ball up

verb balls up · balling up · balled up

1. transitive To crush or form into a ball shape. She balled up her paper in frustration.
2. transitive To form melted metals into balls or lumps to roll them out of a furnace for further use.
3. ambitransitive To coil up into a ball. He balled up his fists, ready to fight.
4. intransitive To become ball-shaped. Be careful, or the metal will ball up.
5. intransitive To hunch over and pull in one's arms and legs. Her son balls up in fear whenever there is a storm.
6. slang, transitive To ruin or botch. The best man balled up his speech, stammering and tripping over his words.
7. intransitive, slang To smoke marijuana. Nah bro, I ain't tryna ball up tonight. I gotta focus on my studies.
8. intransitive To play basketball, especially playing well.
9. intransitive, slang To switch to using a stronger bowling ball.
10. To become covered in damp snow.
11. intransitive To produce a lip of debris around the drill hole.
12. US, dated, intransitive, slang, transitive To become confused or discombobulated; to confuse (someone).