Handball

noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A team sport where two teams of seven players each (six players and a goalkeeper) pass and bounce a ball trying to throw it in the goal of the opposing team. uncountable
  2. 2
    a game played in a walled court or against a single wall by two or four players who strike a rubber ball with their hands wordnet
  3. 3
    The medium-sized inflated ball used in this sport. countable
  4. 4
    a small rubber ball used in playing the game of handball wordnet
  5. 5
    The offence of a player other than the goalkeeper touching the ball with the hand or arm on the field during play. countable

    "It was a dramatic finish to an absorbing, fast-paced game but Blackburn will be deeply unhappy with referee Anthony Taylor as Nzonzi's handball was harsh."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A sport in which players alternately strike the ball against a wall with their hand. Irish and American variants have slightly different rules. Ireland, US, uncountable
  2. 7
    The small rubber ball used in this sport. US, countable
  3. 8
    An act of passing a football by holding it with one hand and hitting it with the other. countable
  4. 9
    A schoolyard game in which a tennis ball is struck with the hand, played on an improvised court on the asphalt or pavement. Australia, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To manually load or unload a container, trailer, or to otherwise manually move bulk goods (often on pallets) from one type of transport receptacle to another. transitive
  2. 2
    To illegally touch the ball with the hand or arm.

    "If the defender handballs in the penalty area, a penalty is awarded."

  3. 3
    To (legally) pass a football by holding it with one hand and hitting it with the other.

    "Meanwhile, you can introduce the basic concept of Aussie rules through a game like lineball, a lead-up game introduced in the basketball section of chapter 10, but with the ball handballed, not thrown."

  4. 4
    To insert a hand into someone's anus. slang

Etymology

Etymology 1

From hand + ball.

Etymology 2

From hand + ball.

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