English Reference
Idiom idiom

ball hog


In team sports, a player who keeps the ball to themselves, rather than passing it.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Stop being a ball hog and pass the ball to your teammates.

CONTEXTUAL

We lost the game because our star player was a ball hog and refused to pass.

COMPLEX

His reputation as a notorious ball hog alienated his teammates, who eventually grew tired of his selfish style of play.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    ball of fire

    A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.

  2. 02

    ball of malt

    A glass of whiskey.

  3. 03

    balls of steel

    Courage, audacity.

  4. 04

    balls to the wall

    With maximum effort or commitment.

  5. 05

    bust one's balls

    To work very hard; to put in a lot of effort.

  6. 06

    carry the ball

    To lead in terms of responsibility, initiative, or progress.

  7. 07

    cobblers

    [Cockney slang]balls or 'bollocks'

  8. 08

    crank one's hog

    To masturbate by stimulating one's penis.

Last updated August 10, 2026