# balling

Pronunciation: say "BAWL-ing" US /ˈbɔlɪŋ/, UK /ˈbɔːlɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle of ball. — present participle and gerund of ball
   - Simple: The -ing form of ball. Use it after am, is, are, was or were, or to name the action.
   - _Workers were balling the loose cotton fibers before shipment._
   - _By midnight she was still balling the leftover socks into pairs._

## Noun

2. The clumping together of small particles into balls or lumps.
   - Simple: When small bits stick together into clumps or balls.
   - _Constant stirring prevented balling of the dry ingredients._
   - _Excess clay in the mix led to balling throughout the soil sample._
4. The action of winding yarn, thread, or string into a ball.
   - Simple: Winding string or yarn into a round ball.
   - _Balling the freshly spun yarn is the last step before knitting can begin._
   - _A swift makes balling large skeins far quicker and tidier._
5. Slang for sexual intercourse. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A slang word for having sex.
   - _Most of the verses are just boasts about balling and fast cars._
   - _The whole track glamorizes balling without a hint of consequence._
7. The action of curling oneself up into a rounded shape.
   - Simple: Curling the body up into a tight, round shape.
   - _An armadillo's balling is its main defense against predators._
   - _Cold weather triggered the snake's slow balling deep in its burrow._
8. The action of wrapping or bundling something into a ball.
   - Simple: Wrapping something up into a round bundle.
   - _Balling the spare twine kept the whole workshop tidy._
   - _Careful balling of the fishing net prevented endless tangles later._
9. The act or process of demolishing a structure using a wrecking ball.
   - Simple: Knocking down a building with a heavy swinging ball.
   - _Balling the derelict mill drew a small crowd of onlookers._
   - _The contractor scheduled the balling of the warehouse for early morning._
10. The act of cutting a tree's roots about six inches from the stem and wrapping the roots and soil in a sack tied with twine.
   - Simple: A way of moving a tree by cutting its roots, then wrapping the roots and soil in a tied sack.
   - _Balling the birch in autumn gave its roots time to settle before the first frost._
   - _The nursery charged extra for balling, since it kept the tree alive through the move._
11. The process of firing rounded, ball-shaped projectiles from a gun or other weapon.
   - Simple: The act of shooting round, ball-shaped objects from a weapon.
   - _Hours of balling left the cannon crew deaf and choking on smoke._
   - _The manual described balling as the slowest stage of loading and firing._
12. An event in which worker bees cluster tightly around a queen, usually killing her by suffocation or starvation.
   - Simple: When worker bees crowd tightly around their queen, often killing her by cutting off air or food.
   - _Beekeepers fear balling whenever they introduce a queen from another hive._
   - _By the time the keeper opened the hive, balling had already killed the queen._
13. The buildup of material such as snow or mud packed under the feet of a horse.
   - Simple: A buildup of snow or mud packed under a horse's feet.
   - _Balling under the gelding's hooves built up so fast that he could barely walk through the drifts._
   - _Farriers sometimes fit pads to prevent balling on packed winter ground._
14. The act of giving an animal medicine by forcing a large pill down its throat.
   - Simple: The act of pushing a large pill of medicine down an animal's throat.
   - _Balling a reluctant cow requires steady hands and a firm grip on the halter._
   - _The vet demonstrated balling using a long plastic applicator._
15. The buildup of soil on the feet of a bird, a process that can eventually cause infection.
   - Simple: A buildup of soil and dirt on a bird's feet that can lead to infection.
   - _Balling around the chicken's claws had hardened into heavy clumps by midwinter._
   - _The keeper soaked each foot to soften the balling before cleaning it away._
16. A way of clearing out a pipe or drain in which high-pressure water pushes rocks or similar objects through it to scour the inside.
   - Simple: The act of cleaning out a pipe by pushing rocks through it with strong water pressure.
   - _Balling proved the only way to break loose the hardened scale inside the sewer line._
   - _The contractor recommended balling for the grease-choked kitchen drain._
17. A hydrometer reading that indicates the amount of sugar dissolved in a liquid.
   - Simple: A reading from a floating tool that shows how much sugar is in a liquid.
   - _The brewer recorded the balling to estimate the beer's final alcohol content._
   - _As fermentation progressed, the balling dropped steadily._

## Adjective

3. Alternative form of ballin'. Slang. *(dialectal, Multicultural London English)* — Alternative form of ballin'.
   - Simple: Alternative form of ballin'. Slang for living large or doing very well.
   - _With the new contract signed, the whole crew was balling._
   - _She looked absolutely balling rolling up in that new car._
6. Characterized by or involving casual sexual encounters.
   - Simple: Having to do with casual sex.
   - _He described his college years as one long balling phase he later regretted._
   - _The resort had earned a reputation for its rowdy balling weekends._

## Origin

Formed from "ball" plus the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/balling (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).