ba ll bea r|ing (ball bearings ) also ball-bearing N‑COUNT Ball bearings are small metal balls placed between the moving parts of a machine to make the parts move smoothly.
ba ll boy (ball boys ) N‑COUNT In a tennis match, the ball boys pick up any balls that go into the net or off the court and throw them back to the players. In a baseball game, the ball boys are in charge of collecting the balls that are hit out of the field.
bal|le|ri|na /bæ ləriː nə/ (ballerinas ) N‑COUNT A ballerina is a woman ballet dancer.
bal|let /bæ le I , [AM ] bæle I / (ballets )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N , oft N n] Ballet is a type of very skilled and artistic dancing with carefully planned movements. □ I trained as a ballet dancer. □ She is also keen on the ballet.
2 N‑COUNT A ballet is an artistic work that is performed by ballet dancers. □ The performance will include the premiere of three new ballets.
bal|let|ic /bæle t I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone's movements as balletic , you mean that they have some of the graceful qualities of ballet. □ The subject seems to dance with balletic grace.
ba ll game (ball games ) also ballgame
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Ball games are games that are played with a ball such as tennis, baseball, and football.
2 N‑COUNT A ball game is a baseball match. [AM ] □ I'd still like to go to a ball game.
3 N‑SING You can use ball game to describe any situation or activity, especially one that involves competition. [JOURNALISM , SPOKEN ] □ Two of his biggest competitors are out of the ball game. ● PHRASE If you say that a situation is a new ball game , you mean that it is completely different from, or much more difficult than, the previous situation or any situation that you have experienced before. □ He finds himself faced with a whole new ball game.
ba ll girl (ball girls ) N‑COUNT In a tennis match, the ball girls pick up any balls that go into the net or off the court and throw them back to the players. In a baseball game, the ball girls are in charge of collecting the balls that are hit out of the field.
ball|gown /bɔː lgaʊn/ (ballgowns ) N‑COUNT A ballgown is a long dress that women wear to formal dances.
bal|lis|tic /bəl I st I k/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Ballistic means relating to ballistics. □ …ballistic missiles. □ Ballistic tests have matched the weapons with bullets taken from the bodies of victims.
2 PHRASE If someone goes ballistic , they suddenly become very angry. [INFORMAL ] □ The singer went ballistic after one member of his band failed to show for a sound check.
3 PHRASE If something goes ballistic , it suddenly becomes very much greater or more powerful, often in a surprising or unwanted way. [INFORMAL ] □ August registrations have gone ballistic, accounting now for a quarter of the annual total.
bal|lis|tics /bəl I st I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT Ballistics is the study of the movement of objects that are shot or thrown through the air, such as bullets fired from a gun.
bal|loon /bəluː n/ (balloons , ballooning , ballooned )
1 N‑COUNT A balloon is a small, thin, rubber bag that you blow air into so that it becomes larger and rounder or longer. Balloons are used as toys or decorations.
2 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A balloon is a large, strong bag filled with gas or hot air, which can carry passengers in a container that hangs underneath it. □ They are to attempt to be the first to circle the Earth non-stop by balloon.
3 VERB When something balloons , it increases rapidly in amount. □ [V ] Attendance has ballooned more than tenfold over the past 16 years. □ [V + to ] The budget deficit has ballooned to $25 billion.
bal|loon|ing /bəluː n I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Ballooning is the sport or activity of flying a hot-air balloon.
bal|loon|ist /bəluː n I st/ (balloonists ) N‑COUNT A balloonist is a person who flies a hot-air balloon.
bal|lot ◆◇◇ /bæ lət/ (ballots , balloting , balloted )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A ballot is a secret vote in which people select a candidate in an election, or express their opinion about something. □ The result of the ballot will not be known for two weeks. □ Fifty of its members will be elected by direct ballot.
2 N‑COUNT A ballot is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in a secret vote. □ Election boards will count the ballots by hand.
3 VERB If you ballot a group of people, you find out what they think about a subject by organizing a secret vote. □ [V n] The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike. ● bal|lot|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ International observers say the balloting was fair. SYNONYMS ballot NOUN 1
vote: Why do you think we should have a vote on that?
election: The final election results will be announced on Friday.
polclass="underline" In 1945, Winston Churchill was defeated at the polls.
referendum: Estonia said it too planned to hold a referendum on independence. WORD HISTORY ballot
Ballot comes from Italian ballotta meaning 'little ball'. In medieval Venice, people voted by dropping black or white stones or balls into a box.
ba l|lot box (ballot boxes )
1 N‑COUNT A ballot box is the box into which ballot papers are put after people have voted.
2 N‑SING You can refer to the system of democratic elections as the ballot box . □ Martinez expressed confidence of victory at the ballot box.