Ball has 19 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Proper Noun · Intj
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
"the ball travelled 90 mph on his serve"
"the mayor threw out the first ball"
"the ball rolled into the corner pocket"
a solid projectile that is shot by a musket
"they had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball"
the people assembled at a lavish formal dance
"the ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded"
United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989)
"Many Americans grew up watching Betty White, affectionately known as Ball, host classic game shows throughout her career."
a more or less rounded anatomical body or mass
"the ball at the base of the thumb"
"he stood on the balls of his feet"
a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs
"he played baseball in high school"
"there was a baseball game on every empty lot"
"there was a desire for National League ball in the area"
"play ball!"
a pitch that is not in the strike zone
"he threw nine straight balls before the manager yanked him"
A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
"The entire society gathered at the grand ball held in honor of the visiting duke."
A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape.
A formal dance.
In plain English: A ball is a round object that you can throw and catch for fun games.
"The children played catch with their red rubber ball in the park."
Usage: Use this word for any round object made by winding materials like yarn or wool together. It also refers to the game equipment used in sports such as baseball and basketball.
To form or wind into a ball.
"She quickly gathered the scattered papers and balled them up before throwing them in the trash."
In plain English: To ball means to hit something with your hand, usually as part of playing baseball or softball.
"The children will ball up their paper to make snowballs during recess."
An English surname.
"Sir Walter Ball was a renowned architect known for his innovative designs in Victorian London."
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.
"The referee ignored the defender's plea for a ball because the crowd was loudly chanting for possession after he had been brought down."
The word "ball" comes from Middle English and likely originated from either an unattested Old English form or Old Norse, both tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "ball." This ancient root ultimately derives from a Proto-Indo-European term related to blowing or inflating.