BASEBALL

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs

Example:

play ball!

Synonyms:

ball; baseball; baseball game

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("baseball" is a kind of...):

ball game; ballgame (a field game played with a ball (especially baseball))

Domain member category:

hit ((baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball))

bobble (the momentary juggling of a batted or thrown baseball)

error; misplay ((baseball) a failure of a defensive player to make an out when normal play would have sufficed)

fumble; muff ((sports) dropping the ball)

delivery; pitch ((baseball) the act of throwing a baseball by a pitcher to a batter)

bullet; fastball; heater; hummer; smoke ((baseball) a pitch thrown with maximum velocity)

batting ((baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base)

fielding ((baseball) handling the ball while playing in the field)

catching ((baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team)

pitching ((baseball) playing the position of pitcher on a baseball team)

base on balls; pass; walk ((baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls)

fair ball ((baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it stays between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field)

foul ball ((baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it does not stay between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field)

bunt ((baseball) the act of hitting a baseball lightly without swinging the bat)

fly; fly ball ((baseball) a hit that flies up in the air)

blast (a very long fly ball)

pop-fly; pop-up; pop fly (a short high fly ball)

ground ball; groundball; grounder; hopper ((baseball) a hit that travels along the ground)

out ((baseball) a failure by a batter or runner to reach a base safely in baseball)

force; force-out; force out; force play (a putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches that base)

putout (an out resulting from a fielding play (not a strikeout))

strikeout (an out resulting from the batter getting three strikes)

sacrifice ((baseball) an out that advances the base runners)

base hit; safety ((baseball) the successful act of striking a baseball in such a way that the batter reaches base safely)

line drive; liner ((baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter)

plunk; plunker ((baseball) hitting a baseball so that it drops suddenly)

shoestring catch ((baseball) a running catch made near the ground)

tag ((sports) the act of touching a player in a game (which changes their status in the game))

flare ((baseball) a fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield)

Texas leaguer ((baseball) a fly ball that falls between and infielder and an outfielder)

at-bat; bat ((baseball) a turn trying to get a hit)

ball game; ballgame (a field game played with a ball (especially baseball))

assist ((sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play)

baseball play ((baseball) a play executed by a baseball team)

backstop ((baseball) a fence or screen (as behind home plate) to prevent the ball from traveling out of the playing field)

ballpark; park (a facility in which ball games are played (especially baseball games))

baseball diamond; diamond; infield (the area of a baseball field that is enclosed by 3 bases and home plate)

baseball equipment (equipment used in playing baseball)

home; home base; home plate; plate ((baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score)

hill; mound; pitcher's mound ((baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands)

batting order; card; lineup ((baseball) a list of batters in the order in which they will bat)

cleanup; cleanup position; cleanup spot ((baseball) the fourth position in the batting order (usually filled by the best batter on the team))

earned run average; ERA ((baseball) a measure of a pitcher's effectiveness; calculated as the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher for every nine innings pitched)

ground rule ((baseball) a special rule (as in baseball) dealing with situations that arise due to the nature of the playing grounds)

farm club; farm team (a minor-league team that is owned by a major-league team (especially in baseball))

big league; major league; majors (the most important league in any sport (especially baseball))

bush league; minor league; minors (a league of teams that do not belong to a major league (especially baseball))

lead ((baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base)

strike zone ((baseball) the area over home plate between a batter's knees and shoulders through which a pitch must pass in order to be called a strike)

ballplayer; baseball player (an athlete who plays baseball)

baseball coach; baseball manager (a coach of baseball players)

base runner; runner (a baseball player on the team at bat who is on base (or attempting to reach a base))

bat boy ((baseball) a boy who takes care of bats and other baseball equipment)

batsman; batter; hitter; slugger ((baseball) a ballplayer who is batting)

batting coach ((baseball) someone who teaches batters how to bat better)

backstop; catcher ((baseball) the person who plays the position of catcher)

closer; finisher ((baseball) a relief pitcher who can protect a lead in the last inning or two of the game)

pitching coach (an assistant baseball coach in charge of pitchers)

