ball-breakern.

Brit.

/ˈbɔːlbreɪkə/, U.S.

/ˈbɔlˌbreɪkər/,

/ˈbɑlˌbreɪkər/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: ball n.¹, breaker n.¹

Etymology: < ball n.¹ + breaker n.¹ Compare ball-breaking adj., ball-buster n.

slang (originally U.S.).

1. A difficult, boring, or exasperating job, problem, or situation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > that which is difficult > a difficult matter

business1827

sod1940

cruncher1947

ball-breaker1950

nutcracker1960

1950 E. R. Stuart Objector 16 I got a ball breaker on my hands.

1973 F. Haring Perfect Stranger 135 You can't believe what I've been through. And then today, a real ball-breaker.

2001 T. O'Farrell Behind Enemy Lines xvii. 204 What do you do to occupy yourself when not on duty?..Whatever, it was a real ball-breaker as far as morale went and dangerous too as people began to slacken off.

2. A person who sets difficult work or problems; a hard taskmaster.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > strictness > [noun] > exactingness > exacting person

exacter1561

exactora1620

ball-breaker1950

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [noun] > overseer or foreman > taskmaster > exacting hard work

strapping-master1851

Simon Legree1857

ball-breaker1950

1950 H. E. Goldin Dict. Amer. Underworld Lingo 22 Ball-breaker, a strict disciplinarian; a slave-driver.

1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon iii. 57 The quality control inspector is a sort of nitpicker. We're the ball breakers, in plain English. We're the most unwanted people.

2007 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 24 Feb. (City section) 34 ‘Nick's a perfectionist ball-breaker,’ says one of his LA team.

3. A dominating or threatening woman, one who destroys the self-confidence of a man.

ΘΚΠ

the world > people > person > woman > [noun] > dominating woman

ball-buster1954

ball-breaker1962

1962 B. Moore Answer from Limbo 133 As she led them into the bathroom she heard Dr. Lupus' voice. ‘I'm talking about the woman who takes over the breadwinner's role in fact or fantasy. The competing, aggressive type.’ ‘In other words, a ball breaker,’ Gallery said.

1975 D. Lodge Changing Places v. 213 Désirée is a ball-breaker. She eats men like your husband for breakfast.

1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief i. vii. 94 Tom told me about that wife of his. A real ball-breaker, isn't she?

1985 Company Dec. 60/2 They [sc. women] are now reaching senior positions..where their arrival is creating new male horror stories about aggressive ball-breakers.

2007 Times (Nexis) 10 Feb. (Features, Knowledge section) 14 Women were black widow spiders, ball-breakers... They spelt doom!

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	ball-breaker
释义	ball-breakern. Brit. /ˈbɔːlbreɪkə/, U.S. /ˈbɔlˌbreɪkər/, /ˈbɑlˌbreɪkər/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: ball n.¹, breaker n.¹ Etymology: < ball n.¹ + breaker n.¹ Compare ball-breaking adj., ball-buster n. slang (originally U.S.). 1. A difficult, boring, or exasperating job, problem, or situation. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > that which is difficult > a difficult matter business1827 sod1940 cruncher1947 ball-breaker1950 nutcracker1960 1950 E. R. Stuart Objector 16 I got a ball breaker on my hands. 1973 F. Haring Perfect Stranger 135 You can't believe what I've been through. And then today, a real ball-breaker. 2001 T. O'Farrell Behind Enemy Lines xvii. 204 What do you do to occupy yourself when not on duty?..Whatever, it was a real ball-breaker as far as morale went and dangerous too as people began to slacken off. 2. A person who sets difficult work or problems; a hard taskmaster. ΘΚΠ society > authority > strictness > [noun] > exactingness > exacting person exacter1561 exactora1620 ball-breaker1950 society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [noun] > overseer or foreman > taskmaster > exacting hard work strapping-master1851 Simon Legree1857 ball-breaker1950 1950 H. E. Goldin Dict. Amer. Underworld Lingo 22 Ball-breaker, a strict disciplinarian; a slave-driver. 1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon iii. 57 The quality control inspector is a sort of nitpicker. We're the ball breakers, in plain English. We're the most unwanted people. 2007 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 24 Feb. (City section) 34 ‘Nick's a perfectionist ball-breaker,’ says one of his LA team. 3. A dominating or threatening woman, one who destroys the self-confidence of a man. ΘΚΠ the world > people > person > woman > [noun] > dominating woman ball-buster1954 ball-breaker1962 1962 B. Moore Answer from Limbo 133 As she led them into the bathroom she heard Dr. Lupus' voice. ‘I'm talking about the woman who takes over the breadwinner's role in fact or fantasy. The competing, aggressive type.’ ‘In other words, a ball breaker,’ Gallery said. 1975 D. Lodge Changing Places v. 213 Désirée is a ball-breaker. She eats men like your husband for breakfast. 1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief i. vii. 94 Tom told me about that wife of his. A real ball-breaker, isn't she? 1985 Company Dec. 60/2 They [sc. women] are now reaching senior positions..where their arrival is creating new male horror stories about aggressive ball-breakers. 2007 Times (Nexis) 10 Feb. (Features, Knowledge section) 14 Women were black widow spiders, ball-breakers... They spelt doom! This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.1950
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