ball

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Sport, Shapes, patterns, Leisure

ball1 /bɔːl $ bɒːl/ ●●● S1 W2 noun  1  round object 圆形物体TO PLAY WITHDS [countable] a round object that is thrown, kicked, or hit in a game or sport 球throw/hit/kick/catch etc a ball Weiskopf hit the ball 330 yards and a cheer went up. 韦斯科夫把球击出330码，人群欢呼起来。a tennis/golf/cricket etc ball 网球/高尔夫球/板球等 →5 see picture at 见图 croquet, sport2  round shape 圆形ROUND SHAPECF [countable] something formed or rolled into a round shape 球形物体 a ball of string 线团 Shape the dough into balls. 把面团搓成丸子。3  game/sport 比赛/体育运动 [uncountable] any game or sport played with a ball, especially baseball or basketball 球类运动〔尤指棒球或篮球〕 D'you want to go out and play ball? 你想出去打球吗？ Dad likes college ball. 爸爸喜欢看大学生球赛。4. foot/hand 脚/手the ball of the foot/hand HBHthe rounded part of the foot at the base of the toes, or the rounded part of the hand at the base of the thumb 大脚趾球/拇指球5  on the ball informalINTELLIGENT able to think or act quickly and intelligently 机灵的，聪明的 an assistant who’s really on the ball 一名非常机灵的助手6  set/start/keep the ball rolling START DOING somethingto start something happening 开始某事，使某事发生 To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £1 million. 政府被要求出资100万英镑作为启动经费。7  the ball is in somebody’s court DECIDEit is their turn to take action or to reply 现在轮到某人〔采取行动或回答〕 I’ve emailed him – now the ball’s in his court. 我写过电子邮件给他了——现在要看他的了。8. formal occasion 正式的活动DANCEDL [countable] a large formal occasion at which people dance 舞会► see thesaurus at party9. have a ball informalENJOY/LIKE DOING something to have a very good time 玩得很开心10  balls [plural] informal not polite a) HBHtesticles 睾丸 b) BRAVEcourage 胆量I didn’t have the balls to ask. 我没有胆量问。 c) STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE British English spoken something that is stupid or wrong 胡说八道 SYN nonsenseThat’s a load of balls! 那简直是放屁！ → balls111  a fast/good/long etc ball DSa ball that is thrown, hit, or kicked fast etc in a game or sport 快球/好球/长球等 He hit a long ball to right field. 他往右场击出一记长球。12. cricket 板球no ball DSa ball that is thrown too high, low etc towards someone trying to hit it, in the game of cricket or rounders 〔板球或圆场棒球的〕犯规球13. baseball 棒球no ball DSB[countable] a ball that the hitter does not try to hit, because it is not within the correct area 〔棒球投手投出的〕坏球14. the whole ball of wax ALL/EVERYTHING American English informal the whole thing 一切，全部，所有 SYN everything15. a ball of fire informal someone who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm 精力充沛的人，生龙活虎的人16  keep several/too many etc balls in the air to struggle to deal with more than one problem or job at the same time 同时应付许多问题[工作] The company just won’t be able to keep that many balls in the air. 同时出现那么多的问题，公司根本招架不住。17. drop the ball  (also take your eye off the ball) to make a mistake when dealing with something because you stop thinking carefully or paying attention 〔因心不在焉而〕犯错18  ball-buster/ball-breaker informal a) PROBLEMa problem that is very difficult to deal with 棘手的问题 b) CONTROLWOMANan offensive word for a woman who uses her authority over men 泼妇，悍妇〔冒犯用语，指对男人发号施令的女人〕 → cannonball, crystal ball, wrecking ball, → play ball at play1(7)n COLLOCATIONSverbsthrow a ballSuzy threw the ball to Matthew.catch a ballHe’s useless at sport; he can’t even catch a ball.hit a ballHe swung the bat back and hit the ball hard.kick a ballGreg kicked the ball upfield to Will.bounce a ballHe was in the yard bouncing a ball against the wall.get the ballThen the Cowboys got the ball again.miss a ball (=not catch or hit it)I was trying hard but I kept missing the ball.a ball rollsThe ball just rolled past the hole.a ball flies/sailsThe ball flew over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net.a ball bouncesIn tennis, the ball must only bounce once.a ball rebounds (=hits something and moves back and away from it again)The ball hit the goalpost and rebounded.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + balla tennis/cricket/golf/rugby etc ballShe was practising hitting golf balls.a ping-pong/billiard/snooker etc ballHe was bouncing around like a ping-pong ball.a beach ball (=a large light ball used on the beach)Dad, will you blow up the beach ball?ball + NOUNa ball gameHe’s always watching ball games on TV.ball skillsPractising ball skills helps a child’s coordination.

