'on the ball' definitions:
Definition of 'on the ball'
From: GCIDE
- 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cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; -- formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller.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]
Synonyms of 'on the ball'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- advertent,
- agile,
- agog,
- alert,
- alive,
- all ears,
- all eyes,
- assiduous,
- attentive,
- awake,
- aware,
- bright,
- careful,
- clear-sighted,
- clear-witted,
- clearheaded,
- concentrated,
- conscious,
- diligent,
- earnest,
- finical,
- finicking,
- finicky,
- heedful,
- intense,
- intent,
- intentive,
- keen,
- meticulous,
- mindful,
- nice,
- niggling,
- nimble,
- observant,
- observing,
- on the,
- on the alert,
- on the job,
- open-eared,
- open-eyed,
- openmouthed,
- prompt,
- qui vive,
- quick,
- ready,
- regardful,
- sharp,
- sleepless,
- smart,
- unblinking,
- unnodding,
- unsleeping,
- unwinking,
- wakeful,
- watchful,
- wide-awake
Words containing 'on the ball'
- Ball,
- Balled,
- Balling,
- ball over,
- ball up,
- balled up,
- balls,
- be on the ball,
- have a ball,
- no ball,
- Ball Ground,
- Ball bearings,
- Ball cartridge,
- Ball cock,
- Ball gudgeon,
- Ball lever,
- Ball lightning,
- Ball of the eye,
- Ball valve,
- Ball vein,
- Ball, LA,
- Cannon Ball,
- Canterbury ball,
- Corn ball,
- Cup and ball,
- Fair ball,
- Fancy ball,
- Fish ball,
- Foul ball,
- Friction balls,
- Fuzz ball,
- Golden balls,
- Light ball,
- Masked ball,
- Minie ball,
- Nail ball,
- Pool ball,
- Pumpet ball,
- Return ball,
- Rupert's ball,
- Sand ball,
- Sap ball,
- Scioptic ball,
- Skittle ball,
- Smoke ball,
- Spent ball,
- Stang ball,
- Three balls,
- Time ball,
- To lob a ball,
- To pocket a ball,
- Volley ball,
- Wash ball,
- Whitworth ball,
- Witch balls,
- Wool ball,
- ball and chain,
- ball bearing,
- ball boy,
- ball cap,
- ball carrier,
- ball club,
- ball fern,
- ball field,
- ball fish,
- ball game,
- ball gown,
- ball hawk,
- ball hawking,
- ball nettle,
- ball nightshade,
- ball of fire,
- ball the jack,
- balls-up,
- base on balls,
- beach ball,
- billiard ball,
- bocce ball,
- bocci ball,
- boccie ball,
- bosie ball,
- bowling ball,
- breaking ball,
- camphor ball,
- codfish ball,
- cotton ball,
- cricket ball,
- croquet ball,
- crystal ball,
- cue ball,
- curve ball,
- dirt ball,
- drop the ball,
- eight ball,
- feather ball,
- fly ball,
- golf ball,
- ground ball,
- gum ball,
- gutter ball,
- hair ball,
- jump ball,
- lacrosse ball,
- lucille ball,
- masquerade ball,
- matzah ball,
- matzo ball,
- matzoh ball,
- medicine ball,
- melon ball,
- musket ball,
- net ball,
- ninepin ball,
- object ball,
- passed ball,
- play ball,
- playground ball,
- polo ball,
- popcorn ball,
- porcupine ball,
- punching ball,
- rifle ball,
- roulette ball,
- rugby ball,
- soccer ball,
- spit ball,
- squash ball,
- submarine ball,
- tea ball,
- tennis ball,
- to carry the ball,
- to drop the ball,
- wiffle ball,
- Ball Ground, GA,
- Ball and socket joint,
- Ball-flower,
- Cannon Ball, ND,
- Foul ball lines,
- Puddle-ball,
- Tether-ball,
- Three golden balls,
- To nurse billiard balls,
- ball-breaker,
- ball-buster,
- ball-hawking,
- ball-shaped,
- earth-ball,
- field hockey ball,
- time-ball,
- Ping-pong ball,
- ball-and-socket joint,
- ball-peen hammer,
- change-of-pace ball,
- fancy-dress ball