to have a ball
31
6.5
- idiom
- Informal
:
pasárselo en grande
- Otis had condemned the picture as the lowest form of commercial photography, but they'd had a ball dressing up.
- Go have a ball
- kids have a ball
- Let's have a ball
You know, my mom's still around and she, she's having a ball some days.
- You know, my mom's still around and she, she's having a ball some days.
- The final question is, let's have a ball.
- At the end of my days, I am really tired, but I am having a ball.
- I'd known John and Richard Thomas forever and we just, we just had a ball.
- The first date they both dressed up in costumes and went and hung out and laughed and had a ball and and just had a total blast of a time.
Examples
-
Everybody's having a ball and everything seems easy.
-
We had a fantastic time at the amusement park; everyone was having a ball.
-
I know that we'll have a ball
-
You must have had a ball.
-
Something tells me we're gonna have a ball.
-
You and Mary will have a ball.
Fiction book (1994) -
Everyone is dancing and having a ball.
Fiction book (2002) -
We've been having a ball together.
-
I'm having a ball.
-
I love firsties, but I am having a ball with my Fab 4s!
Blog text (13)
Synonyms
504
1.4
To enjoy yourself at an event or activity
41
5.2
To enjoy yourself a lot
13
1.6
Enjoy something funny and laugh with others
12
9.6
To live in a very rich and showy way
3
7.2
To have fun and forget your worries
1
9.6
To enjoy yourself by behaving in a lively, playful way
Enjoy yourself a lot
How Fun
- Informal
29
3.7
- Informal
41
5.2
- Informal
31
6.5
504
1.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase links 'have' (to experience) with 'ball' in the sense of a social dance/party, so if a learner knows the sense of 'ball' as an event where people enjoy themselves, the meaning 'to have a lot of fun' is partially derivable. However, that celebratory sense of 'ball' is cultural/idiomatic and many B1 learners who only know the literal 'ball' (a spherical object) would not predict the idiomatic use, so the expression is not fully transparent.
Etymology
The idiom have a ball may come from the past when ball meant a dance or party. If you 'have a ball' you were enjoying that party, so today the phrase means 'to have a lot of fun'.