ball
EnglishEdit
PronunciationEdit
- enPR: bôl, IPA(key): /bɔːl/
- (Canada, cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɑl/
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ɔːl
- Homophone: bawl
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle English bal, ball, balle, from Old English *beall, *bealla (“round object, ball”) or Old Norse bǫllr (“a ball”), both from Proto-Germanic *balluz, *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoln- (“bubble”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old Saxon ball, Dutch bal, Old High German bal, ballo (German Ball (“ball”); Ballen (“bale”)). Related forms in Romance are borrowings from Germanic. See also balloon, bale.
NounEdit
ball (countable and uncountable, plural balls)
- A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
- a ball of spittle; a fecal ball
- A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape.
- a ball of wool; a ball of twine
- (mathematics) Homologue or analogue of a disk in the Euclidean plane.
- (mathematics) In 3-dimensional Euclidean space, the volume bounded by a sphere.
- (mathematics) The set of points in a metric space of any number of dimensions lying within a given distance (the radius) of a given point.
- (mathematics) The set of points in a topological space lying within some open set containing a given point.
- (ballistics, firearms) A solid, spherical nonexplosive missile for a cannon, rifle, gun, etc.
- A jacketed non-expanding bullet, typically of military origin.
- (uncountable, obsolete) Such bullets collectively.
- 1659, Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, England’s Confusion, London, p. 7,[1]
- […] the Good Old Cause, which, as they seemed to represent it, smelt of Gunpowder and ball […]
- 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, London: W. Taylor, p. 294,[2]
- I gave each of them a Musket with a Firelock on it, and about eight Charges of Powder and Ball, charging them to be very good Husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon urgent Occasion.
- 1803, Robert Charles Dallas, The History of the Maroons, London: Longman and Rees, Volume 1, Letter 5, p. 148,[3]
- […] some headstrong Maroons were using a soldier of Captain Craskell’s ill, and compelling him to write to his commander, that it was too late to do any thing good, and that they wanted nothing, having got plenty of powder and ball […]
- 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 1, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, OCLC 57395299, page 1:
- This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.
- 1659, Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, England’s Confusion, London, p. 7,[1]
- A roundish, protuberant portion of some part of the body.
- the ball of the thumb
- The globe; the earthly sphere.
- c. 1712', Joseph Addison, Ode to the Creator of the World
- What, though in solemn Silence, all / Move round the dark terrestrial Ball!
- 1717, Alexander Pope, "Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady"
- Thus, if eternal Justice rules the ball, / Thus shall your wives, and thus your children fall;
- c. 1712', Joseph Addison, Ode to the Creator of the World
- (sports, countable) An object that is the focus of many sports and games, in which it may be thrown, caught, kicked, bounced, rolled, chased, retrieved, hit with an instrument, spun, etc., usually roughly spherical but whose size, weight, bounciness, colour, etc. differ according to the game
- 1922, Michael Arlen, “3/19/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
- Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something; one generally, however, banged a ball with a squash-racket against a wall.
- 2011 October 2, Aled Williams, “Swansea 2-0 Stoke”, in BBC Sport Wales:
- Graham secured victory with five minutes left, coolly lifting the ball over Asmir Begovic.
- (uncountable) Any sport or game involving a ball; its play, literally or figuratively.
- The children were playing ball on the beach.George played his college ball at Stanford.
- (baseball, countable) A pitch that falls outside of the strike zone.
- (pinball, countable) An opportunity to launch the pinball into play.
- If you get to a million points, you get another ball.
- (cricket, countable) A single delivery by the bowler, six of which make up an over.
- (soccer, countable) A pass; a kick of the football towards a teammate.
- 2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1-0 Bolton”, in BBC:
- After Essien's poor attempt flew into the stands, Rodrigo Moreno—Bolton's on-loan winger from Benfica who was making his full Premier League debut—nearly exposed the Blues with a lovely ball for Johan Elmander, but it just skipped away from his team-mate's toes.
- (mildly vulgar, slang, usually in the plural) A testicle.
- (printing, historical) A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; formerly used by printers for inking the form, then superseded by the roller.
- (farriery, historical) A large pill, a form in which medicine was given to horses; a bolus.
- 1842, James White, A compendium of the veterinary art
- The laxative alterative has not this advantage, the aloes, of which it is composed, being extremely bitter, and therefore requiring to be given in the form of a ball.
