1.  ball(n = noun.artifact) - 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"
is a kind of game equipment
has particulars: baseball, basketball, billiard ball, bocce ball, bocci ball, boccie ball, bowl, bowl, bowling ball, cricket ball, croquet ball, field hockey ball, football, golf ball, handball, jack, lacrosse ball, marble, medicine ball, ninepin ball, skittle ball, ping-pong ball, polo ball, pool ball, punch bag, punchball, punching bag, punching ball, racquetball, roulette ball, rugby ball, soccer ball, playground ball, softball, squash ball, tennis ball, volleyball, wiffle, wiffle ball

2.  ball(n = noun.artifact) musket ball - a solid projectile that is shot by a musket; "they had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball"
is a kind of pellet, shot

3.  ball(n = noun.shape) globe, orb - an object with a spherical shape; "a ball of fire"
is a kind of sphere
has particulars: crystal ball, camphor ball, mothball, time-ball, fireball, fireball, globule, spherule, pellet, bolus

4.  ball(n = noun.group) - the people assembled at a lavish formal dance; "the ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded"
is a kind of dance
has parts: promenade

5.  ball(n = noun.body) ballock, bollock, egg, nut, orchis, testicle, testis - one of the two male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens; "she kicked him in the balls and got away"
is a kind of gonad, sex gland, male reproductive gland
is a part of male reproductive system, family jewels, male genital organ, male genitalia, male genitals
has parts: arteria testicularis, internal spermatic artery, testicular artery, testicular vein, vena testicularis, seminiferous tubule, epididymis, rete testis, ductus deferens, vas deferens, spermatic cord
has particulars: cobblers, undescended testicle, undescended testis

6.  ball(n = noun.artifact) - a spherical object used as a plaything; "he played with his rubber ball in the bathtub"
is a kind of plaything, toy
has particulars: beach ball, beachball, snowball

7.  ball(n = noun.person) lucille ball - United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989);
is a kind of actress, comedienne

8.  ball(n = noun.group) chunk, clod, clump, glob, lump - a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder"
is a kind of agglomeration
has particulars: clot, coagulum, gob, clew

9.  ball(n = noun.event) formal - a lavish dance requiring formal attire;
is a kind of dance
has particulars: cotilion, cotillion, fancy-dress ball, masked ball, masquerade ball, prom, promenade

10.  ball(n = noun.body) - 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"
is a kind of anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure
is a part of hand, manus, mitt, paw, sole
Derived form verb ball₁

11.  ball(n = noun.act) - the game of baseball;
is a kind of baseball, baseball game
has particulars: daisy cutter

12.  ball(n = noun.act) - a pitch that is not in the strike zone; "he threw nine straight balls before the manager yanked him"
is a kind of delivery, pitch

   ball(v = verb.contact) - form into a ball by winding or rolling; "ball wool"
is one way to roll, twine, wind, wrap
Derived form noun ball₁₀
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something

1.  Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow. [1913 Webster]

2.  A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc. [1913 Webster]

3.  A general name for games in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football. [1913 Webster]

4.  Any solid spherical, cylindrical, or conical projectile of lead or iron, to be discharged from a firearm; as, a cannon ball; a rifle ball; -- often used collectively; as, powder and ball. Spherical balls for the smaller firearms are commonly called bullets. [1913 Webster]

5.  A flaming, roundish body shot into the air; a case filled with combustibles intended to burst and give light or set fire, or to produce smoke or stench; as, a fire ball; a stink ball. [1913 Webster]

6.  A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; -- formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller. [1913 Webster]

7.  A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body; as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot. [1913 Webster]

8.  A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly given to horses; a bolus. White. [1913 Webster]

9.  The globe or earth. Pope. [1913 Webster]
"Move round the dark terrestrial ball." [1913 Webster]

10.  A pitched ball, not struck at by the batter, which fails to pass over the home plate at a height not greater than the batter's shoulder nor less than his knee (i.e. it is outside the strike zone). If the pitcher pitches four balls before three strikes are called, the batter advances to first base, and the action of pitching four balls is called a walk. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

11.  a testicle; usually used in the plural. [PJC]

12.  courage; nerve. [PJC]

   To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls; as, the horse balls; the snow balls. [1913 Webster]

1.  To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling. [1913 Webster]

2.  To form or wind into a ball; as, to ball cotton. [1913 Webster]

1.  A social assembly for the purpose of dancing; -- usually applied to an occasion lavish or formal. [1913 Webster]

2.  A very enjoyable time; as, we had a ball at the wedding. [PJC]

ball, n. & v.
--n.
1 a solid or hollow sphere, esp. for use in a game.
2 a a ball-shaped object; material forming the shape of a ball (ball of snow; ball of wool; rolled himself into a ball). b a rounded part of the body (ball of the foot).
3 a solid non-explosive missile for a cannon etc.
4 a single delivery of a ball in cricket, baseball, etc., or passing of a ball in football.
5 (in pl.) coarse sl. a the testicles. b (usu. as an exclam. of contempt) nonsense, rubbish. c = balls-up. d courage, 'guts'.

