ball cock
    n 1: floating ball that controls level in a water tank [syn:
         ballcock, ball cock]

Ball \Ball\ (b[add]l), n. [OE. bal, balle; akin to OHG. balla,
   palla, G. ball, Icel. b["o]llr, ball; cf. F. balle. Cf. 1st
   Bale, n., Pallmall.]
   1. Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as,
      a ball of twine; a ball of snow.
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   2. A spherical body of any substance or size used to play
      with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc.
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   3. A general name for games in which a ball is thrown,
      kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football.
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   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.
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   5. (Pyrotechnics & Mil.) 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.
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   6. (Print.) 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      inking the form, but now superseded by the roller.
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   7. A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body;
      as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot.
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   8. (Far.) A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly
      given to horses; a bolus. --White.
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   9. The globe or earth. --Pope.
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            Move round the dark terrestrial ball. --Addison.
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   10. (Baseball) 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. +PJC]

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

   11. pl. courage; nerve. [vulgar]
       [PJC]

   Ball and socket joint, a joint in which a ball moves within
      a socket, so as to admit of motion in every direction
      within certain limits.

   Ball bearings, a mechanical device for lessening the
      friction of axle bearings by means of small loose metal
      balls.

   Ball cartridge, a cartridge containing a ball, as
      distinguished from a blank cartridge, containing only
      powder.

   Ball cock, a faucet or valve which is opened or closed by
      the fall or rise of a ball floating in water at the end of
      a lever.

   Ball gudgeon, a pivot of a spherical form, which permits
      lateral deflection of the arbor or shaft, while retaining
      the pivot in its socket. --Knight.

   Ball lever, the lever used in a ball cock.

   Ball of the eye, the eye itself, as distinguished from its
      lids and socket; -- formerly, the pupil of the eye.

   Ball valve (Mach.), a contrivance by which a ball, placed
      in a circular cup with a hole in its bottom, operates as a
      valve.

   Ball vein (Mining), a sort of iron ore, found in loose
      masses of a globular form, containing sparkling particles.
      

   Three balls, or Three golden balls, a pawnbroker's sign
      or shop.

   on the ball alert; competent and knowledgeable.

   to carry the ball to carry on the task; to assume the
      responsibility.

   to drop the ball to fail to perform as expected; to fail to
      live up to a responsibility.
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   Syn: See Globe.
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Cock \Cock\ (k[o^]k), n. [AS. coc; of unknown origin, perh. in
   imitation of the cry of the cock. Cf. Chicken.]
   1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or
      domestic fowls.
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   2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
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            Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! --Shak.
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   3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous]
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            Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left
            us.                                   --Addison.
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   4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning;
      cockcrow. [Obs.]
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            He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock.
                                                  --Shak.
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   5. A faucet or valve.
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   Note: Jonsons says, "The handle probably had a cock on the
         top; things that were contrived to turn seem anciently
         to have had that form, whatever was the reason."
         Skinner says, because it used to be constructed in
         forma crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's
         comb.
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   6. The style of gnomon of a dial. --Chambers.
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   7. The indicator of a balance. --Johnson.
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   8. The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of
      a balance in a clock or watch. --Knight.
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   9. a penis. [vulgar]
      [PJC]

   Ball cock. See under Ball.

   Chaparral cock. See under Chaparral.

   Cock and bull story, an extravagant, boastful story; a
      canard.

   Cock of the plains (Zool.) See Sage cock.

   Cock of the rock (Zool.), a South American bird (Rupicola
      aurantia) having a beautiful crest.

   Cock of the walk, a chief or master; the hero of the hour;
      one who has overcrowed, or got the better of, rivals or
      competitors.

   Cock of the woods. See Capercailzie.
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