ball : Idioms & Phrases

Index


ball and chain

  • noun heavy iron ball attached to a prisoner by a chain
WordNet

Ball and socket joint

  • a joint in which a ball moves within a socket, so as to admit of motion in every direction within certain limits.
Webster 1913

ball bearing

  • noun bearings containing small metal balls
    ball bearing; needle bearing; roller bearing.
WordNet

Ball bearings

  • noun bearings containing small metal balls
    ball bearing; needle bearing; roller bearing.
WordNet
  • a mechanical device for lessening the friction of axle bearings by means of small loose metal balls.
Webster 1913

ball boy

  • noun a boy who retrieves balls for tennis players
WordNet

ball carrier

  • noun (football) the player who is carrying (and trying to advance) the ball on an offensive play
    runner.
WordNet

Ball cartridge

  • noun a general purpose cartridge having a primer and a ball and a full charge of powder
WordNet
  • a cartridge containing a ball, as distinguished from a blank cartridge, containing only powder.
Webster 1913

ball club

  • noun a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
    club; nine; baseball club.
    • each club played six home games with teams in its own division
WordNet

Ball cock

  • noun floating ball that controls level in a water tank
    ballcock.
WordNet
  • a faucet or valve which is opened or closed by the fall or rise of a ball floating in water at the end of a lever.
Webster 1913

ball fern

  • noun feathery fern of tropical Asia and Malaysia
    squirrel's-foot fern; Davallia Mariesii; Davalia bullata mariesii; Davalia bullata.
WordNet

ball field

  • noun the baseball playing field
    diamond; baseball field.
WordNet

ball game

  • noun a field game played with a ball (especially baseball)
    ballgame.
WordNet

ball gown

  • noun the most formal gown; worn to a ball
WordNet

Ball gudgeon

  • a pivot of a spherical form, which permits lateral deflection of the arbor or shaft, while retaining the pivot in its socket. Knight.
Webster 1913

ball hawk

  • noun a team athlete who is skilled at stealing or catching the ball
WordNet

ball hawking

  • noun a skillful maneuver in catching balls or in stealing the ball from the opposing team
WordNet

Ball lever

  • the lever used in a ball cock.
Webster 1913

ball nettle

  • noun coarse prickly weed having pale yellow flowers and yellow berrylike fruit; common throughout southern and eastern United States
    horse nettle; Solanum carolinense; bull nettle; ball nettle.
WordNet

ball nightshade

  • noun coarse prickly weed having pale yellow flowers and yellow berrylike fruit; common throughout southern and eastern United States
    horse nettle; Solanum carolinense; bull nettle; ball nettle.
WordNet

ball of fire

  • noun a highly energetic and indefatigable person
    human dynamo; fireball; powerhouse.
  • noun someone whose career progresses rapidly
    whizz-kid; go-getter; whiz-kid.
WordNet

Ball of the eye

  • the eye itself, as distinguished from its lids and socket; formerly, the pupil of the eye.
Webster 1913

ball over

  • verb surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off
    take aback; shock; blow out of the water; floor.
    • I was floored when I heard that I was promoted
WordNet

ball up

  • verb make a mess of, destroy or ruin
    muck up; foul up; blow; botch up; botch; bollix; fumble; mishandle; bollocks; bumble; bobble; bollocks up; spoil; bollix up; fuck up; fluff; flub; bodge; muff; louse up; mess up; screw up; bungle.
    • I botched the dinner and we had to eat out
    • the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement
WordNet

Ball valve

  • noun any valve that checks flow by the seating of a ball
WordNet
  • (Mach.), a contrivance by which a ball, placed in a circular cup with a hole in its bottom, operates as a valve.
Webster 1913

