WORD POWER
Different ball games
Prerana Trehan

GAMES do more than just provide entertainment on the field. They also add colour to our vocabulary. Ball games like cricket have done more than their share.

Set the ball rolling: start an activity and encourage others to join in.

When Mukesh Ambani wanted to expand operations, he sets the ball rolling by hiring consultants who could draw up business plans for him.

The ball is in someone’s court: someone has to do something before progress can be made.

The director of the film has told Amitabh Bachchan that he could have the role he wants if he shaves off his beard. Now the ball is in Bachchan’s court.

Have a ball: have fun.

I am glad I went to my friend’s birthday party. We had a ball.

Play ball: co-operate to achieve something (usually used in negative)

The negotiations have reached an impasse. We have made all sorts of concessions, but the other party still refuses to play ball.

A whole new ball game: a completely different situation, often one that is difficult or which you don’t know much about.

I am quite good at cooking Indian food, but Chinese cuisine is a whole new ball game.

On the ball: quick to understand and react.

Only those organisations that are on the ball can hope to survive the competition in the modern world.

Off your own bat: on your own initiative.

He is the sort of boss who doesn’t like giving too many instructions. He wants us to do things off our own bat.

Level playing field: a fair situation.

The WTO calls for an across-the-board lowering of trade barriers so that all countries can compete on a level playing field.

Have a field day: have an opportunity to do a lot of something you want to do, especially criticise someone.

When Princess Diana died, the press had a field day criticising Prince Charles for the way he had treated her.

Lead the field: be better (in a race or a sports event) or more successful (in an activity or business) than anyone else.

At the end of the second day of the Test match against Pakistan, India was leading the field with a score of 250.

Maruti 800 leads the field in the small-car segment.

Leave the field clear for someone: stop competing with someone, which gives them a better chance of being successful.

If Raman decides not to contest the elections, it will leave the field clear for his opponent.

Use the idioms given above to complete the following sentences:

When I want to prepare an elaborate meal, I `85 by buying all the ingredients from the market.

If you have lived with your parents all your life then staying in a hostel is not easy. It is`85.

I have done everything I could to extend a hand of friendship to Nina. Now`85.

The reservation system was meant to help the underprivileged compete on `85 but many feel that it has not been successful.

If you are new to a job, the only way you will learn something is if you do things`85.

A whole new ball game and play ball both have American origins. The former was first used by radio commentators commenting on football and baseball matches — known as ball games in America. They used this phrase to refer to a situation when a score changed the fortunes of one of the teams. Play ball is an Americanism which means, simply, to play baseball. Since baseball is a team game, an invitation is sent out inviting players to join others in playing the game. This has led to the usage of the phrase to mean cooperation.

(Reference: Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms and A Concise Dictionary of Phrase and Fable)