Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1880-1933
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BALL, v.2 and n.2
1. v.
(1) To roll together; put in disorder.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Balld togedder, tangled; in disorder.Sh.4 1933Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
Sea birds pouncing on a ball of fry are said to be balling.
(2) (See quot.)Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Ball, to speak indistinctly, in a disjointed manner.
(3) to roll lumps of dough after weighing into balls before further treatment. Gsw. 1927 J. Kirkiand Bakers' ABC 168:
In Scotland, especially among Glasgow bakers, the term used is "balling" or "balling up."
2. n. (See quot.)Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn. 4:
A large and compact shoal of herrings is called by fishermen "a ball."
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"Ball v.2, n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/ball_v2_n2>