Ball vein

  • (Mining), a sort of iron ore, found in loose masses of a globular form, containing sparkling particles.
Webster 1913

ball-and-socket joint

  • noun a freely moving joint in which a sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone
    enarthrodial joint; enarthrosis; spheroid joint; articulatio spheroidea; cotyloid joint.
  • noun a joint that can rotate within a socket
WordNet

ball-breaker

  • noun a demanding woman who destroys men's confidence
    ball-breaker.
  • noun a job or situation that is demanding and arduous and punishing
    ball-breaker.
    • Vietnam was a ball-breaker
WordNet

ball-buster

  • noun a demanding woman who destroys men's confidence
    ball-breaker.
  • noun a job or situation that is demanding and arduous and punishing
    ball-breaker.
    • Vietnam was a ball-breaker
WordNet

ball-flower

Ball"-flow`er noun
Definitions
  1. (Arch.) An ornament resembling a ball placed in a circular flower, the petals of which form a cup round it, -- usually inserted in a hollow molding.
Webster 1913

ball-hawking

  • adjective satellite used of a player skilled in stealing the ball or robbing a batter of a hit
    • a ball-hawking center fielder
WordNet

ball-peen hammer

  • noun a hammer with one round and one flat end; used in working metal
WordNet

ball-shaped

  • adjective satellite having the shape of a sphere or ball
    spherical; globular; global; orbicular; spheric; globose.
    • a spherical object
    • nearly orbicular in shape
    • little globular houses like mud-wasp nests"- Zane Grey
WordNet

balls-up

  • noun something badly botched or muddled
    cockup; mess-up; ballup.
WordNet

base on balls

  • noun (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
    pass; walk.
    • he worked the pitcher for a base on balls
WordNet

be on the ball

  • verb be well-informed
    know the score; be with it; know what's going on; know what's what.
WordNet

beach ball

  • noun large and light ball; for play at the seaside
    beachball.
WordNet

billiard ball

  • noun ball used in playing billiards
WordNet

bocce ball

  • noun wooden ball that is bowled in the Italian game of bocce
    bocce ball; bocci ball.
WordNet

bocci ball

  • noun wooden ball that is bowled in the Italian game of bocce
    bocce ball; bocci ball.
WordNet

boccie ball

  • noun wooden ball that is bowled in the Italian game of bocce
    bocce ball; bocci ball.
WordNet

bosie ball

  • noun a cricket ball bowled as if to break one way that actually breaks in the opposite way
    bosie; wrong 'un; googly.
WordNet

bowling ball

  • noun a large ball with finger holes used in the sport of bowling
    bowl.
WordNet

breaking ball

  • noun a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter
    breaking ball; curve; bender.
WordNet

camphor ball

  • noun a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing
    mothball.
WordNet

Cannon ball

  • noun a solid projectile that in former times was fired from a cannon
    cannonball; round shot.
WordNet
  • strictly, a round solid missile of stone or iron made to be fired from a cannon, but now often applied to a missile of any shape, whether solid or hollow, made for cannon. Elongated and cylindrical missiles are sometimes called bolts; hollow ones charged with explosives are properly called shells.
Webster 1913

Canterbury ball

  • (Bot.), a species of Campanula of several varietes, cultivated for its handsome bell-shaped flowers.
Webster 1913

change-of-pace ball

  • noun a baseball thrown with little velocity when the batter is expecting a fastball
    change-of-pace; off-speed pitch; change-up.
WordNet

codfish ball

  • noun usually made of flaked salt cod and mashed potatoes
    codfish cake.
WordNet

Corn ball

  • a ball of popped corn stuck together with soft candy from molasses or sugar.
Webster 1913

cotton ball

  • noun a fungus disease of cranberries
WordNet

cricket ball

  • noun the ball used in playing cricket
WordNet

croquet ball

  • noun a wooden ball used in playing croquet
WordNet

crystal ball

  • noun a glass or crystal globe used in crystal gazing by fortunetellers
WordNet

cue ball

  • noun the ball that the billiard player or pool player strikes with his cue
WordNet

Cup and ball

  • a familiar toy of children, having a cup on the top of a piece of wood to which, a ball is attached by a cord; the ball, being thrown up, is to be caught in the cup; bilboquet. Milman. -
Webster 1913

curve ball

  • noun a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter
    breaking ball; curve; bender.
WordNet

dirt ball

  • noun a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect
    insect; worm; louse.
WordNet

drop the ball

  • verb commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
    goof; boob; sin; blunder.
    • I blundered during the job interview
WordNet

earth-ball

  • noun any of various highly prized edible subterranean fungi of the genus Tuber; grow naturally in southwestern Europe
    truffle; earthnut.
WordNet

eight ball

  • noun a black pool ball bearing the number 8; should be the last to go in certain pool games
WordNet

