Webster's English Dictionary

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ball

1. ball \'bo.l\ n [ME bal, fr. ON bo:llr; akin to OE bealluc testis, OHG 
   ba]lla ball, OE bula bull 1: a round or roundish body or mass : as  1a: a 
   spherical or ovoid body used in a game or sport  1b: EARTH, GLOBE  1c: a 
   spherical or conical projectile; also : projectiles used in f irearms 1d: a 
   roundish protuberant anatomic structure; esp : the rounded em inence at the 
   base of the thumb or great toe 2: a game in which a ball is thrown, kicked, 
   or struck; esp : BA SEBALL 3a: the delivery of the ball {curve ~}  3b: a 
   pitched baseball not struck at by the batter that fails to pass throu gh 
   the strike zone
2. ball vb : to form or gather into a ball  - ball.er n
3. ball n [F bal, fr. OF, fr. baller to dance, fr. LL ballare, fr. Gk 
   (Xballizein; akin to Skt balbali-ti he whirls 1: a large formal gathering 
   for social dancing  2: a good time : PICNIC