Ball

Pronunciation: bạld

Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow.

A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc.

A general name for games in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football.

Any solid spherical, cylindrical, or conical projectile of lead or iron, to be discharged from a firearm; as, a cannon ball; a rifle ball; - often used collectively; as, powder and ball. Spherical balls for the smaller firearms are commonly called bullets.

(Pyrotechnics & Mil.) A flaming, roundish body shot into the air; a case filled with combustibles intended to burst and give light or set fire, or to produce smoke or stench; as, a fire ball; a stink ball.

(Print.) A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; - formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller.

A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body; as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot.

(Far.) A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly given to horses; a bolus.

The globe or earth.

Move round the dark terrestrial ball.

- Addison.

10.

(Baseball) A pitched ball, not struck at by the batter, which fails to pass over the home plate at a height not greater than the batter's shoulder nor less than his knee (i.e. it is outside the strike zone). If the pitcher pitches four balls before three strikes are called, the batter advances to first base, and the action of pitching four balls is called a walk.

10.

a testicle; usually used in the plural.

11.

courage; nerve.

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.

Ball bearings
a mechanical device for lessening the friction of axle bearings by means of small loose metal balls.

Ball cartridge
a cartridge containing a ball, as distinguished from a blank cartridge, containing only powder.

Ball cock
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.

Ball gudgeon
a pivot of a spherical form, which permits lateral deflection of the arbor or shaft, while retaining the pivot in its socket.

Ball lever
the lever used in a ball cock. - Knight.

Ball of the eye
the eye itself, as distinguished from its lids and socket; - formerly, the pupil of the eye.

Ball valve
(Mach.) a contrivance by which a ball, placed in a circular cup with a hole in its bottom, operates as a valve.

Ball vein
(Mining) a sort of iron ore, found in loose masses of a globular form, containing sparkling particles.

Three balls
a pawnbroker's sign or shop.

on the ball
alert; competent and knowledgeable.

to carry the ball
to carry on the task; to assume the responsibility.

to drop the ball
to fail to perform as expected; to fail to live up to a responsibility.

v. i.

To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls; as, the horse balls; the snow balls.

[imp. & p. p. Balled (bạld); p. pr. & vb. n. Balling.]

v. t.

(Metal.) To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.

To form or wind into a ball; as, to ball cotton.

A social assembly for the purpose of dancing; - usually applied to an occasion lavish or formal.

A very enjoyable time; as, we had a ball at the wedding.

Noun	1.	ball - round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games; "the ball travelled 90 mph on his serve"; "the mayor threw out the first ball"; "the ball rolled into the corner pocket"
	2.	ball - a solid ball shot by a musket; "they had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball" Synonyms: musket ball
	3.	ball - an object with a spherical shape; "a ball of fire" Synonyms: globe, orb
	4.	ball - the people assembled at a lavish formal dance; "the ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded"
	5.	ball - one of the two male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens; "she kicked him in the balls and got away" Synonyms: ballock, bollock, testicle, testis, orchis, egg, nut
	6.	ball - a spherical object used as a plaything; "he played with his rubber ball in the bathtub"
	7.	Ball - United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989) Synonyms: Lucille Ball
	8.	ball - a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder" Synonyms: chunk, clod, glob, lump, clump
	9.	ball - a lavish formal dance
	10.	ball - a more or less rounded anatomical body or mass; ball of the human foot or ball at the base of the thumb; "he stood on the balls of his feet"
	11.	ball - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of 9 players; teams take turns at bat trying to score run; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empy lot"; "there was a desire for National League ball in the area"; "play ball!" Synonyms: baseball, baseball game
	12.	ball - a pitch that is not in the strike zone; "he threw nine straight balls before the manager yanked him"
Verb	1.	ball - form into a ball by winding or rolling; "ball wool"

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