- 1842, James White, A compendium of the veterinary art
SynonymsEdit
- sphere
- globe
- (testicle): See Thesaurus:testicle
- (nonsense): See Thesaurus:nonsense
- (courage): chutzpah, guts, nerve
Derived termsEdit
- ball and chain
- ball and socket
- ball-barrow
- ball bearing/ball-bearing
- ball boy/ballboyball-boy
- ball-cartridge
- ballclay
- ballcock
- ball-flower
- ball-game
- ball-girl
- ball lightning
- ball machine
- ball mill
- ball mustard (Neslia paniculata)
- ball of fire
- ball of the foot
- ball of the thumb
- ballpark
- ball-player
- ballpoint
- ball-proof
- ball race
- ball up
- bandy-ball
- baseball
- basketball
- beachball/beach ball
- best-ball
- billiard ball
- blackball
- blowball
- blueball
- brandy-ball
- broomball
- buckyball
- butterball
- button-ball
- cageball
- cannonball
- coalball
- codeball
- cornball
- cotton ball
- cotton wool ball
- cricket ball
- croquet ball
- crystal ball
- cue ball
- dust-ball
- eight ball/eight-ball
- eyeball
- fastball
- fire-ball
- fishball
- fistball
- floorball
- football
- four ball
- freeball
- furball
- fuzz-ball
- game ball
- get the ball rolling
- goalball
- golf ball
- goofball
- greaseball
- hair-ball
- half-ball
- hand-ball
- hardball
- heel-ball
- highball
- holding the ball
- jump ball
- keep the ball rolling
- kickball
- korfball
- matzo ball
- meatball
- medicine ball
- Minié ball
- mothball
- netball
- no ball
- object ball
- oddball
- on the ball
- paintball
- patball
- pickleball
- pinball
- ping-pong ball
- pithball
- play ball
- puffball
- punchball
- pushball
- racquetball
- ringball
- rollerball
- root-ball
- rugby ball
- scuzzball
- silver ball
- skittleball
- sleazeball
- slimeball
- smoke-ball
- snooker ball
- snowball
- soccer ball
- softball
- speedball
- spikeball
- spot the ball
- stink ball
- stoolball
- table-tennis ball
- tchoukball
- tea ball
- tennis ball
- teqball
- the ball is in your court
- through ball
- time-ball
- too many balls in the air
- trackball, trackerball
- trap-ball
- triangleball
- volleyball
- wash-ball
- woodball
(testicle):
TranslationsEdit
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
VerbEdit
ball (third-person singular simple present balls, present participle balling, simple past and past participle balled)
- (transitive) To form or wind into a ball.
- (metalworking) To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.
- (transitive, vulgar) To have sexual intercourse with.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:copulate with
- 1968, Joan Didion, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”, in Slouching Towards Bethlehem:
- Max says it works both ways. “I mean if she comes in and tells me she wants to ball Don, maybe, I say ‘O.K., baby, it's your trip.’”
- (transitive, intransitive) To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls.
- the horse balls
- the snow balls
- (slang, usually in present participle) To be hip or cool.
- (nonstandard, slang) To play basketball.
- (transitive) To punish by affixing a ball and chain.
- 1865, Camp Sumpter, Andersonville National Historic Site, Rules and Regulations of the Prison
- any man refusing to do police duty will be punished by the sergts by balling him the rest of the day.
- 1865, Camp Sumpter, Andersonville National Historic Site, Rules and Regulations of the Prison
TranslationsEdit
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InterjectionEdit
ball
- (Australian rules football) An appeal by the crowd for holding the ball against a tackled player. This is heard almost any time an opposition player is tackled, without regard to whether the rules about "prior opportunity" to dispose of the ball are fulfilled.
- 2007, “Laws Of The Afl 2007”, in AFL Sydney Swans Rules Zone[4], archived from the original on March 22, 2008:
- A good tackle (and some bad ones) will bring a cry of "Ball!" from the crowd – a plea for a holding the ball free kick.
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle French bal, from Middle French baler (“to dance”), from Old French baller, from Late Latin ballō (“to dance”).
NounEdit
ball (plural balls)
- A formal dance.
- (informal) A very enjoyable time.
- Synonyms: blast, whale of a time
- I had a ball at that concert.
- A competitive event among young African-American and Latin American LGBTQ+ people in which prizes are awarded for drag and similar performances. See ball culture.
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
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CatalanEdit
EtymologyEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ball m (plural balls)
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
Crimean TatarEdit
EtymologyEdit
Borrowed from French balle (“ball”).
NounEdit
ball
DeclensionEdit
nominative | ball |
---|---|
genitive | ballnıñ |
dative | ballğa |
accusative | ballnı |
locative | ballda |
ablative | balldan |
ReferencesEdit
- Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary][5], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN
IcelandicEdit
EtymologyEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ball n (genitive singular balls, nominative plural böll)
DeclensionEdit
IrishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Irish ball, from Proto-Celtic *ballos, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”); compare English ball, Greek φαλλός (phallós, “penis”).
