87
escaping → see PRISONER 7 carry the ball AmE to take responsibility, especially in a difficult situation: He's always left carrying the ball when things get rough. 8 on the ball infml apprec showing up-to-date knowledge and/or an ability to think and act quickly: That new teacher is really on the ball. 9 play ball AmE to work well with someone; COOPERATE: We tried to work out a fair deal but the other company's people just wouldn't play ball. 10 set/start/keep the ball rolling to begin/continue something, such as a conversation or a plan 11 The ball is in your/his/her court now it's your/his/her turn to take action or reply → see also BALLS
ball² n 1 [C] a large formal occasion for social dancing 2 [S] infml a very good time: They all had a ball at the party. 3 You shall go to the ball! a phrase used by the FAIRY GODMOTHER to Cinderella in the story of Cinderella → see also CIN-DERELLA
Ball, Lu-cille /lu:'si:l/ → see I LOVE LUCY
bal·lad /'bæləd/ n 1 a short story in the form of a poem 2 a simple song, especially a popular love song
bal·lade /bæ'lɑ:d||bə-/ n a poem with usually three groups of lines and a shorter fourth group all having the same last line and using a very small number of RHYMES
Bal·lard, J.G. /'bælə:dll-ɑ:d/ (1930-) a British writer who is known especially for his SCIENCE FICTION stories, and for his NOVEL about China during World War II, Empire of the Sun, which was made into a film. His novels also include Crash, Cocaine Nights, and Super-Cannes.
bal·last¹ /'bæləst/ n [U] heavy material, such as broken stones, which is a) carried by a ship to keep it steady b) thrown from a BALLOON to make it rise c) used as the bottom surface of a road or as the surface on which railway lines are placed
ballast² v [T(with)] to fill or supply with ballast
,ball 'bearing n 1 an arrangement of metal balls moving in a ring round a bar in a machine so that the bar can turn more easily 2 any one of these metal balls
'ball boy n a young person who picks up balls for people playing in important tennis matches
'ball ,breaker n infml an insulting word, used mostly by men, for a strong determined woman
ball·cock /'bɔ:lkok||-kɑ:k/ n an apparatus for opening and closing a hole through which water passes, worked by a hollow floating ball which rises and falls with the level of the water
bal·le·ri·na /,bælə'ri:nə/ n a female ballet dancer
Bal·les·te·ros, Sev-e-ri-a-no /,bæləs'tɪərɒs|| ,baɪə'steɪərəs, ,severi'ɑ:nɒʊ/ also called Seve /'sevi/ (1957-) a Spanish GOLFER who won many golf competitions, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. He was CAPTAIN of the European Ryder Cup team in 1997.
bal·let /'bæleɪ||bæ'leɪ, 'bæleɪ/ n 1 [C] (the music for) a theatrical performance in which a story is told using artistic dancing and music, but without speech or singing: He wrote (the music for) several famous ballets. 2 [(the) U] such dancing as a form of art: She has studied (the) ballet for six years. | a ballet dancer 3 [C+sing./pl. v] also corps de ballet — a group of ballet dancers who work together: the Bolshoi Ballet
bal·let·ic /bæ'letɪk/ adj balletic movements are graceful, like the movements in ballet: a balletic leap
Ballet Ram'bert, the → see RAMBERT DANCE COMPANY
'ball game n [C usually sing.] infml 1 AmE a BASEBALL game 2 a state of affairs; situation: I used to be a teacher, so working in an office is a whole new ball game for me.
