ball
    n 1: 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"
    2: a solid projectile that is shot by a musket; "they had to
       carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball" [syn: musket
       ball, ball]
    3: an object with a spherical shape; "a ball of fire" [syn:
       ball, globe, orb]
    4: the people assembled at a lavish formal dance; "the ball was
       already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded"
    5: one of the two male reproductive glands that produce
       spermatozoa and secrete androgens; "she kicked him in the
       balls and got away" [syn: testis, testicle, orchis,
       ball, ballock, bollock, nut, egg]
    6: a spherical object used as a plaything; "he played with his
       rubber ball in the bathtub"
    7: United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular
       television program (1911-1989) [syn: Ball, Lucille Ball]
    8: a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder"
       [syn: ball, clod, glob, lump, clump, chunk]
    9: a lavish dance requiring formal attire [syn: ball,
       formal]
    10: 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"
    11: the game of baseball
    12: a pitch that is not in the strike zone; "he threw nine
        straight balls before the manager yanked him"
    v 1: form into a ball by winding or rolling; "ball wool"

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.
      [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. (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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [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. (Far.) 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. --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: See Globe.
        [1913 Webster]

Ball \Ball\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Balled (b[add]ld); p. pr. &
   vb. n. Balling.]
   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]

Ball \Ball\, v. t.
   1. (Metal.) 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]

Ball \Ball\, n. [F. bal, fr. OF. baler to dance, fr. LL.
   ballare. Of uncertain origin; cf. Gr. ba`llein to toss or
   throw, or pa`llein, pa`llesqai, to leap, bound, balli`zein to
   dance, jump about; or cf. 1st Ball, n.]
   1. A social assembly for the purpose of dancing; -- usually
      applied to an occasion lavish or formal.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

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

Ball, LA -- U.S. town in Louisiana
   Population (2000):    3681
   Housing Units (2000): 1524
   Land area (2000):     8.034863 sq. miles (20.810198 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    8.034863 sq. miles (20.810198 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            04055
   Located within:       Louisiana (LA), FIPS 22
   Location:             31.407930 N, 92.402316 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):    
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Ball, LA
    Ball