Fair ball

  • noun (baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it stays between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field
WordNet
  • . (Baseball) (a) A ball passing over the home base at the height called for by the batsman, and delivered by the pitcher while wholly within the lines of his position and facing the batsman. (b) A batted ball that falls inside the foul lines; called also a fair hit.
Webster 1913

Fancy ball

  • a ball in which porsons appear in fanciful dresses in imitation of the costumes of different persons and nations.
Webster 1913

fancy-dress ball

  • noun a ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
    masked ball; fancy-dress ball.
WordNet

feather ball

  • noun a low tuberculate cactus with white feathery spines; northeastern Mexico
    Mammillaria plumosa.
WordNet

field hockey ball

  • noun ball used in playing field hockey
WordNet

Fish ball

  • noun well-seasoned balls of ground fish and eggs and crushed crumbs simmered in fish stock
    gefilte fish.
  • noun a fried ball or patty of flaked fish and mashed potatoes
    fish cake.
WordNet
  • fish (usually salted codfish) shared fine, mixed with mashed potato, and made into the form of a small, round cake. U.S.
Webster 1913

fly ball

  • noun (baseball) a hit that flies up in the air
    fly.
WordNet

Foul ball

  • noun (baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it does not stay between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field
WordNet
  • (Baseball), a ball that first strikes the ground outside of the foul ball lines, or rolls outside of certain limits.
Webster 1913

Foul ball lines

  • (Baseball), lines from the home base, through the first and third bases, to the boundary of the field.
Webster 1913

Friction balls

  • or
Webster 1913

Fuzz ball

  • a kind of fungus or mushroom, which, when pressed, bursts and scatters a fine dust; a puffball.
Webster 1913

Golden balls

  • three gilt balls used as a sign of a pawnbroker's office or shop; originally taken from the coat of arms of Lombardy, the first money lenders in London having been Lombards.
Webster 1913

golf ball

  • noun a small hard ball used in playing golf; dimpled to reduce wind resistance
WordNet

ground ball

  • noun (baseball) a hit that travels along the ground
    grounder; groundball; hopper.
WordNet

gum ball

  • noun a ball of chewing gum with a coating of colored sugar
WordNet

hair ball

  • noun a compact mass of hair that forms in the alimentary canal (especially in the stomach of animals as a result of licking fur)
    hairball; trichobezoar.
WordNet

have a ball

  • verb enjoy oneself greatly
    have a good time.
    • We had a ball at the party and didn't come home until 2 AM
WordNet

jump ball

  • noun (basketball) the way play begins or resumes when possession is disputed; an official tosses the ball up between two players who jump in an effort to tap it to a teammate
WordNet

lacrosse ball

  • noun ball used in playing lacrosse
WordNet

Light ball

  • (Mil.), a ball of combustible materials, used to afford light; sometimes made so as to fired from a cannon or mortar, or to be carried up by a rocket.
Webster 1913

lucille ball

  • noun United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989)
    Ball.
WordNet

Masked ball

  • noun a ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
    masked ball; fancy-dress ball.
WordNet
  • a ball in which the dancers wear masks.
Webster 1913

masquerade ball

  • noun a ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
    masked ball; fancy-dress ball.
WordNet

matzah ball

  • noun a Jewish dumpling made of matzo meal; usually served in soup
    matzah ball; matzo ball.
WordNet

matzo ball

  • noun a Jewish dumpling made of matzo meal; usually served in soup
    matzah ball; matzo ball.
WordNet

matzoh ball

  • noun a Jewish dumpling made of matzo meal; usually served in soup
    matzah ball; matzo ball.
WordNet

medicine ball

  • noun heavy ball used in physical training
WordNet

melon ball

  • noun a bite of melon cut as a sphere
WordNet

minie ball

Min"ie ball`
Etymology
From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.
Definitions
  1. A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.
Webster 1913

musket ball

  • noun a solid projectile that is shot by a musket
    ball.
    • they had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball
WordNet

