Ball vs. Circle — What's the Difference?

A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players.

A circle is a shape consisting of all points in a plane that are at a given distance from a given point, the centre; equivalently it is the curve traced out by a point that moves in a plane so that its distance from a given point is constant. The distance between any point of the circle and the centre is called the radius.

A solid or hollow spherical or egg-shaped object that is kicked, thrown, or hit in a game

A round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre)

(in cricket) a delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman

A group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances

The rounded protuberant part of the foot at the base of the big toe.

Move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once

A formal social gathering for dancing

A plane curve everywhere equidistant from a given fixed point, the center.

Squeeze or form (something) into a rounded shape

A planar region bounded by a circle.

Have sexual intercourse with.

Something, such as a ring, shaped like such a plane curve.

(of a flower) fail to open properly, decaying in the half-open bud.

A circular or nearly circular course, circuit, or orbit:a satellite's circle around the earth.

A spherical object or entity

A traffic circle.

A spherical or almost spherical body

A series or process that finishes at its starting point or continuously repeats itself; a cycle.

Any of various movable and round or oblong objects used in various athletic activities and games.

A group of people sharing an interest, activity, or achievement:well-known in artistic circles.

Such an object moving, thrown, hit, or kicked in a particular manner

A territorial or administrative division, especially of a province, in some European countries.

A game, especially baseball or basketball, played with such an object.

A sphere of influence or interest; domain.

A pitched baseball that does not pass through the strike zone and is not swung at by the batter.

(Logic)A vicious circle.

A solid spherical or pointed projectile, such as one shot from a cannon.

To make or form a circle around:The hedge circles the fountain.

Projectiles of this kind considered as a group.

To move in a circle around:The ship circled the island.

A rounded part or protuberance, especially of the body

To move in a circle.

A testicle.

(geometry) A two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane that are equally distant from a given point (center).

Balls Courage, especially when reckless.

A two-dimensional geometric figure, a disk, consisting of the set of all those points of a plane at a distance less than or equal to a fixed distance (radius) from a given point.

Balls Great presumptuousness.

Any shape, curve or arrangement of objects that approximates to or resembles the geometric figures.

A formal gathering for social dancing.

Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures.

(Informal) An extremely enjoyable time or experience

A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle.

To form into a ball.

A specific group of persons; especially one who shares a common interest.

Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.

The orbit of an astronomical body.

To become formed into a ball.

(cricket) A line comprising two semicircles of 30 yards radius centred on the wickets joined by straight lines parallel to the pitch used to enforce field restrictions in a one-day match.

Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse.

(Wicca) A ritual circle that is cast three times deosil and closes three times widdershins either in the air with a wand or literally with stones or other items used for worship.

A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.

A traffic circle or roundabout.

A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape.

(obsolete) Compass; circuit; enclosure.

(mathematics) Homologue or analogue of a disk in the Euclidean plane.

(astronomy) An instrument of observation, whose graduated limb consists of an entire circle. When fixed to a wall in an observatory, it is called a mural circle; when mounted with a telescope on an axis and in Y's, in the plane of the meridian, a meridian or transit circle; when involving the principle of reflection, like the sextant, a reflecting circle; and when that of repeating an angle several times continuously along the graduated limb, a repeating circle.

(mathematics) In 3-dimensional Euclidean space, the volume bounded by a sphere.

A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself.

(mathematics) The set of points in a metric space of any number of dimensions lying within a given distance (the radius) of a given point.

(logic) A form of argument in which two or more unproved statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive reasoning.

(mathematics) The set of points in a topological space lying within some open set containing a given point.

Indirect form of words; circumlocution.

A solid, spherical nonexplosive missile for a cannon, rifle, gun, etc.

A territorial division or district.

A jacketed non-expanding bullet, typically of military origin.

(in the plural) A bagginess of the skin below the eyes from lack of sleep.

Such bullets collectively.

(transitive) To travel around along a curved path.

A roundish, protuberant portion of some part of the body.

(transitive) To surround.

(anatomy) The front of the bottom of the foot, just behind the toes.

(transitive) To place or mark a circle around.

