot for better balance.
Synonyms
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 Rounded
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ball The 'ball' in 'ball of the foot' comes from the old word for 'round thing', naming the rounded pad at the base of your toes because it is a small, round part of the body.