ballup

[ bawl-uhp ]

/ ˈbɔlˌʌp /

noun Slang.

a state of confusion; mix-up.

Also especially British, balls-up

[bawlz-uhp] /ˈbɔlzˌʌp/.

Origin of ballup

First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase ball up

Words nearby ballup

ballroom dance, ballroom dancing, balls, balls-up, ballsy, ballup, ballwin, bally, ballyhoo, ballymena, ballymoney

Definition for balls-up (2 of 2)

ball ¹

[ bawl ]

/ bɔl /

noun

a spherical or approximately spherical body or shape; sphere: He rolled the piece of paper into a ball.

a round or roundish body, of various sizes and materials, either hollow or solid, for use in games, as baseball, football, tennis, or golf.

a game played with a ball, especially baseball: The boys are out playing ball.

Baseball. a pitched ball, not swung at by the batter, that does not pass over home plate between the batter's shoulders and knees.

Military.

a solid, usually spherical projectile for a cannon, rifle, pistol, etc., as distinguished from a shell.
projectiles, especially bullets, collectively.

any part of a thing, especially of the human body, that is rounded or protuberant: the ball of the thumb.

a round mass of food, as of chopped meat, dough, or candy.

Slang: Vulgar. a testis.

balls, Slang: Vulgar.

boldness; courage; brashness.
nonsense (often used as an interjection).

bolus(def 1).

Horticulture. a compact mass of soil covering the roots of an uprooted tree or other plant.

Literary. a planetary or celestial body, especially the earth.

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.

verb (used with object)

to make into a ball (sometimes followed by up): The children were balling up snow to make a snowman.

to wind into balls: to ball cotton.

Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)

to form or gather into a ball: When the spun sugar balls, the candy has cooked sufficiently.

Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.

Verb Phrases

ball up, Slang. to make or become utterly confused; muddle: The records had been all balled up by inefficient file clerks.

Origin of ball

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, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ball

bald balled bawled

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (1 of 4)

balls-up

US ballup

slang

noun

something botched or muddled

verb balls up, US ball up

(tr, adverb) to muddle or botch

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (2 of 4)

Ball

/ (bɔːl) /

noun

John . died 1381, English priest: executed as one of the leaders of the Peasants' Revolt (1381)

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (3 of 4)

ball ¹

/ (bɔːl) /

noun

a spherical or nearly spherical body or mass a ball of wool

a round or roundish body, either solid or hollow, of a size and composition suitable for any of various games: football, golf, billiards, etc

a ball propelled in a particular way in a sport a high ball

any of various rudimentary games with a ball to play ball

cricket a single delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman

baseball a single delivery of the ball by a pitcher outside certain limits and not swung at by the batter

a solid nonexplosive projectile for a firearmCompare shell (def. 6)
such projectiles collectively

any more or less rounded part or protuberance the ball of the foot

slang a testicle See balls

vet science another word for bolus

horticulture the hard mass of roots and earth removed with the rest of the plant during transplanting

ball of muscle Australian a very strong, fit, or forceful person

have the ball at one's feet to have the chance of doing something

keep the ball rolling to maintain the progress of a project, plan, etc

on the ball informal alert; informed

play ball informal to cooperate

set the ball rolling or start the ball rolling to open or initiate (an action, discussion, movement, etc)

the ball is in your court you are obliged to make the next move

verb

(tr) to make, form, wind, etc, into a ball or balls to ball wool

(intr) to gather into a ball or balls

taboo, slang, mainly US to copulate (with)

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 balls-up (4 of 4)

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 balls-up

ball

[ bôl ]

n.

A spherical object or mass.

A bezoar.

A large pill or bolus.

Idioms and Phrases with balls-up

ball

In addition to the idioms beginning with ball

ball and chain
ball of fire
ball up

also see:

behind the eight ball
break one's balls
by the balls
carry the ball
crystal ball
drop the ball
eyeball to eyeball
get the ball rolling
have a ball
have one's eye on the ball
have someone by the balls
on the ball
play ball
put in mothballs
snowball's chance in hell
that's how the ball bounces
whole ball of wax

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

ballup

noun Slang.

Origin of ballup

Words nearby ballup

Definition for balls-up (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of ball

OTHER WORDS FROM ball

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ball

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (1 of 4)

US ballup

noun

verb balls up, US ball up

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (2 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (3 of 4)

noun

verb

Word Origin for ball

usage for ball

British Dictionary definitions for balls-up (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for ball

Medical definitions for balls-up

n.

Idioms and Phrases with balls-up