Idiom:
ball-and-socket joint Anat. a joint in which a rounded end lies in a concave cup or socket, allowing freedom of movement. ball-bearing
1 a bearing in which the two halves are separated by a ring of small metal balls which reduce friction.
2 one of these balls.
ball game
1 a any game played with a ball. b US a game of baseball.
2 esp. US colloq. a particular affair or concern (a whole new ball game). the ball is in your etc. court you etc. must be next to act. ball lightning a rare globular form of lightning. ball-point (pen) a pen with a tiny ball as its writing point. balls (or ball) up coarse sl. bungle; make a mess of. balls-up n. coarse sl. a mess; a confused or bungled situation. have the ball at one's feet have one's best opportunity. keep the ball rolling maintain the momentum of an activity. on the ball colloq. alert. play ball colloq. cooperate. start etc. the ball rolling set an activity in motion; make a start.

Usage:
Sense 5 is usually considered a taboo use.
--v.
1 tr. squeeze or wind into a ball.
2 intr. form or gather into a ball or balls.

ball, n.
1 a formal social gathering for dancing.
2 sl. an enjoyable time (esp. have a ball).

Etymology:
F bal f. LL ballare to dance

VB  speak to, address, accost, make up to, apostrophize, appeal to, invoke, ball, salute, call to, halloo, take aside, take by the button, talk to in private, lecture, Int, soho!, halloo!, hey!, hist!.

N  arm, arms, weapon, deadly weapon, armament, armaments, armature, panoply, stand of arms, armor, armory, apparatus belli, ammunition, powder, powder and shot, cartridge, ball cartridge, cartouche, fireball, villainous saltpeter, dumdum bullet, explosive, gunpowder, guncotton, mercury fulminate, picrates, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, PETN, high explosive, trinitrotoluene, TNT, dynamite, melinite, cordite, lyddite, plastic explosive, plastique, pyroxyline, sword, saber, broadsword, cutlass, falchion, scimitar, cimeter, brand, whinyard, bilbo, glaive, glave, rapier, skean, Toledo, Ferrara, tuck, claymore, adaga, baselard, Lochaber ax, skean dhu, creese, kris, dagger, dirk, banger, poniard, stiletto, stylet, dudgeon, bayonet, sword-bayonet, sword-stick, side arms, foil, blade, steel, ax, bill, pole-ax, battle-ax, gisarme, halberd, partisan, tomahawk, bowie knife, ataghan, attaghan, yataghan, yatacban, assagai, assegai, good sword, trusty sword, naked sword, cold steel, club, mace, truncheon, staff, bludgeon, cudgel, life preserver, shillelah, sprig, hand staff, quarter staff, bat, cane, stick, knuckle duster, billy, blackjack, sandbag, waddy, gun, piece, firearms, artillery, ordnance, siege train, battering train, park, battery, cannon, gun of position, heavy gun, field piece, mortar, howitzer, carronade, culverin, basilisk, falconet, jingal, swivel, pederero, bouche a feu, petard, torpedo, mitrailleur, mitrailleuse, infernal machine, smooth bore, rifled cannon, Armstrong gun, Lancaster gun, Paixhan gun, Whitworth gun, Parrott gun, Krupp gun, Gatling gun, Maxim gun, machine gun, pompom, ten pounder, small arms, musket, musketry, firelock, fowling piece, rifle, fusil, caliver, carbine, blunderbuss, musketoon, Brown Bess, matchlock, harquebuss, arquebus, haguebut, pistol, postolet, petronel, small bore, breach-loader, muzzle-loader, revolver, repeater, Minis rifle, Enfield rifle, Flobert rifle, Westley Richards rifle, Snider rifle, Martini-Henry rifle, Lee-Metford rifle, Lee-Enfield rifle, Mauser rifle, magazine rifle, needle gun, chassepot, wind gun, air gun, automatic gun, automatic pistol, escopet, escopette, gunflint, gun- lock, hackbut, shooter, shooting iron, six-shooter, shotgun, Uzzi, assault rifle, Kalashnikov, bow, crossbow, balister, catapult, sling, battering ram, gunnery, ballistics, missile, bolt, projectile, shot, ball, grape, grape shot, canister shot, bar shot, cannon shot, langrel shot, langrage shot, round shot, chain shot, balista, ballista, slung shot, trebucbet, trebucket, bullet, slug, stone, brickbat, grenade, shell, bomb, carcass, rocket, congreve, congreve rocket, shrapnel, mitraille, levin bolt, levin brand, thunderbolt, pike, lance, spear, spontoon, javelin, dart, jereed, jerid, arrow, reed, shaft, bolt, boomerang, harpoon, gaff, eelspear, oxgoad, weet-weet, wommerah, cattle prod, chemical mace, en flute, nervos belli pecuniam infinitam.

N  amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, Kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig, skirtdance, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, Terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat, bum, bust, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear, Turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, Bank holiday, May day, Derby day, Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public), arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne Russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall- mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may I, French and English, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag, billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty- one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my- neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto, scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman, amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw, laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles, on the light fantastic toe, at play, in sport, Int, vive la bagatelle!, vogue la galere!, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, (every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed wi, misce stullitiam consiliis brevem.

N  sociality, sociability, sociableness, social intercourse, consociation, intercourse, intercommunity, consortship, companionship, comradeship, clubbism, esprit de corps, conviviality, good fellowship, good company, joviality, jollity, savoir vivre, festivity, festive board, merrymaking, loving cup, hospitality, heartiness, cheer, welcome, welcomeness, greeting, hearty welcome, hearty reception, warm reception, urbanity, familiarity, good fellow, jolly fellow, bon enfant, bawcock, social circle, family circle, circle of acquaintance, coterie, society, company, social gathering, social reunion, assembly, barbecue, bee, corn-husking, corn-shucking, house raising, barn raising, husking, husking-bee, infare, party, entertainment, reception, levee, at, home, conversazione, soiree, matin_ee, evening party, morning party, afternoon party, bridge party, garden party, surprise party, kettle, kettle drum, partie carr_ee, dish of tea, ridotto, rout, housewarming, ball, festival, smoker, smoker-party, sociable, stag party, hen party, tamasha, tea-party, tea-fight, (amusement), the feast of reason and the flow of soul, birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve party, Thanksgiving Day Dinner, bonenkai, wedding reception, visiting, round of visits, call, morning call, interview, assignation, tryst, trysting place, appointment, club, sociable, companionable, clubbable, conversable, cosy, cosey, chatty, conversational, homiletical, convivial, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, hospitable, welcome, welcome as the roses in May, f=eted, entertained, free and easy, hall fellow well met, familiar, on visiting terms, acquainted, social, neighborly, international, gregarious, en famille, in the family circle, sans fa, arm in arm, a crowd is not company, be bright and jovial among your guests tonight, his worth is warrant for his welcome, let's be red with mirth, welcome the coming speed the parting guest.

N  rotundity, roundness, cylindricity, sphericity, spheroidity, globosity, cylinder, cylindroid, cylindrical, barrel, drum, roll, roller, rouleau, column, rolling-pin, rundle, cone, conoid, pear shape, egg shape, bell shape, sphere, globe, ball, boulder, bowlder, spheroid, ellipsoid, oblong spheroid, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, drop, spherule, globule, vesicle, bulb, bullet, pellet, pelote, clew, pill, marble, pea, knob, pommel, horn, knot (convolution), curved surface, hypersphere, hyperdimensional surface, rotund, round, cylindric, cylindrical, cylindroid, columnar, lumbriciform, conic, conical, spherical, spheroidal, globular, globated, globous, globose, egg shaped, bell shaped, pear shaped, ovoid, oviform, gibbous, rixiform, campaniform, campanulate, campaniliform, fungiform, bead-like, moniliform, pyriform, bulbous, tres atque rotundus, round as an orange, round as an apple, round as a ball, round as a billiard ball, round as a cannon ball.

N  propulsion, projection, propelment, vis a tergo, force from behind, push, shove, ejaculate, ejection, throw, fling, toss, shot, discharge, shy, launch, release, projectiles, ballistics, archery, propeller, screw, twin screws, turbine, jet engine, missile, projectile, ball, discus, quoit, brickbat, shot, arrow, gun, ballista, countdown, windup, shooter, shot, archer, toxophilite, bowman, rifleman, marksman, good shot, crack shot, sharpshooter, propelled, propelling, propulsive, projectile.

ball and chain, ball bearing, ball boy, ball carrier, ball cartridge, ball club, ball cock, ball fern, ball field, ball game, ball gown, ball hawk, ball hawking, ball nettle, ball nightshade, ball of fire, ball over, ball the jack, ball up, ball valve, be on the ball, beach ball, billiard ball, bocce ball, bocci ball, boccie ball, bosie ball, bowling ball, breaking ball, camphor ball, cannon ball, change-of-pace ball, codfish ball, cotton ball, cricket ball, croquet ball, crystal ball, cue ball, curve ball, dirt ball, eight ball, fair ball, fancy-dress ball, feather ball, field hockey ball, fish ball, fly ball, foul ball, golf ball, ground ball, gum ball, gutter ball, hair ball, have a ball, jump ball, lacrosse ball, lucille ball, masked ball, masquerade ball, matzah ball, matzo ball, matzoh ball, medicine ball, melon ball, minie ball, musket ball, net ball, ninepin ball, no ball, object ball, on the ball, passed ball, ping-pong ball, play ball, playground ball, polo ball, pool ball, popcorn ball, porcupine ball, punching ball, rifle ball, roulette ball, rugby ball, skittle ball, smoke ball, soccer ball, spit ball, squash ball, submarine ball, tea ball, tennis ball, volley ball, whitworth ball, wiffle ball