have a ball

English

Etymology

Likely from ball in the sense of a dance.

Pronunciation

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Verb

have a ball (third-person singular simple present has a ball, present participle having a ball, simple past and past participle had a ball)

1. (idiomatic) To enjoy oneself thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.

   The kids had a ball playing in the fountain.

   • 1973, “Merry Xmas Everybody”, performed by Slade:

     Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall? / It's the time that every Santa has a ball / Does he ride a red-nosed reindeer? / Does a ton up on his sleigh / Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?

   • 1976, “Money, Money, Money”, performed by ABBA:

     In my dreams I have a plan / If I got me a wealthy man / I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball

   • 1998, “Who Let the Dogs Out”, performed by Baha Men:

     When the party was nice, the party was jumpin' / And everybody havin' a ball

   • 2002, H.H. Fuller, It's a Wrap, Writers Club Press, page 72:

     “Well, after they retired down here, they must have had a ball ordering anything and everything.”

   • 2006, Chrigel Glanzmann (lyrics and music), “Your Gaulish War”, in Spirit, performed by Eluveitie:

     I hope you had a ball in effacing lives!

   • 2011, “Friday”, performed by Rebecca Black ft. Patrice Wilson:

     Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday / Today i-is Friday, Friday / We-we-we so excited / We so excited / We gonna have a ball today

Translations

See also

• blast
• field day
• have a whale of a time