'ball girl n a girl who picks up tennis balls for the players in an important tennis match
'ball gown n a long formal dress made from expensive material, worn at formal dances and ceremonies: a black velvet ball gown
bal·lis·tic /bə'lɪstɪk/ adj go ballistic infml to suddenly become extremely angry: He went ballistic when he saw that I'd scratched his car.
ballistic 'missile n a MISSILE that is guided as it rises into the air but then falls freely
bal·lis·tics /bə'lɪstɪks/ n [U] the scientific study of the movement of objects that are thrown or forced through the air, such as bullets fired from a gun
bal·loon¹ /bə'lu:n/ n 1 also hot-air balloon a large bag of strong light material filled with gas or heated air so that it can float in the air: They crossed the English Channel in a hot-air balloon. 2 a small usually brightly coloured rubber bag that can be blown up, used as a toy or decoration for parties etc: All the children were given balloons. 3 the line round the words spoken by the figures in a CARTOON 4 AmE money borrowed, especially for a MORTGAGE which must be paid in one large sum after several smaller payments have been made: a 10% mortgage with a five-year balloon 5 go down like a lead balloon infml (of a remark, joke, suggestion etc) to fail to have the intended effect and especially to produce disapproval: His jokes about women drivers went down like a lead balloon. 6 when the balloon goes up BrE when the action starts or the moment of great danger arrives → see also TRIAL BALLOON
balloon² v [I(OUT, UP)] to get bigger and bigger, or rounder and rounder, like a balloon being blown up: His cheeks ballooned (out) as he played his trumpet.
bal·loon·ing /bə'lu:nɪŋ/ n [U] the sport of flying in a balloon —ist n
bal·lot¹ /'bælət/ n 1 [C] a sheet of paper used to make a secret vote: They're counting the ballots now. 2 [(the) S] the process or system of secret voting: The ballot is a vital part of the democratic process. | The leaders were accused of rigging the ballot. (=arranging false results) | When we put it to the ballot (=had a vote) the members decided to accept the management's offer. 3 [C] an occasion of voting or a chance to vote: The members have demanded a ballot. | a strike ballot | a postal ballot 4 [C] the number of votes recorded; POLL
ballot² v 1 [I(for)] to vote or decide by secret voting: They've balloted for the new chairman. 2 [T] to find out the views of (a group) by holding a vote: They'll have to ballot the membership before they can declare a strike.
'ballot box n 1 [C] a large (usually tin) box into which the pieces of paper on which people record their votes are placed 2 [the] elections; the system or process of voting in an election: Their popularity will be put to the test at/through the ballot box.
'ballot ,paper n [C] a piece of paper on which you record your vote
'ball park n [S] 1 infml a range of numbers, prices etc within which the correct figure is likely to be: Their estimate was in the right ball park. | a ball-park figure 2 AmE a playing field for BASEBALL usually with seats from which to watch the game
ball·play·er /'bɔ:lpleɪər/ n AmE a person who plays BASE-BALL: a scout looking at the high school ballplayers
ball·point /'bɔ:lpoint/ also ,ballpoint 'pen fm], biro BrE trademark — n a pen with a ball at the end that rolls thick ink onto the paper
ball·room /'bɔ:lrum, -ru:m/ n a large room for dancing → see BALL²
,ballroom 'dancing n [U] a formal kind of dancing done in pairs or groups to special music, such as the WALTZ or the FOXTROT. Ballroom dancing is usually done by older people, and considered old-fashioned by many young people.
balls¹ /bɔ:lz/ n taboo slang 1 [P] TESTICLES 2 [U] derog nonsense: That's a load of balls. 3 [U] daring self-confidence; CHEEK: It must have taken a lot of balls to tell the director he was wrong.
balls² v
balls sthg. up BrE || ball sthg. up AmE — phr v [T] taboo slang to do badly or unsuccessfully; spoil —'balls-up n BrE slang He made a complete balls-up of the arrangements.
ball·sy /'bɔ:lsi/ adj slang having a lot of spirit or courage: He's a ballsy kind of guy.
bal·ly·hoo /,bæli'hu:||'bælihu:/ n [U] infml ways of trying to gain public attention by making a lot of noise or through exciting kinds of advertising
balm /ba:m||ba:m, ba:lm/ n [C;U] 1 (an) oily liquid with a strong but pleasant smell, often from trees, used as medicine or to lessen pain 2 especially lit something that gives comfort to the spirit