Tra từ ball - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

ball [ball balls balled balling] noun, verb BrE [bɔːl] NAmE [bɔːl]
noun
1. a round object used for throwing, hitting or kicking in games and sports
•a golf/tennis/cricket ball
• Bounce the ball and try and hit it over the net.
2. a round object or a thing that has been formed into a round shape
• The sun was a huge ball of fire low on the horizon.
•a ball of string
• Some animals roll themselves into a ball for protection.
3. a kick, hit or throw of the ball in some sports
•He sent over a high ball.
4. (in ↑baseball)a throw by the ↑pitcher that is outside the ↑strike zone (= the area between the batter's upper arms and knees
5. ~ of the foot/hand the part underneath the big toe or the thumb

6. usually plural (taboo, informal)a ↑testicle
see also ↑balls
7. a large formal party with dancing
more at carry the ball at ↑carry _v., drop the ball at ↑drop _v., keep your eye on/take your eye off the ball at ↑eye _n.

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 6 and v. Middle English Old Norse bǫllr Germanic n. sense 7 early 17th cent. French bal ‘a dance’ late Latin ballare ‘to dance’ Greek ballizein ‘to dance’ ballein ‘to throw’

Example Bank:
•He pounced on a loose ball and scored.
•He screwed the letter up into a tight ball.
•He was penalized for hand ball.
•He's an excellent ball handler.
•His ball control was excellent.
•Oh no! He's dropped the ball.
•She chased the ball all over the pitch.
•She met him at the ball.
•The ball flew over the bar into the sea of Middlesbrough fans.
•The ball flew over the fence.
•The ball hit me on the head.
•The ball hit the wall and rolled along the road.
•The catcher missed the ball.
•The fielders try to retrieve the ball quickly and return it to the bowler.
•The kids love to kick a ball against my wall.
•The little girl curled up into a ball in her mother's arms.
•The plot throws a few curve balls along the way to keep you guessing.
•The responsibility was a ball and chain around my ankle.
•The sun was a fiery ball, low on the hills.
•We're going to a masked ball.
•We're organizing a charity ball.
•Without a crystal ball it's impossible to say where we'll be next year.
•a great ball from Beckham
•a superb through ball from John Scott
•They're holding a charity ball at the end of the month.
•They've hired a 10-piece band for the summer ball.
•You shall go to the ball, Cinderella!
Idioms: ↑ball and chain ▪ ↑ball is in your court ▪ ↑ball of fire ▪ ↑get the ball rolling ▪ ↑have a ball ▪ ↑have a lot on the ball ▪ ↑on the ball ▪ ↑pick up the ball and run with it ▪ ↑play ball ▪ ↑whole ball of wax

verb
1. intransitive, transitive to form sth or be formed into the shape of a ball
•~ (into sth) Her hands balled into fists.
•~ sth (into sth) My hands were balled into fists.
2. transitive ~ sb (NAmE, taboo, slang)(of a man) to have sex with a woman
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 6 and v. Middle English Old Norse bǫllr Germanic n. sense 7 early 17th cent. French bal ‘a dance’ late Latin ballare ‘to dance’ Greek ballizein ‘to dance’ ballein ‘to throw’