ball

== English == === Pronunciation === (General American) (without the cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɔl/ (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɑl/ (UK) (Received Pronunciation) enPR: bôl, IPA(key): /bɔːl/ (Northumbria) IPA(key): /baːl/ Homophones: bawl; (cot–caught merger) Basle Rhymes: -ɔːl === Etymology 1 === From Middle English bal, ball, balle, from an unattested Old English *beall, *bealla (“round object, ball”) or Old Norse bǫllr (“a ball”), both from Proto-Germanic *balluz, *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰol-n- (“ball, bubble”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old Saxon ball, Dutch bal, Old High German bal, ballo (German Ball (“ball”); Ballen (“bale”)). Related forms in Romance are borrowings from Germanic. See also balloon, bale. ==== Noun ==== ball (countable and uncountable, plural balls) A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass. A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape. (mathematics) Homologue or analogue of a disk in the Euclidean plane. (mathematics) In 3-dimensional Euclidean space, the volume bounded by a sphere. (mathematics) The set of points in a metric space of any number of dimensions lying within a given distance (the radius) of a given point. (mathematics) The set of points in a topological space lying within some open set containing a given point. (ballistics, firearms) A solid, spherical nonexplosive missile for a cannon, rifle, gun, etc. A jacketed non-expanding bullet, typically of military origin. (uncountable, obsolete) Such bullets collectively. A roundish, protuberant portion of some part of the body. (anatomy) The front of the bottom of the foot, just behind the toes. The globe; the earthly sphere. c. 1712', Joseph Addison, Ode to the Creator of the World What, though in solemn Silence, all / Move round the dark terrestrial Ball! (sports, countable) An object that is the focus of many sports and games, in which it may be thrown, caught, kicked, bounced, rolled, chased, retrieved, hit with an instrument, spun, etc., usually roughly spherical or ovoid but whose size, weight, bounciness, colour, etc. differ according to the game (uncountable) Any sport or game involving a ball; its play, literally or figuratively. (baseball, countable) A pitch that falls outside of the strike zone. (pinball, countable) An opportunity to launch the pinball into play. (cricket, countable) A single delivery by the bowler, six of which make up an over. (originally soccer, countable) a kick (or hit in e.g. field hockey) of the ball towards where one or more teammates is expected to be. (Distinguished from a pass by a longer distance travelled or less specific target point.) (rhythmic gymnastics, countable) An apparatus. (rhythmic gymnastics, metonymic) An apparatus program with a ball. (mildly vulgar, slang, usually in the plural) A testicle. (in the plural) Nonsense. (in the plural) Courage. (printing, historical) A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; formerly used by printers for inking the form, then superseded by the roller. (farriery, historical) A large pill, a form in which medicine was given to horses; a bolus. (slang, countable, uncountable, singular only) One thousand US dollars. ===== Synonyms ===== sphere globe (testicle): See Thesaurus:testicle (nonsense): See Thesaurus:nonsense (courage): chutzpah, guts, nerve ===== Derived terms ===== (testicle): ===== Descendants ===== → Bengali: বল (bol) → Cantonese: 波 (bo1) → Japanese: ボール (bōru) → Makah: ba·la → Yoruba: bọ́ọ̀lù ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== ball (third-person singular simple present balls, present participle balling, simple past and past participle balled) (transitive) To form or wind into a ball. Synonyms: roll up, wad (metalworking) To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling. (transitive, intransitive, US, vulgar) To have sexual intercourse (with). Synonyms: see Thesaurus:copulate with (ambitransitive) To gather balls which cling to the feet or skis, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls. (slang, usually in present participle) To be hip or cool. (university slang) To reject from a fraternity or sorority. (Ellipsis of blackball). (slang) To play basketball. (African-American Vernacular) To spend money extravagantly. (transitive) To punish by affixing a ball and chain. (transitive) Of bees: to kill (a wasp) by surrounding it in large numbers so as to raise its body heat. (intransitive) To operate (a vehicle) at high speed (whether balls-out, balls to the wall, or ballin' the jack, each of which comes ultimately from ball via a different route). Near-synonym: haul ass ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Interjection ==== ball (sports) An exclamation to inform players on an adjacent playing area that a loose ball from another game has entered their playing area; typically implies that play should be paused until the ball has been retrieved. (Australian rules football) An appeal by the crowd for holding the ball against a tackled player. ===== See also ===== fore ==== References ==== === Etymology 2 === From Middle French bal, from Middle French baler (“to dance”), from Old French baller, from Late Latin ballō (“to dance”). Compare baile. ==== Noun ==== ball (plural balls) A formal dance. (informal) A very enjoyable time. Synonyms: blast, whale of a time A competitive event among young African-American and Latin American LGBTQ+ people in which prizes are awarded for drag and similar performances. See ball culture. