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general::
noun costume, fancy dress, masked round object in games We're going to a masked ball. ADJ. billiard, cricket, golf, rugby, VERB + BALL have, hold, organize tennis, etc. | beach | match, We're organizing a charity ball. | practice attend, go to VERB + BALL play with | bat, blast, BALL + NOUN gown bounce, bowl, chip, dribble, ADJ. at a/the ~ She met him at head, hit, kick, roll, strike, throw The kids love to kick a ball against my wall.the college ball. | clear, cross, pass | catch, stop He caught the ball. | control, trap | chase She chased the ball all over the pitch. | retrieve, run down | return The fielders try to retrieve the ball quickly and return it to the bowler. | miss The goalkeeper missed the ball. | drop, let go of Oh no! He's dropped the ball. | handle | give away, lose | win | retain BALL + VERB fly, go, roll, sail The ball flew over the bar into the sea of Middlesbrough fans. The ball's gone over the fence. | hit, land The ball hit the wall and rolled along the road. | bounce, rebound BALL + NOUN game | control, skills His ball control was excellent.SPORT kick/hit of a ball ADJ. good, great, superb | bad, loose | high, low He sent over a high ball. | long, short | quick, slow | cross, through a superb through ball from John Scott | hand He was penalized for hand ball. VERB + BALL play, send | pick up, pounce on, punish He pounced on a loose ball and scored. PREP. ~ from a great ball from Beckham round object like a ball ADJ. tight | fiery The sun was a fiery ball, low on the hills. | crystal (= used for telling fortunes) Without a crystal ball it's impossible to say where we'll be next year. | cannon, musket VERB + BALL curl/roll (up) into The little girl curled up into a ball in her mother's arms. | form/make sth into, roll/screw sth (up) into, shape sth into He screwed the letter up into a tight ball. PHRASES a ball of fire/flame, a ball of string/wool PHRASES a ball and chain (figurative) The responsibility was a ball and chain around my ankle. party ADJ. college, charity, hunt |
Oxford Collocations Dictionary