Idioms for ball
Origin of ball
1
1175–1225; Middle English
bal, balle < Old French < Germanic
*ballaz; compare Old Norse
bǫllr, Old High German
bal, ballo, balla, German
Ball, Dutch
bal; perhaps akin to Latin
follis leather bag; see
ballock(s)
OTHER WORDS FROM ball
ball·er, nounWords nearby ball
balkh,
balkhash,
balkis,
balkline,
balky,
ball,
ball ammunition,
ball and chain,
ball and ring,
ball bearing,
ball boy
British Dictionary definitions for ball up (1 of 3)
Ball
/ (bɔːl) /
noun
John . died 1381, English priest: executed as one of the leaders of the Peasants' Revolt (1381)
British Dictionary definitions for ball up (2 of 3)
ball
1
/ (bɔːl) /
noun
verb
Word Origin for ball
C13: from Old Norse
böllr; related to Old High German
balla, Italian
palla French
balle
usage for ball
Sense 9 of this word was formerly considered to be taboo, and it was labelled as such in previous editions of
Collins English Dictionary . However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use
British Dictionary definitions for ball up (3 of 3)
ball
2
/ (bɔːl) /
noun
a social function for dancing, esp one that is lavish or formal
informal
a very enjoyable time (esp in the phrase have a ball)
Word Origin for ball
C17: from French
bal (n), from Old French
baller (vb), from Late Latin
ballāre to dance, from Greek
ballizein
Medical definitions for ball up
ball
[ bôl ]
n.
A spherical object or mass.
A bezoar.
A large pill or bolus.
Idioms and Phrases with ball up (1 of 2)
ball up
Roll something into a ball, as in She loved to knit and was always balling up her yarn. [Early 1800s]
Confuse or bungle, as in Jane got all balled up at the beginning of her speech, or Henry really balled up that exam. This term may come from the fact that when a horse is driven over soft or partly thawed snow, the snow becomes packed into icy balls on its hoofs, making it stumble. Another theory is that it alludes to the vulgar term balls for testicles. [First half of 1900s]
Idioms and Phrases with ball up (2 of 2)
ball