screwball
pronunciation
How to pronounce screwball in British English:
UK [ˈskru:bɔ:l]
How to pronounce screwball in American English:
US [ˈskruˌbɔl]
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- Noun:
- a whimsically eccentric person
- a pitch with reverse spin that curves toward the side of the plate from which it was thrown
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- Adjective:
- foolish; totally unsound
Word Origin
- screwball (n.)
- "eccentric person," 1933, U.S. slang, earlier as a type of erratic baseball pitch (1928), from a still earlier name for a type of delivery in cricket (1866), from screw (n.) + ball (n.1). Screwball comedy is attested from 1938, in reference to Carole Lombard.
Example
- 1. Radio personality turns screwball on mission from god .
- 2. That screwball proposal won 't work .
- 3. I never knew what a screwball be is until I met him .
- 4. That guy 's a complete screwball .
- 5. Tom a whited screwball gurgling lies .