Examples from the Corpus

ball• She wants it for a ball, this poor unbalanced girl.• It was the first time I'd ever been invited to a ball.• Alomar said it was a ball.• The kitten was playing with a ball of yarn.• Comets are balls of ice and dirt that circle the sun.• a big beach ball• Shape the cookie dough into balls and put them in the refrigerator.• But suddenly the sight of Giuseppe Signori's invitingly lofted ball into the penalty area put a spring in his step.• Mommy, where's my ball?• The University holds a summer ball at the end of June.• Instead of bowling the ball, which bore a small silver shield, Mr Cottle threw it at a low-flying swan.• The 49ers had the ball on the Bengals' 6-yard line, first-and-goal, down by a touchdown.• Lukic must have seen the ball extremely late but still managed to get down well.• Then she travels with the ball.• When hedgehogs are in danger, they curl their bodies into tight balls.• The mallet whacked into the wooden ball, and the women laughed as the men groaned.throw/hit/kick/catch etc a ball• He can hit a thrown ball with a stick of wood.• Children were playing and throwing a ball for each other to catch.• You can also invent little games, such as kicking a ball in a bucket or bowl of water.• After a few laps of the track we could kick a ball about or even have a go at throwing a javelin.• It is a little like throwing a ball out of a moving train.• Take the act of throwing a ball.• They remind you of a bunch of schoolboys wandering down a lonely road, kicking a ball along.• Folk who think you need to hit a ball with a stick to earn a drink.play ball• It was a timeless scene: a brick house, a mown meadow, a man and his boy playing ball.• The editor would have doubled it, if you'd played ball with me.• She played ball, she had difficulty with spelling, and she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up.• He has no one to play ball with and tosses his ball against the wall in a most despondent fashion.• There is a simple, inexpensive solution for those who refuse to play ball with the system.• Their loan officer refuses to play ball, so we have to get a loan from a different bank.• It seemed clear to us that we would always have the time to play ball and get better as we went along.• You kids should go outside if you want to play ball.• When they break a window playing ball or lose something that belongs to a friend, they should make amends.

Related topics: Shapes, patterns

ball2 verb [transitive]  1  (also ball up)CF to make something form a small round shape 把〔某物〕做成球状 Ray balled up his fists. 雷握起拳头。2. American English informal not polite to have sex with a woman 和〔女人〕发生性关系→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

ball• In that time Dean is balling Marylou at the hotel and gives me time to change and dress.Origin ball1 1. (1200-1300) Old Norse böllr2. (1600-1700) French bal, from Old French baller “to dance”, from Late Latin ballare, from Greek ballizein

ball1 noun →10-18
→n COLLOCATIONS1ball2 verbLDOCE OnlineChinese  

is Corpus round a or kicked, object thrown, that

ball

I

ball¹ S1 W2 /bɔːl $ bɒːl/ noun
1.  ROUND OBJECT  [countable] a round object that is thrown, kicked, or hit in a game or sport
    throw/hit/kick/catch etc a ball
    Weiskopf hit the ball 330 yards and a cheer went up.
    a tennis/golf/cricket etc ball
2.  ROUND SHAPE  [countable] something formed or rolled into a round shape:
    a ball of string
    Shape the dough into balls.
3.  GAME/SPORT  [uncountable] any game or sport played with a ball, especially baseball or basketball:
    D'you want to go out and play ball?
    Dad likes college ball.
4.  FOOT/HAND the ball of the foot/hand the rounded part of the foot at the base of the toes, or the rounded part of the hand at the base of the thumb
5. on the ball informal able to think or act quickly and intelligently:
    an assistant who’s really on the ball
6. set/start/keep the ball rolling to start something happening:
    To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £1 million.
7. the ball is in sb’s court it is their turn to take action or to reply:
    I’ve emailed him – now the ball’s in his court.
8.  FORMAL OCCASION  [countable] a large formal occasion at which people dance
9. have a ball informal to have a very good time
10. balls [plural] informal not polite
  a. testicles
  b. courage:
    I didn’t have the balls to ask.
  c. British English spoken something that is stupid or wrong
   SYN  nonsense:
    That’s a load of balls__ ⇨ balls¹
11. a fast/good/long etc ball a ball that is thrown, hit, or kicked fast etc in a game or sport:
    He hit a long ball to right field.
12.  CRICKET no ball a ball that is thrown too high, low etc towards someone trying to hit it, in the game of cricket or rounders
13.  BASEBALL no ball [countable] a ball that the hitter does not try to hit, because it is not within the correct area
14. the whole ball of wax American English informal the whole thing
   SYN  everything
15. a ball of fire informal someone who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm
16. keep several/too many etc balls in the air to struggle to deal with more than one problem or job at the same time:
    The company just won’t be able to keep that many balls in the air.
17. drop the ball (also take your eye off the ball) to make a mistake when dealing with something because you stop thinking carefully or paying attention
18. ball-buster/ball-breaker informal
  a. a problem that is very difficult to deal with
  b. an offensive word for a woman who uses her authority over men
⇨ cannonball, crystal ball, wrecking ball, ⇨ play ball at play¹(7)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ throw a ball Suzy threw the ball to Matthew.
   ▪ catch a ball He’s useless at sport; he can’t even catch a ball.
   ▪ hit a ball He swung the bat back and hit the ball hard.
   ▪ kick a ball Greg kicked the ball upfield to Will.
   ▪ bounce a ball He was in the yard bouncing a ball against the wall.
   ▪ get the ball Then the Cowboys got the ball again.
   ▪ miss a ball (=not catch or hit it) I was trying hard but I kept missing the ball.
   ▪ a ball rolls The ball just rolled past the hole.
   ▪ a ball flies/sails The ball flew over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net.
   ▪ a ball bounces In tennis, the ball must only bounce once.
   ▪ a ball rebounds (=hits something and moves back and away from it again) The ball hit the goalpost and rebounded.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + ball
   ▪ a tennis/cricket/golf/rugby etc ball She was practising hitting golf balls.
   ▪ a ping-pong/billiard/snooker etc ball He was bouncing around like a ping-pong ball.
   ▪ a beach ball (=a large light ball used on the beach) Dad, will you blow up the beach ball?
■ ball + NOUN
   ▪ a ball game He’s always watching ball games on TV.
   ▪ ball skills Practising ball skills helps a child’s coordination.

II

ball² verb [transitive]
1. (also ball up) to make something form a small round shape:
    Ray balled up his fists.
2. American English informal not polite to have sex with a woman

Ball
Ball, Lu‧cille /luːˈsiːl/
⇨ I Love Lucy