baseball

American  

[beys-bawl] / ˈbeɪsˌbɔl /

noun

1. a game of ball between two nine-player teams played usually for nine innings on a field that has as a focal point a diamond-shaped infield with a home plate and three other bases, 90 feet (27 meters) apart, forming a circuit that must be completed by a base runner in order to score, the central offensive action entailing hitting of a pitched ball with a wooden or metal bat and running of the bases, the winner being the team scoring the most runs.

2. the ball used in this game, being a sphere approximately 3 inches (7 centimeters) in diameter with a twine-covered center of cork covered by stitched horsehide.

3. Cards. a variety of five-card or seven-card stud poker in which nines and threes are wild and in which threes and fours dealt face up gain the player either penalties or privileges.

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baseball British  

/ ˈbeɪsˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a team game with nine players on each side, played on a field with four bases connected to form a diamond. The object is to score runs by batting the ball and running round the bases

2. the hard rawhide-covered ball used in this game

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Other Word Forms

• probaseball adjective

Etymology

Origin of baseball

First recorded in 1795–1805; base ¹ + ball ¹

Example Sentences

The family that includes a 10, 11 and 18-year-old had come into town from Minnesota for a baseball trip -- "we didn't know it was happening until we got down here," she told AFP.

From Barron's

Whomever is responsible for discovering late-blooming high school baseball prospects in Southern California for the Air Force Academy deserves a raise.

From Los Angeles Times

It was No. 1 Orange Lutheran taking on No. 2 St. John Bosco in the first game of a three-game baseball series on Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times

In the most recent World Series, 11.4% of pitches were splitters—proving that in baseball, the 1980s are cool again.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 20 Make Great Plays members play soccer, baseball, lacrosse, tennis and volleyball at Westlake High.

From Los Angeles Times