blue balls
plural nounDefinition of blue balls
chiefly US slang
: pain of the testes and scrotum occurring after prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm
His price for such an unselfish evening is to spend several succeeding hours in stiff-legged waddling pain we call blue balls.— Richard Woodley, Playboy, September 1974 The term is blue balls, and whether a man's testicles actually turn any colors I don't know, but they can absolutely ache from the need for sexual release.— Ruth K. Westheimer, Sex for Dummies, 3rd edition, 2011 Films, books and adolescent folklore are peppered with references to the pain of “blue balls,” and its link to frustrated sexual desire. — Sandi Doughton, New Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), 2 Oct. 2000
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on blue balls
What made you want to look up blue balls? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quiz - Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Word Winder's CrossWinder Play the game
Share blue balls
Time Traveler for blue balls
The first known use of blue balls was circa 1920
See more words from the same year