to ball
- verb
- /bɔl/
- Bending forward, I try to scrub off my mascara with my balled-up paper towel.
From what I've found, it's just sticky and it balls up into little tiny balls.
- From what I've found, it's just sticky and it balls up into little tiny balls.
- Because today we're going to make them all ball.
- It seems rumply somebody balled him up.
Examples
-
Now it's all just kind of balling up and I've got a line here.
-
Sprinkle the shirts and ball them up, and you can go, my mother said.
Fiction book (1994) -
You know, notes and then, like, ball it off and throw it away like they do in the movies.
-
I feel maybe I'll use a little more and it says to ball it into a ball.
-
You gotta ball your fist up, okay?
-
Ball up your fist and put it-- put it up like that.
-
From what I've found, it's just sticky and it balls up into little tiny balls.
-
The mattress was bare except for Doug's sleeping bag, which was balled up and pushed down into a corner.
Fiction book (1991) -
"Are you Mr. McGuirk?" I'll ask, clenching my teeth, balling my fist at my side.
Fiction book (1996) -
After making the dough, she decided to ball it up into a tight shape for baking.
Synonyms
To shape something into a long round form by turning it
To roll rope or yarn into a neat ball
To make something round like a ball
To make something round like a ball
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
Phrasal Verbs
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 Compact
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ball As a verb, to ball something up comes from the noun ball meaning 'round object', so it means to wind or roll things into a round mass.