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== ballad ballade ===== Translations ===== == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from French bal (“a dance”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈbaʎ] Rhymes: -aʎ === Noun === ball m (plural balls) dance ball, formal dance ==== Synonyms ==== dansa ==== Derived terms ==== ball de bastons ==== Related terms ==== ballar == Crimean Tatar == === Etymology === Borrowed from French balle (“ball”). === Noun === ball estimation, score ==== Declension ==== === References === Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002), Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎[12], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN == East Central German == === Etymology === From Middle High German balde, from Old High German baldo, adverb of bald, pald, from Proto-West Germanic *balþ, from Proto-Germanic *balþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-. Compare German bald. === Adverb === ball (Erzgebirgisch) soon === Further reading === Hendrik Heidler (11 June 2020), Hendrik Heidler's 400 Seiten: Echtes Erzgebirgisch: Wuu de Hasen Hoosn haaßn un de Hosen Huusn do sei mir drhamm: Das Original Wörterbuch: Ratgeber und Fundgrube der erzgebirgischen Mund- und Lebensart: Erzgebirgisch – Deutsch / Deutsch – Erzgebirgisch‎[13] (in German), 3. geänderte Auflage edition, Norderstedt: BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 20 == Icelandic == === Etymology === Borrowed from French bal (“a dance”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /palː/ Rhymes: -alː === Noun === ball n (genitive singular balls, nominative plural böll) dance ==== Declension ==== == Irish == === Etymology === From Old Irish ball, from Proto-Celtic *ballos, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”); compare English ball, Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallós, “penis”). === Pronunciation === (Munster) IPA(key): /bˠɑul̪ˠ/ (Galway) IPA(key): /bˠɑːl̪ˠ/ (Mayo, Ulster) IPA(key): /bˠal̪ˠ/ === Noun === ball m (genitive singular baill, nominative plural baill) (anatomy) organ member article (member of a group or class) spot (location or area) mark (on the skin of a human or animal) (set theory) element, member ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== (spot): spota ==== Derived terms ==== === Mutation === === References === === Further reading === Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “ball”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 75; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “ball”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === ==== Noun ==== ball alternative form of bal === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== ball alternative form of bale (“bale”) == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology 1 === From Old Norse bǫllr. ==== Noun ==== ball m (definite singular ballen, indefinite plural baller, definite plural ballene) ball (solid or hollow sphere) ball (object, usually spherical, used for playing games) ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from French bal. ==== Noun ==== ball n (definite singular ballet, indefinite plural ball or baller, definite plural balla or ballene) ball (formal social occasion involving dancing) ===== Derived terms ===== ballkjole ballsal === References === “ball” in The Bokmål Dictionary. == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Etymology 1 === From Old Norse bǫllr. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /balː/ IPA(key): /baʎː/ (palatalized, Trøndelag and Northern Norway) ==== Noun ==== ball m (definite singular ballen, indefinite plural ballar, definite plural ballane) a ball (solid or hollow sphere) a ball (object, usually spherical, used for playing games) ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from French bal. ==== Noun ==== ball n (definite singular ballet, indefinite plural ball, definite plural balla) ball (formal social occasion involving dancing) ===== Derived terms ===== ballkjole ballsal === References === “ball” in The Nynorsk Dictionary. == Old Irish == === Etymology === From Proto-Celtic *ballos. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbal̪/ === Noun === ball m a body part member of a group c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 89c11 part, portion a colored spot ==== Declension ==== ==== Descendants ==== Irish: ball Scottish Gaelic: ball === Mutation === === Further reading === Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ball”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language == Scottish Gaelic == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /paul̪ˠ/ === Etymology 1 === From Old Irish ball m (“limb, member, organ; member of community; part, portion, piece; article, object; place, spot; passage (of a book); spot, mark, blemish”) (compare Irish ball), from Proto-Celtic *ballos, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”) (compare English ball, Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallós, “penis”)). ==== Noun ==== ball m (genitive singular buill, plural buill) member (of a group) article, item (anatomy) organ; limb ===== Derived terms ===== Ball Pàrlamaid, BP (“Member of Parliament, MP”) ballrachd (“membership”) BPA === Etymology 2 === From Middle English bal and/or Old Norse bǫllr (“a ball”), both from Proto-Germanic *balluz, *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, inflate, swell”). ==== Noun ==== ball m (genitive singular buill, plural buill) ball ===== Derived terms ===== === Mutation === === Further reading === Edward Dwelly (1911), “ball”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ball”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language == Swedish == === Etymology === The same sense is found in Danish ball; both are possibly borrowed from English ball, as in the sense "have a ball." === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbalː/ === Adjective === ball (slang) cool Synonym: cool ==== Declension ==== ==== See also ==== cool häftig tuff === References === ball in Svensk ordbok (SO) ball in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL) ball in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB) == Yola == === Etymology === From Middle English bal, from Old English *beall. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bal/ === Noun === ball ball ==== Derived terms ==== balbeedhel === References === Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 84