no ball

American

noun

Cricket.

an unfairly bowled ball.

no-ball British

noun

cricket an illegal ball, as for overstepping the crease, throwing, etc, for which the batting side scores a run, and from which the batsman can be out only by being run out
rounders an illegal ball, esp one bowled too high or too low

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cricket rounders a call by the umpire indicating a no-ball

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

(tr) cricket
1. to declare (a bowler) to have bowled a no-ball
2. to declare (a delivery) to be a no-ball

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of no ball

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy took a wicket each in the first two overs before Zak Foulkes conceded 24 runs off the third over, which started with a no ball for four and three wides.

From Barron's

Four of their six bowlers conceded more than 15 runs per over and Rabada was responsible for four of his side's no balls.

From BBC

Play experts want to ban "no ball games" signs and protect playtime during school breaks, to reduce the time children spend on screens.

From BBC

“Or, ‘I’m gonna high five myself, no balls were dropped today.’”

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023