ball

Pronunciation

• enPR: bôl, IPA ^(key): /bɔːl/
• (Canada) IPA ^(key): /bɑl/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Homophone: bawl

Noun

Singular ball

Plural balls

Many colored balls

1. (countable) A ball is a round thing. People often use them to play games.

   The croquet ball was hit through the wicket and the game was over.

   A ball is hit with a racquet in tennis.

2. A ball is a formal dance.

   There is an inaugural ball following the swearing-in of the new President.

   Cinderella lost her glass slipper at the Prince's ball.

3. (slang) (usually plural) the testicles

   John's balls ached because he hadn't had sex in two days.

4. (slang) (usually plural) "guts", fortitude, moral strength

   John didn't have the balls to quit his job, divorce his wife, and start a new life in Tahiti.

Verb

Plain form ball

Third-person singular balls

Past tense balled

Past participle balled

Present participle balling

1. (transitive) If you ball something up, you make it into a ball shape.

   Ball the cookie dough, wrap it in paper, then freeze it.

2. (slang) sexual intercourse.