The difference between Ball and Nerve
When used as nouns, ball means a quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape, whereas nerve means a bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
When used as verbs, ball means to form or wind into a ball, whereas nerve means to give courage.
Ball is also interjection with the meaning: 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.
check bellow for the other definitions of Ball and Nerve
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Ball as a noun (ballistics):
A solid or hollow sphere, or part thereof. A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape. A solid, spherical nonexplosive missile for a cannon, etc. # A jacketed non-expanding bullet, typically of military origin. # Such bullets collectively. #* 1659, , England's Confusion, London, p.7,[http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A69468.0001.001] #*: the Good Old Cause, which, as they seemed to represent it, smelt of Gunpowder and ball #* 1719, , , London: W. Taylor, p.294,[http://name.umdl.umich.edu/004845034.0001.000] #*: I gave each of them a Musket with a Firelock on it, and about eight Charges of Powder and Ball, charging them to be very good Husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon urgent Occasion. #* 1803, , The History of the Maroons, London: Longman and Rees, Volume 1, Letter 5, p.148,[https://archive.org/details/cihm_44228] #*: some headstrong Maroons were using a soldier of Captain Craskell's ill, and compelling him to write to his commander, that it was too late to do any thing good, and that they wanted nothing, having got plenty of powder and ball A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body. The front of the bottom of the foot, just behind the toes. The globe; the earthly sphere. The set of points in a metric space lying within a given distance (the radius) of a given point; specifically, the homologue of the disk in a Euclidean space of any number of dimensions. The set of points in a topological space lying within some open set containing a given point; the analogue of the disk in a Euclidean space. An object, generally spherical, used for playing games.
Examples:
"a ball of spittle; a fecal ball'"
"a ball of wool; a ball of twine"
"the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot"
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Ball as a noun (sport):
A round or ellipsoidal object. Any simple game involving a ball. A pitch that falls outside of the strike zone. An opportunity to launch the pinball into play. A single delivery by the bowler, six of which make up an over. A pass; a kick of the football towards a teammate.
Examples:
"The children were playing ball on the beach."
"The children were playing ball in the garden."
"If you get to a million points, you get another ball."
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Ball as a noun (mildly, vulgar, slang, usually in plural):
A testicle. Nonsense. Courage.
Examples:
"That’s a load of balls, and you know it!"
"I doubt he’s got the balls to tell him off."
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Ball as a noun (printing, historical):
A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; formerly used by printers for inking the form, then superseded by the roller.
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Ball as a noun (farriery, historical):
A large pill, a form in which medicine was given to horses; a bolus.
Examples:
"rfquotek White"
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Ball as a verb (transitive):
To form or wind into a ball.
Examples:
"to ball cotton"
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Ball as a verb (metalworking):
To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.
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Ball as a verb (transitive, vulgar):
To have sexual intercourse with.
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Ball as a verb (ambitransitive):
To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls.
Examples:
"The horse balls; the snow balls."
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Ball as a verb (slang, usually in present participle):
To be hip or cool.
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Ball as a verb (nonstandard, slang):
To play basketball.
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Ball as a noun:
A formal dance.
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Ball as a noun (informal):
A very enjoyable time.
Examples:
"I had a ball at that concert."
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Nerve as a noun:
A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
Examples:
"The nerves can be seen through the skin."
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Nerve as a noun (nonstandard, colloquial):
A neuron.
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Nerve as a noun (botany):
A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood
Examples:
"Some plants have ornamental value because of their contrasting nerves."
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Nerve as a noun:
Courage, boldness.
Examples:
"He hasn't the nerve to tell her he likes her. What a wimp!"
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Nerve as a noun:
Patience.
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Nerve as a noun:
Stamina, endurance, fortitude.
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Nerve as a noun:
Audacity, gall.
Examples:
"He had the nerve to enter my house uninvited."
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Nerve as a noun (polymer technology):
The elastic resistance of raw rubber or other polymers to permanent deformation during processing.
Examples:
"A ''nervy'' tank lining will be difficult to lay around tight bends or in corners because it tends to spring back."
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Nerve as a noun (in the plural):
Agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotion.
Examples:
"Ellie had a bad case of nerves before the big test."
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Nerve as a noun (obsolete):
Sinew, tendon.
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Nerve as a verb (transitive):
To give courage.
Examples:
"May their example nerve us to face the enemy."
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Nerve as a verb (transitive):
To give strength.
Examples:
"The liquor nerved up several of the men after their icy march."