DAILY VOCABULARY WITH PICTURES. ball

• ball
• 1

  round object

   [countable] a round object that is thrown, kicked, or hit in a game or sport
• throw/hit/kick/catch etc a ball
• Weiskopf hit the ball 330 yards and a cheer went up.
• a tennis/golf/cricket etc ball
• 2

  round shape

   [countable] something formed or rolled into a round shape:
• a ball of string
• Shape the dough into balls.
• 3

  game/sport

   [uncountable] any game or sport played with a ball, especially baseball or basketball:
• D'you want to go out and play ball?
• Dad likes college ball.
• 4

  foot/hand

   the ball of the foot/hand

  the rounded part of the foot at the base of the toes, or the rounded part of the hand at the base of the thumb
• 5

   on the ball

  informal able to think or act quickly and intelligently:
• an assistant who's really on the ball
• 6

   set/start/keep the ball rolling

  to start something happening:
• To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £1 million.
• 7

   the ball is in somebody's court

  it is their turn to take action or to reply:
• I've emailed him - now the ball's in his court.
• 8

  formal occasion

   [countable] a large formal occasion at which people dance
• 9

   have a ball

  informal to have a very good time
• 10

   balls

   [plural] informal not polite
• a) testicles
• b) courage:
• • I didn't have the balls to ask.
• c) British English spoken something that is stupid or wrong [= nonsense]:
• • That's a load of balls!
• ➔ balls1
• 11

   a fast/good/long etc ball

  a ball that is thrown, hit, or kicked fast etc in a game or sport:
• He hit a long ball to right field.
• 12

  cricket

   no ball

  a ball that is thrown too high, low etc towards someone trying to hit it, in the games of cricket or rounders
• 13

  baseball

   [countable] a ball that the hitter does not try to hit, because it is not within the correct area
• 14

   the whole ball of wax

  American English informal the whole thing [= everything]
• 15

   a ball of fire

  informal someone who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm
• 16

   ball-buster/ball-breaker

  informal
• a) a problem that is very difficult to deal with
• b) an offensive word for a woman who uses her authority over men
• 17

   keep several/too many etc balls in the air

  to struggle to deal with more than one problem or job at the same time:
• The company just won't be able to keep that many balls in the air.
• ➔ cannonball, crystal ball, wrecking ball

   ; ➔ play ball

   at play1(7)

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary