Meaning & use
held ball
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Meaning
nouncountablesport
In basketball, a situation where two opposing players both grab the ball and neither can take it away, so play stops.
Grammar: Countable: 'a held ball', 'two held balls'. Often used with 'call': 'The referee called a held ball.'
Patterns
- call a held ball
- a held ball situation
The referee called a held ball when both players grabbed the rebound.
A held ball stops play and usually leads to a jump ball.
The crowd booed after the held ball was called late in the game.
Word forms
| plural | held balls |
|---|
Common combinations
- call a held ball
- The official called a held ball near the basket.
- a held ball situation
- It was a held ball situation, so the whistle blew.
- result in a held ball
- Strong defense can result in a held ball.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jump ball
- The way play restarts after a held ball; 'held ball' names the situation, while 'jump ball' names the restart.
Word family
Commonly confused: held ball or jump ball?
held ball vs jump ball
'Jump ball' is the restart where the referee tosses the ball up; 'held ball' is the situation that causes it.
Practice
What does 'held ball' mean in basketball?
Choose one answer.
'Held ball' means two opposing players both have the ball and neither can take it, so the referee stops play. The other options describe different things: an old ball, a one-handed catch, or the referee holding the ball before tip-off.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “held ball”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.