| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| ball1 |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  bôl |
| NOUN: | 1a. A spherical object or entity: a steel ball. b. A spherical or almost spherical body: a ball of flame. 2. Sports a. Any of various rounded, movable objects used in various athletic activities and games. b. Such an object moving, thrown, hit, or kicked in a particular manner: a low ball; a fair ball. c. A game, especially baseball or basketball, played with such an object. d. A pitched baseball that does not pass through the strike zone and is not swung at by the batter. 3a. A solid spherical or pointed projectile, such as one shot from a cannon. b. Projectiles of this kind considered as a group. 4. A rounded part or protuberance, especially of the body: the ball of the foot. 5. balls Vulgar Slang a. The testicles. b. Courage, especially when reckless. c. Great presumptuousness. | | VERB: | Inflected forms: balled, ball·ing, balls
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To form into a ball. 2. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To become formed into a ball. 2. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse. | | PHRASAL VERB: | ball up To confuse; bungle. | | IDIOM: | on the ball Informal 1. Alert, competent, or efficient: a teacher who is really on the ball. 2. Relating to qualities, such as competence, skill, or knowledge, that are necessary for success: a manager who has a lot on the ball; a student who has nothing on the ball. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English bal, probably from Old English *beall. See bhel-2 in Appendix I.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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