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, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ball

bald balled bawled

Definition for balls (2 of 2)

ball 2
[ bawl ]
/ bɔl /

noun

a large, usually lavish, formal party featuring social dancing and sometimes given for a particular purpose, as to introduce debutantes or benefit a charitable organization.
Informal. a thoroughly good time: Have a ball on your vacation!

Origin of ball

2
1625–35; < French bal, noun derivative of baler (now baller) to dance < Late Latin ballāre < Greek (Magna Graecia) ballízein to dance

Example sentences from the Web for balls

British Dictionary definitions for balls (1 of 4)

balls
/ (bɔːlz) slang /

pl n

the testicles
by the balls so as to be rendered powerless
nonsense; rubbish
courage; forcefulness

interjection

an exclamation of strong disagreement, contempt, annoyance, etc

usage for balls

Both its anatomical senses and its various extended senses nowadays have far less impact than they used to, and seem unlikely to cause offence, though some older or more conservative people may object. Interestingly, its use in the sense of courage is exactly paralleled in the Spanish term «cojones»

British Dictionary definitions for balls (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 (3 of 4)

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 balls (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

ball
[ bôl ]

n.

A spherical object or mass.
A bezoar.
A large pill or bolus.

Idioms and Phrases with balls

ball