first baseman; first sacker ((baseball) the person who plays first base)

infielder ((baseball) a person who plays a position in the infield)

outfielder ((baseball) a person who plays in the outfield)

right-handed pitcher; right-hander ((baseball) a pitcher who throws with the right hand)

pinch hitter ((baseball) a substitute for the regular batter)

hurler; pitcher; twirler ((baseball) the person who does the pitching)

screwballer ((baseball) a pitcher who throws screwballs)

second baseman; second sacker ((baseball) the person who plays second base)

shortstop ((baseball) the person who plays the shortstop position)

starting pitcher ((baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game)

third baseman; third sacker ((baseball) the person who plays third base)

batting average; hitting average ((baseball) a measure of a batter's performance; the number of base hits divided by the number of official times at bat)

batting average ((an extension of the baseball term) the proportion of times some effort succeeds)

fielding average ((baseball) a measure of a fielder's performance; the number of assists and putouts divided by the number of chances)

triple crown ((baseball) an unofficial title won by a batter who leads the league in hitting average, runs batted in, and home runs)

frame; inning ((baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat)

die (to be on base at the end of an inning, of a player)

fumble (drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a grounder)

backstop (act as a backstop)

bear down (exert full strength)

catch (be the catcher)

cut down; cut out (intercept (a player))

steal (steal a base)

walk (obtain a base on balls)

drive in (cause a run or runner to be scored)

walk (give a base on balls to)

foul (hit a foul ball)

retire; strike out (cause to get out)

put out (retire)

ground out (make an out by hitting the ball on the ground)

fly (hit a fly)

bounce out (bounce a ball so that it becomes an out)

pop (hit a pop-fly)

ground (hit onto the ground)

ground (hit a groundball)

pull (hit in the direction that the player is facing when carrying through the swing)

connect (hit or play a ball successfully)

bunt; drag a bunt (hit a ball in such a way so as to make it go a short distance)

single (hit a single)

double (hit a two-base hit)

triple (hit a three-base hit)

fan (strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher))

whiff (strike out by swinging and missing the pitch charged as the third)

bat (strike with, or as if with a baseball bat)

bat (use a bat)

bat (have a turn at bat)

switch-hit (bat right-handed against a left-handed and left-handed against a right-handed pitcher)

strike out (put out or be put out by a strikeout)

submarine (throw with an underhand motion)

tag (touch a player while he is holding the ball)

nab (tag the base runner to get him out)

put out; retire (cause to be out on a fielding play)

draw; get (earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher)

run bases (run around the bases, in baseball)

wind up (give a preliminary swing to the arm pitching)

away; outside ((of a baseball pitch) on the far side of home plate from the batter)

fair ((of a baseball) hit between the foul lines)

in-bounds (between the first and third base lines)

foul ((of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines)

safe (having reached a base without being put out)

out (not allowed to continue to bat or run)

ball-hawking (used of a player skilled in stealing the ball or robbing a batter of a hit)

no-hit (of a game (or the pitching) in which a pitcher allows the opponent no hits)

triple-crown (unofficial championship title for player who heads the league in batting average and home runs and runs batted in)

hitless ((of a batter) without a hit)

aboard (on first or second or third base)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "baseball"):

daisy cutter (a batted or served ball that skims along close to the ground)

professional baseball (playing baseball for money)

hardball (baseball as distinguished from softball)

perfect game (a game in which a pitcher does not allow any opposing player to reach base)

no-hit game; no-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team no hits)

1-hitter; one-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only one hit)

2-hitter; two-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only 2 hits)

3-hitter; three-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team only 3 hits)

4-hitter; four-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team 4 hits)

5-hitter; five-hitter (a game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team 5 hits)

softball; softball game (a game closely resembling baseball that is played on a smaller diamond and with a ball that is larger and softer)

rounders (an English ball game similar to baseball)

stickball; stickball game (a form of baseball played in the streets with a rubber ball and broomstick handle)

steal (a stolen base; an instance in which a base runner advances safely during the delivery of a pitch (without the help of a hit or walk or passed ball or wild pitch))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A ball used in playing baseball

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects