ENGLISH
REFERENCE

play the man and not the ball

idiom

To object to someone's argument by attacking them or a facet of their personality instead of the argument itself; to make an ad hominem attack.


Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    ball hog

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

  2. 02

    ball of fire

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

  3. 03

    ball of malt

    A glass of whiskey.

  4. 04

    be a man

    To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

  5. 05

    be one's own man

    To behave independently without the influence of others.

  6. 06

    be the bigger man

    To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.

  7. 07

    boldly go where no man has gone before

    To break new ground.

  8. 08

    broken man

    A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.

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