The globe; the earthly sphere.

(intransitive) To travel in circles.

An object that is the focus of many sports and games, in which it may be thrown, caught, kicked, bounced, rolled, chased, retrieved, hit with an instrument, spun, etc., usually roughly spherical but whose size, weight, bounciness, colour, etc. differ according to the game

A plane figure, bounded by a single curve line called its circumference, every part of which is equally distant from a point within it, called the center.

Any sport or game involving a ball; its play, literally or figuratively.

The line that bounds such a figure; a circumference; a ring.

A pitch that falls outside of the strike zone.

An instrument of observation, the graduated limb of which consists of an entire circle.

An opportunity to launch the pinball into play.

A round body; a sphere; an orb.

A single delivery by the bowler, six of which make up an over.

Compass; circuit; inclosure.

A pass; a kick of the football towards a teammate.

A company assembled, or conceived to assemble, about a central point of interest, or bound by a common tie; a class or division of society; a coterie; a set.

A testicle.

A circular group of persons; a ring.

(in the plural) Nonsense.

A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself.

(in the plural) Courage.

A form of argument in which two or more unproved statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive reasoning.

A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; formerly used by printers for inking the form, then superseded by the roller.

Indirect form of words; circumlocution.

A large pill, a form in which medicine was given to horses; a bolus.

A territorial division or district.

 One thousand US dollars.

To move around; to revolve around.

A formal dance.

To encompass, as by a circle; to surround; to inclose; to encircle.

(informal) A very enjoyable time.

To move circularly; to form a circle; to circulate.

A competitive event among young African-American and Latin American LGBTQ+ people in which prizes are awarded for drag and similar performances. See ball culture.

Ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point;

(transitive) To form or wind into a ball.

An unofficial association of people or groups;

(metalworking) To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.

Something approximating the shape of a circle;

To have sexual intercourse with.

Movement once around a course;

(ambitransitive) To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls.

A road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island;

To be hip or cool.

Street names for flunitrazepan

(university slang) To reject from a fraternity or sorority. (blackball)

A curved section or tier of seats in a hall or theater or opera house; usually the first tier above the orchestra;

To play basketball.

Any circular or rotating mechanism;

(transitive) To punish by affixing a ball and chain.

Travel around something;

(Australian rules football) An appeal by the crowd for holding the ball against a tackled player. This is heard almost any time an opposition player is tackled, without regard to whether the rules about "prior opportunity" to dispose of the ball are fulfilled.

Move in circles

Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow.

Be around;

A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc.

Form a circle around;

A general name for games in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football.

Any solid spherical, cylindrical, or conical projectile of lead or iron, to be discharged from a firearm; as, a cannon ball; a rifle ball; - often used collectively; as, powder and ball. Spherical balls for the smaller firearms are commonly called bullets.

A flaming, roundish body shot into the air; a case filled with combustibles intended to burst and give light or set fire, or to produce smoke or stench; as, a fire ball; a stink ball.

A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; - formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller.

A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body; as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot.

A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly given to horses; a bolus.

The globe or earth.

A pitched ball, not struck at by the batter, which fails to pass over the home plate at a height not greater than the batter's shoulder nor less than his knee (i.e. it is outside the strike zone). If the pitcher pitches four balls before three strikes are called, the batter advances to first base, and the action of pitching four balls is called a walk.

A testicle; usually used in the plural.

Courage; nerve.

A social assembly for the purpose of dancing; - usually applied to an occasion lavish or formal.

A very enjoyable time; as, we had a ball at the wedding.

To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls; as, the horse balls; the snow balls.

To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.

To form or wind into a ball; as, to ball cotton.

Round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games;

A solid ball shot by a musket;

An object with a spherical shape;

The people assembled at a lavish formal dance;

One of the two male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens;

A spherical object used as a plaything;

United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989)

A compact mass;

A lavish formal dance

A more or less rounded anatomical body or mass; ball of the human foot or ball at the base of the thumb;

A ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of 9 players; teams take turns at bat trying to score run;

A pitch that is not in the strike zone;

Form into a ball by winding or rolling;