ball

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A round object used in games and sports, which is thrown, hit, or kicked.

   He kicked the ball into the net.

2. 2
   noun

   Something formed into a round shape.

   She rolled the dough into a ball.

3. 3
   noun

   A large formal event where people dance.

   They danced all night at the royal ball.

Common collocations

• catch a ball Verb + noun
• hit a ball Verb + noun
• kick a ball Verb + noun
• throw a ball Verb + noun
• bouncy ball Adjective + noun
• loose ball Adjective + noun

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- Proto-Germanic *balluz Old English *beall Middle English bal English ball 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,…

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