PronunciationEdit
- (Munster) IPA(key): /bˠɑul̪ˠ/
- (Galway) IPA(key): /bˠɑːl̪ˠ/
- (Mayo) IPA(key): /bˠal̪ˠ/
- (Ulster) IPA(key): /bˠal̪ˠ/
NounEdit
ball m (genitive singular baill, nominative plural baill)
DeclensionEdit
Derived termsEdit
- an ball is mó ar deireadh (“last but not least”)
- ar an mball (“immediately, on the spot”)
- ar ball (“a while ago; after a while”)
- ar fud an bhaill (“all over the place”)
- baill bheatha m pl (“vitals”)
- baill dho-laghdaithe (“irreducible elements”)
- baill ghiniúna m pl (“genitals”)
- baill inmheánacha m pl (“internal organs”)
- baill scoite m (“discrete members”)
- ball acra m (“implement”)
- ball airtléire m (“piece of artillery”)
- ball breac m (“mottle”)
- ball broinne m (“birthmark”)
- ball dearg m (“strawberry mark”)
- ball dobhráin m (“mole (on skin)”)
- ball dóite m (“burn”)
- ball dúchais m (“congenital mark”)
- ball éadaigh m (“article of clothing”)
- ball easpach m (“defective article”)
- ball éisteachta m (“hearing organ, ear”)
- ball fearga m (“penis”)
- ball fo-éadaigh m (“undergarment”)
- ball gréine m (“sun-spot”)
- ball inbhéartach m (“inverse element”)
- ball ionannais m (“identity element”)
- ball nimhneach m (“sore spot”)
- ball oibre m (“spell of work”)
- ballra m (“members”)
- ball seirce m (“love spot, patch”)
- ball séire m (“bungler; fool”)
- ball súiche m (“smut”)
- ball tosaigh m (“stempiece (of boat)”)
- ball trasna (“cross-member”)
- ball trioc m (“article of furniture”)
- ball troscáin m (“article of furniture”)
- ball uirlise m (“implement”)
- i lár baill (“right in the middle”)
- i mball éigin (“somewhere”)
- i mball eile (“elsewhere”)
- in aon bhall (“in one place, together”)
- i ngach aon bhall (“everywhere”)
- i ngach aon treo baill (“in all directions”)
- láithreach baill (“on the spot, instantly”)
- ó bhall go post (“from stem to stern”)
MutationEdit
Irish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
ball | bhall | mball |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
ReferencesEdit
- "ball" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “ball”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Middle EnglishEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Old English *beall.
NounEdit
ball
- Alternative form of bal
Etymology 2Edit
Probably from Old French bale.
NounEdit
ball
- Alternative form of bale (“bale”)
Norwegian BokmålEdit
Etymology 1Edit
NounEdit
ball m (definite singular ballen, indefinite plural baller, definite plural ballene)
Derived termsEdit
Etymology 2Edit
NounEdit
ball n (definite singular ballet, indefinite plural ball or baller, definite plural balla or ballene)
- ball (formal social occasion involving dancing)
Derived termsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “ball” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian NynorskEdit
Etymology 1Edit
NounEdit
ball m (definite singular ballen, indefinite plural ballar, definite plural ballane)
Derived termsEdit
Etymology 2Edit
NounEdit
ball n (definite singular ballet, indefinite plural ball, definite plural balla)
- ball (formal social occasion involving dancing)
Derived termsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “ball” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old IrishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Proto-Celtic *ballos.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ball m
DeclensionEdit
Masculine o-stem | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
Nominative | ball | ballL | baillL |
Vocative | baill | ballL | baulluH |
Accusative | ballN | ballL | baulluH |
Genitive | baillL | ball | ballN |
Dative | baullL | ballaib | ballaib |
Initial mutations of a following adjective:
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DescendantsEdit
MutationEdit
Old Irish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Nasalization |
baill | baill pronounced with /v(ʲ)-/ |
mbaill |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Further readingEdit
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “ball”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Scottish GaelicEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Old Irish ball m (“limb, member, organ; member of community; part, portion, piece; article, object; place, spot; passage (of a book); spot, mark, blemish”) (compare Irish ball), from Proto-Celtic *ballos, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”) (compare English ball, Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallós, “penis”)).
NounEdit
ball m (genitive singular buill, plural buill)
Derived termsEdit
- Ball Pàrlamaid, BP (“Member of Parliament, MP”)
- ballrachd (“membership”)
- BPA
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle English bal and/or Old Norse bǫllr (“a ball”), both from Proto-Germanic *balluz, *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, inflate, swell”).
NounEdit
ball m (genitive singular buill, plural buill)
Derived termsEdit
MutationEdit
Scottish Gaelic mutation | |
---|---|
Radical | Lenition |
ball | bhall |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Further readingEdit
- Edward Dwelly (1911), “ball”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “ball”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
SwedishEdit
EtymologyEdit
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
ball
- (slang) cool, hip, fun, entertaining
- Det är ballt att åka skateboard.
- It’s cool to ride a skateboard.
- Synonym: cool
DeclensionEdit
Inflection of ball | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | ball | ballare | ballast |
Neuter singular | ballt | ballare | ballast |
Plural | balla | ballare | ballast |
Masculine plural3 | balle | ballare | ballast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | balle | ballare | ballaste |
All | balla | ballare | ballaste |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
YolaEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English bal, from Old English *beall.
NounEdit
ball
- ball
- 1867, SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY:
- fan ee ball was ee-drowe!
- when the ball was thrown!
ReferencesEdit
- Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 84