balling

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ball¹ /bɔl/   n. 

1. [countable] a round body;
   sphere:
   a ball of yarn.
2. [countable] a round body for use in games, as baseball or golf.
3. Games [uncountable] a game played with a ball, esp. baseball or softball.
4. Military [countable] a bullet or a solid round object shot from a gun or cannon.
5. [countable] a part of the human body that is rounded:
   the ball of the thumb.

v. 

6. to form into a ball: [ ~ + obj]:
   balled her fists and glared at him.
   [no obj ]:
   Snow balled on the dog's paws.
7. ball up, to make into a mess;
   confuse: [ ~ + up + obj]:
   really balled up the assignment.
   [ ~ + obj + up]:
   balled it up badly.

Idioms

8. on the ball:
   • [ be + ~] paying attention;
     alert:
     really on the ball when you spotted that mistake.
   • [ have + a lot + ~]intelligence and ability:
     Your daughter has a lot on the ball.
9. play ball, to work together;
   cooperate:
   If I refuse to play ball, they'll get someone who will.

ball² /bɔl/   n. [countable]

1. a large, formal party featuring social dancing.

Idioms

2. have a ball, Informal. to have a good time.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ball¹  (bôl), n. 

1. a spherical or approximately spherical body or shape;
   sphere:
   He rolled the piece of paper into a ball.
2. a round or roundish body, of various sizes and materials, either hollow or solid, for use in games, as baseball, football, tennis, or golf.
3. a game played with a ball, esp. baseball:
   The boys are out playing ball.
4. Sport [Baseball.] a pitched ball, not swung at by the batter, that does not pass over home plate between the batter's shoulders and knees.
5. Military
   • a solid, usually spherical projectile for a cannon, rifle, pistol, etc., as distinguished from a shell.
   • projectiles, esp. bullets, collectively.
6. any part of a thing, esp. of the human body, that is rounded or protuberant:
   the ball of the thumb.
7. a round mass of food, as of chopped meat, dough, or candy.
8. Slang Terms (vulgar). a testis.
9. Slang Terms balls, Slang (vulgar).
   • boldness;
     courage;
     brashness.
   • nonsense (often used as an interjection).
10. bolus (def. 1).
11. Botany [Hort.] a compact mass of soil covering the roots of an uprooted tree or other plant.
12. [Literary.] a planetary or celestial body, esp. the earth.
13. Mathematics (in a metric space) the set of points whose distance from the zero element is less than, or less than or equal to, a specified number.
14. Idioms carry the ball, to assume the responsibility;
    bear the burden:
    You can always count on him to carry the ball in an emergency.
15. Idioms drop the ball, to make a mistake or miss an opportunity at a critical moment.
16. Idioms keep the ball rolling, to continue or give renewed vigor to an activity already under way:
    When their interest lagged, he tried to keep the ball rolling.
17. Idioms on the ball:
    • alert and efficient or effective:
      If you don't get on the ball, you'll be fired.
    • indicating intelligence or ability:
      The tests show your students don't have much on the ball. The new manager has a lot on the ball.
18. Idioms play ball:
    • to begin or continue playing a game.
    • to start or continue any action.
    • to work together;
      cooperate:
      union leaders suspected of playing ball with racketeers.
19. Idioms run with the ball, to assume responsibility or work enthusiastically:
    If management approves the concept, we'll run with the ball.
20. Idioms start the ball rolling, to put into operation;
    begin:
    The recreation director started the ball rolling by having all the participants introduce themselves.

v.t. 

21. to make into a ball (sometimes fol. by up):
    The children were balling up snow to make a snowman.
22. to wind into balls:
    to ball cotton.
23. Slang Terms (vulgar). to have sexual intercourse with.

v.i. 

24. to form or gather into a ball:
    When the spun sugar balls, the candy has cooked sufficiently.
25. Slang Terms (vulgar). to have sexual intercourse.
26. Slang Terms, Idioms ball the jack:
    • to act with speed.
    • to stake everything on one attempt.
27. Slang Terms ball up, to make or become utterly confused;
    muddle:
    The records had been all balled up by inefficient file clerks.

• Gmc *ballaz; compare Old Norse bǫllr, Old High German bal, ballo, balla, German Ball, Dutch bal; perh. akin to Latin follis leather bag; see ballock
• Old French
• Middle English bal, balle 1175–1225

ball′er, n. 

ball²  (bôl), n. 

1. a large, usually lavish, formal party featuring social dancing and sometimes given for a particular purpose, as to introduce debutantes or benefit a charitable organization.
2. Informal Terms a thoroughly good time:
   Have a ball on your vacation!

• Greek (Magna Graecia) ballízein to dance
• Late Latin ballāre
• French bal, noun, nominal derivative of baler (now baller) to dance
• 1625–35

Ball  (bôl), n. 

George W(ild•man)  (wīld′mən), born 1909, U.S. lawyer, investment banker, and government official.
1. Biographical John, died 1381, English priest: one of the leaders of Wat Tyler's peasants' revolt in 1381.
2. Biographical Lucille, 1911–89, U.S. actress.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ball / bɔːl/ noun

1. a spherical or nearly spherical body or mass
2. a round or roundish body, either solid or hollow, of a size and composition suitable for any of various games: football, golf, billiards, etc
3. a ball propelled in a particular way in a sport: a high ball
4. any of various rudimentary games with a ball: to play ball
5. a single delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batter
6. a single delivery of the ball by a pitcher outside certain limits and not swung at by the batter
7. a solid nonexplosive projectile for a firearm
   Compare shell6
8. such projectiles collectively
9. any more or less rounded part or protuberance: the ball of the foot
10. a testicle
    See balls
11. another word for bolus
12. the hard mass of roots and earth removed with the rest of the plant during transplanting
13. ball of muscle ⇒ a very strong, fit, or forceful person
14. have the ball at one's feet ⇒ to have the chance of doing something
15. keep the ball rolling ⇒ to maintain the progress of a project, plan, etc
16. on the ball ⇒ alert; informed
17. play ball ⇒ to cooperate
18. set the ball rolling, start the ball rolling ⇒ to open or initiate (an action, discussion, movement, etc)
19. the ball is in your court ⇒ you are obliged to make the next move

verb

1. (transitive) to make, form, wind, etc, into a ball or balls: to ball wool
2. (intransitive) to gather into a ball or balls
3. to copulate (with)

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse böllr; related to Old High German balla, Italian palla French balle

ball / bɔːl/ noun

1. a social function for dancing, esp one that is lavish or formal
2. a very enjoyable time (esp in the phrase have a ball)

Etymology: 17th Century: from French bal (n), from Old French baller (vb), from Late Latin ballāre to dance, from Greek ballizein