wait for the ball to drop
To wait in expectation of an occurrence.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We wait for the ball to drop at the New Year party.”
“The crowd stood in the cold square, waiting for the ball to drop to celebrate the start of the year.”
“As the final seconds of December ticked away, the gathered thousands held their breath, waiting for the ball to drop and signal the arrival of a new era.”
disputed origin
An allusion to the Times Square Ball, and perhaps other time balls.
- 01
a short drop and a sudden stop
A fall to one's death by hanging.
- 02
ball hog
In team sports, a player who keeps the ball to themselves, rather than passing it.
- 03
ball of fire
A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.
- 04
ball of malt
A glass of whiskey.
- 05
balls of steel
Courage, audacity.
- 06
balls to the wall
With maximum effort or commitment.
- 07
bust one's balls
To work very hard; to put in a lot of effort.
- 08
can't wait
To eagerly anticipate; to find it hard to wait for a forthcoming pleasurable event.
Last updated August 10, 2026