balls
pronunciation
How to pronounce balls in British English:
UK [bɔ:lz]
How to pronounce balls in American English:
US
Word Origin
- balls (n.)
- "testicles," early 14c., from plural of ball (n.1). See also ballocks. Meaning "courage, nerve" is from 1928. Balls to the wall, however, probably is from World War II Air Forces slang, from the ball that topped the aircraft throttle, thrust to the bulkhead of the cockpit to attain full speed. Ball-busting "difficult" is first recorded 1944; ball-buster, disparaging for "dominant female," is from 1974.
Example
- 1. He reckoned he had hit 1000 balls a day .
- 2. Evening : obama will attend ten inaugural balls .
- 3. You need some big balls or something else .
- 4. Keep all your balls in the air .
- 5. He pointed at the three balls left inside the box .