know ball
phrase
to have impressive knowledge about something
What does know ball mean?
To know ball is to have or demonstrate an impressive level of knowledge about a given subject or topic, to have discerning taste or judgment about it in conversation, etc. To say that someone knows ball is to say they know what they are talking about.
Examples of know ball
Following the album’s release, fans declared: “Anyone hating on the new Charli XCX album, you don’t know ball and you’re just not tapped in.”
—Emily Maskell, PinkNews, 24 July 2026
I grew up Catholic with a very religious mom, so wherever we went on vacation, you can be sure we took in a church or two along the way. So when it comes to gorgeous churches, I know ball.
—Prove to your love that you when it comes to trendy bags, you know ball.
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Where does know ball come from?
Ball, in the context of sports, can not only refer to “a spherical or ovoid body used in a game or sport” but also “a game in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or struck” and “quality of play in such a game.” To know ball is have to expertise as either a player or enjoyer of games involving balls, and often to be able to discern/judge/opine on the quality of play.
I’ll be outside the arena pregame talking to fans, getting predictions, and seeing who really knows ball…
—Knowing Ball Trivia doesn't mean you know ball … An understanding of the game that you can only gain through playing/watching is what the phrase should be reserved for.
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How is know ball used?
The noun ball knower is also used both in sports and non-sports contexts.
I can’t believe a Senator from Missouri would be so little of a ball knower to confuse the Hawks with the Hawkeyes but what do you expect from a Midwestern kid that went to a college in the Great Lakes Valley Conference
—Real ball knowers are aware Billings has the hottest jazz scene in a several state radius (what’s Idaho up to? We've probably got them beat, too). If you’d like to become a real ball knower, you’ve got to check out MSU Billings’ annual Jazz Festival on Friday, Feb. 6.
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