ball up

verb

balled up; balling up; balls up

transitive verb

: to make a mess of : confuse, muddle

intransitive verb

: to become badly muddled or confused

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ball up was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near ball up

ball turret

ball up

ballute

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ball up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ball%20up. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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