Nail ball

  • (Ordnance), a round projectile with an iron bolt protruding to prevent it from turning in the gun.
Webster 1913

net ball

  • noun a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court; the ball must be served again
    let.
WordNet

ninepin ball

  • noun ball used to knock down ninepins
    ninepin ball.
WordNet

no ball

  • noun unlawfully delivered ball in cricket
    • the umpire called it a no ball
WordNet

object ball

  • noun the billiard ball that is intended to be the first ball struck by the cue ball
WordNet

passed ball

  • noun a pitch that the catcher should have caught but did not; allows a base runner to advance a base
WordNet

ping-pong ball

  • noun light hollow ball used in playing table tennis
WordNet

playground ball

  • noun ball used in playing softball
    softball.
WordNet

polo ball

  • noun wooden ball that is struck with mallets in playing polo
WordNet

Pool ball

  • noun ball used in playing pool
WordNet
  • one of the colored ivory balls used in playing the game at billiards called pool.
Webster 1913

popcorn ball

  • noun popcorn combined with a thick sugar or molasses or caramel syrup and formed into balls
WordNet

porcupine ball

  • noun meat patties rolled in rice and simmered in a tomato sauce
    porcupines.
WordNet

puddle-ball

Pud"dle-ball` noun
Definitions
  1. The lump of pasty wrought iron as taken from the puddling furnace to be hammered or rolled.
Webster 1913

Pumpet ball

  • (Print.), a ball for inking types; a pompet.
Webster 1913

punching ball

  • noun an inflated ball or bag that is suspended and punched for training in boxing
    punch bag; punchball; punching bag.
WordNet

Return ball

  • a ball held by an elastic string so that it returns to the hand from which it is thrown, used as a plaything.
Webster 1913

rifle ball

  • noun a bullet designed to be fired from a rifle; no longer made spherical in shape
WordNet

roulette ball

  • noun the ball used to play roulette
WordNet

rugby ball

  • noun inflated oval ball used in playing rugby
WordNet

Sand ball

  • soap mixed with sand, made into a ball for use at the toilet.
Webster 1913

Sap ball

  • (Bot.), any large fungus of the genus Polyporus. See Polyporus.
Webster 1913

Scioptic ball

  • (Opt.), the lens of a camera obscura mounted in a wooden ball which fits a socket in a window shutter so as to be readily turned, like the eye, to different parts of the landscape.
Webster 1913

Skittle ball

  • noun ball used to knock down ninepins
    ninepin ball.
WordNet
  • a disk or flattish ball of wood for throwing at the pins in the game of skittles.
Webster 1913

Smoke ball

  • (Mil.), a ball or case containing a composition which, when it burns, sends forth thick smoke.
Webster 1913

soccer ball

  • noun an inflated ball used in playing soccer
WordNet

Spent ball

  • a ball shot from a firearm, which reaches an object without having sufficient force to penetrate it.
Webster 1913

squash ball

  • noun rubber ball used in playing squash
WordNet

Stang ball

  • a projectile consisting of two half balls united by a bar; a bar shot. See Illust. of Bar shot, under Bar.
Webster 1913

submarine ball

  • noun a pitch thrown sidearm instead of overhead
    submarine pitch.
WordNet

tea ball

  • noun a kitchen utensil consisting of a perforated metal ball for making tea
WordNet

tennis ball

  • noun ball about the size of a fist used in playing tennis
WordNet

Three balls, or Three golden balls

  • a pawnbroker's sign or shop.
Webster 1913

Time ball

  • a ball arranged to drop from the summit of a pole, to indicate true midday time, as at Greenwich Observatory, England. Nichol.
Webster 1913

time-ball

  • noun a ball that slides down a staff to show a fixed time; especially at an observatory
WordNet

To lob a ball

  • (Lawn Tennis), to strike a ball so as to send it up into the air.
Webster 1913

To nurse billiard balls

  • to strike them gently and so as to keep them in good position during a series of caroms.
Webster 1913

To pocket a ball

  • (Billiards), to drive a ball into a pocket of the table.
Webster 1913

Wash ball

  • a ball of soap to be used in washing the hands or face. Swift.
Webster 1913

whitworth ball

Whit"worth ball`
Definitions
  1. (Gun.) A prejectile used in the Whitworth gun.
Webster 1913

wiffle ball

  • noun (trademark) a hollow plastic ball with cutouts
    Wiffle.
WordNet

Witch balls

  • a name applied to the interwoven rolling masses of the stems of herbs, which are driven by the winds over the steppes of Tartary. Cf. Tumbleweed. Maunder (Treas. of Bot.)
Webster 1913

Wool ball

  • a ball or mass of wool.
Webster 1913